What To Do In A Plumbing Emergency?

A plumbing emergency is any sudden fault that poses an immediate risk to your home, your safety, or your water supply. It could be a burst pipe, a gas leak, a blocked toilet, or a hot water system failure. In Perth, where older residential plumbing and extreme summer heat can push systems to their limits, knowing what to do in the first few minutes can mean the difference between a manageable repair and a costly disaster.

Most Perth residents don’t think about their plumbing until something goes wrong. Then, without warning, water is pooling across the floor, a gas smell is drifting through the house, or the hot water has cut out completely. Panic is a natural first response but acting quickly and calmly is far more useful. Our team at Bingham Plumbing & Gas walks you through the right steps for the most common plumbing emergencies so you can protect your home until a licensed plumber arrives.

Table Of Contents

• Stop The Water First
• What To Do With A Burst Pipe
• What To Do With A Blocked Drain Or Toilet
• What To Do With A Gas Leak
• What To Do With A Hot Water System Failure
• What To Do With A Leaking Tap Or Leaking Pipe Joint
• How Bingham Plumbing & Gas Can Help
• Know These Numbers Before An Emergency Happens
• Frequently Asked Questions

Stop The Water First

The single most important action in almost any plumbing emergency is stopping the water supply. Many homeowners have never located their main stopcock, and that gap in knowledge can cost them thousands.

Your main water shutoff valve is typically found at the front of your property near the water meter, which is usually set into the ground close to the street boundary. Turn it clockwise to close it. If you are dealing with a localised problem, such as a leaking tap or a running toilet, there will usually be an isolation valve directly under or behind the fitting. Turn that valve clockwise to stop flow to just that fixture without cutting off the rest of the house.

Once the water is off, open a tap on a lower floor or outside to relieve pressure in the pipes and drain any remaining water. This simple step reduces the volume of water that can cause further damage while you wait for a plumber.

What To Do With A Burst Pipe

Burst pipes are one of the most common plumbing emergencies across the Perth metro area. Hot summers cause ground movement that stresses underground lines, and older galvanised pipes degrade over time from the inside out.

As soon as a pipe bursts, shut off the main water supply as described above. Then switch off your electricity at the switchboard if water is near any power points, light fittings, or appliances — water and electricity together are dangerous. 

Move valuables, rugs, and furniture away from the affected area and lay down towels or buckets to contain the spread. Do not attempt to repair the pipe yourself with tape or sealant as a permanent fix. These are short-term measures only and can mask the true extent of the damage.

Take photos of the damage before any cleanup. Your insurance provider may require evidence of how the emergency began.

What To Do With A Blocked Drain Or Toilet

A blocked toilet or drain that is overflowing is not just unpleasant. It’s a hygiene risk. Stop flushing immediately. Every additional flush pushes more wastewater back up into your home and makes the blockage worse.

For a blocked toilet, you can attempt a standard plunger to create suction and dislodge the obstruction. Use a flange plunger (with an extended rubber lip) rather than a flat cup plunger for better results. Push down slowly and pull up sharply several times. If the water does not clear after a few attempts, stop — forcing the issue can crack the pan or push the blockage further into the pipe.

For a blocked drain, avoid pouring chemical drain cleaners down the pipe. They are corrosive, they can damage older pipes, and they rarely clear solid blockages. Run hot water in short bursts to see whether the water clears naturally. If it does not, the blockage likely requires a plumber with a drain snake or hydro-jetting equipment to clear properly.

What To Do With A Gas Leak

A suspected gas leak is the most serious plumbing emergency you can face. Natural gas and LPG are both highly flammable, and exposure in an enclosed space is a health risk as well as a fire hazard.

If you smell gas — that distinctive rotten egg odour added to make gas detectable — take the following steps immediately:

• Do not turn any light switches, power points, or appliances on or off. Even a small electrical spark can ignite gas. 
• Open all doors and windows to ventilate the space. 
• Do not use your phone or any electronic device inside the building. 
• Leave the property and call the emergency gas line from outside or from a neighbouring property — in Western Australia, that is ATCO Gas Emergency (WA): 13 13 52 
• If you believe there is an immediate risk to life, call 000.

Only return to the property once emergency services or a licensed gas fitter has declared it safe. Do not attempt any work on gas lines yourself. Gas fitting is licensed work in Western Australia, and unlicensed interference with a gas supply is both illegal and dangerous.

What To Do With A Hot Water System Failure

Waking up to no hot water is one of the most common after-hours plumbing complaints Perth plumbers receive. While it feels like an emergency (especially in winter), it is rarely an immediate safety risk, and there are a few things you can check before calling a plumber.

For an electric hot water system, check your switchboard first. The circuit breaker for the hot water unit may have tripped. Reset it and wait 30 to 60 minutes to see whether the water reheats. If the breaker trips again, there is a fault in the system and a licensed plumber needs to inspect it.

For a gas hot water system, check whether your pilot light has gone out. Many older systems have a relight procedure printed on a label on the unit itself. If you are comfortable following those instructions, you can attempt to relight it. If the pilot will not stay lit, or you smell gas near the unit, stop immediately and treat the situation as a gas emergency.

Do not attempt to repair or replace a hot water system yourself. Both gas and electrical connections require licensed trades in Western Australia.

What To Do With A Leaking Tap Or Leaking Pipe Joint

A leaking tap or slow pipe joint may not seem urgent, but left overnight it can waste hundreds of litres of water and cause serious damage to cabinetry, walls, and flooring. Turn off the isolation valve under the sink or behind the fitting. If there is no isolation valve, turn off the main supply. Place a towel or tray beneath the leak to catch dripping water.

Do not over-tighten the tap trying to stop the drip. Doing so can worsen the internal washer damage. Note the make and style of the tap if possible, as this helps your plumber come prepared with the right parts.

How Bingham Plumbing & Gas Can Help

Bingham Plumbing & Gas is a family owned and operated plumbing and gas business based in Gosnells, serving the entire Perth metropolitan area. Established in 2007 by Wayne Bingham, the business has spent nearly two decades building a reputation for quality workmanship, affordable pricing, and straightforward customer service across residential and commercial properties throughout the Perth metro area and surrounding suburbs.

The team is fully licensed, insured, and experienced across all general plumbing services, including burst pipe repairs, blocked drains, hot water systems, gas installations and repairs, cistern repairs, and tap work. 

When you call Bingham Plumbing & Gas about an urgent plumbing issue, the team can often advise you over the phone on immediate steps to take to limit damage. Scheduled repairs are completed during normal business hours, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, with after-hours appointments available at the team’s discretion.

For Perth residents and property managers who want a reliable, licensed local plumber they can call at the first sign of trouble, Bingham Plumbing & Gas offers the kind of consistent, dependable service that earns long-term trust.

Know These Numbers Before An Emergency Happens

The worst time to search for a plumber’s number is while water is pouring across your floor. Save these contacts now:

• Bingham Plumbing & Gas: 0439 963 066 — for general plumbing and gas work across the Perth metro area
• ATCO Gas Emergency (WA): 13 13 52 — for gas leaks and gas supply emergencies
• Emergency Services: 000 — for any situation involving immediate risk to life
• Water Corporation: 13 13 75 — open 24/7 for burst water mains, wastewater overflows, damaged pipelines, and water outages

Knowing who to call before a crisis hits means you act faster and lose less.