24 Hour Emergency Plumber in Walnut Creek, CA
Need an emergency plumber in Walnut Creek right now? Call us at (925) 887-6347. We answer 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and a real person picks up, not a voicemail tree. We handle burst pipes, sewage backups, overflowing toilets, slab leaks, frozen pipes, failed water heaters and gas line problems for homes and businesses across Walnut Creek, Rossmoor, Saranap and the rest of Contra Costa County. Our shop is on North Main Street, and we have been fixing local plumbing since 1993.
- Open 24 hours, including holidays
- Licensed and insured since 1993
- Written price before any work starts
- Senior discount available
24 hour emergency plumber in Walnut Creek: what we handle
A plumbing emergency is anything that is actively damaging your home, putting someone's health at risk, or leaving you without water, a toilet or a safe gas supply. If it fits that description, call us at any hour and we will talk you through it and get a plumber headed your way.
Most of the calls we take at night fall into a handful of categories. Here is what each one usually involves and what we bring to it.
Burst and leaking pipes
Copper pinholes, split galvanized lines, failed PEX fittings, broken supply hoses under sinks and behind washers. We stop the water, find the source and repair or replace the damaged section.
Sewage backups
Sewage coming up in a shower, tub or floor drain, or gurgling from every drain at once. We clear the line with cable or hydro jetting and can run a camera to see why it backed up.
Overflowing toilets
A toilet that will not stop running onto the floor, or one that overflows every time it is flushed. Sometimes it is the toilet, sometimes it is the main line behind it.
No hot water
Tank failures, leaking tanks, pilot and burner problems and tankless error codes. We repair or replace tank, tankless and hybrid water heaters, with proper earthquake strapping.
Gas line problems
After you are safely outside and PG&E has been called, we find and repair gas leaks, replace damaged gas piping and install shutoff, seismic and excess flow valves.
Slab and hidden leaks
Water running under the floor, a warm spot on tile, a meter that spins with everything turned off. Electronic leak detection lets us locate the leak before anyone starts opening floors.
We also take emergency calls for frozen outdoor pipes, broken hose bibs and irrigation lines, failed sump and ejector pumps, and leaking shutoff valves that will not close. If you are not sure whether it is an emergency, call anyway. We would rather spend two minutes on the phone helping you decide than have you wait until morning with water in the walls.
What to do while you wait for the plumber
The first job is to stop the damage: shut off the water (or gas) at the right valve, then protect people and belongings. These six steps cover the most common emergencies, and we will walk you through them on the phone if you need help.
- Find the main water shutoff.Most Walnut Creek homes have a house shutoff where the line enters the building, often near the front hose bib or in the garage. There is also a valve at the meter box near the street. Turn the house valve clockwise until it stops.
- Isolate the fixture if you can.Toilets, sinks and washing machines have small shutoff valves behind or below them. Closing one of those can stop a leak without cutting water to the whole house.
- Shut down the water heater if it is leaking.Close the cold water valve on top of the tank. For a gas heater, turn the control knob to the pilot or off position. For an electric heater, switch off its breaker.
- Kill power near the water.If water is near outlets, a power strip or an appliance, switch off that circuit at the panel, but only if you can reach the panel without standing in water.
- Stop using the drains.With a sewage backup, every flush, shower and dishwasher cycle adds to the mess. Tell everyone in the house to hold off until the line is cleared.
- Move valuables and take photos.Pull rugs, electronics and boxes out of the wet area, then take photos and video. Your insurance company will want to see the damage before cleanup.
A tip worth doing today, before you ever need it: walk out to your main shutoff, make sure you can turn it, and show everyone in the house where it is. Old gate valves on mid-century homes sometimes seize after decades without use. If yours will not budge, that is a good, inexpensive fix to schedule now, because a stuck valve turns a small leak into a large one.
Is it an emergency, or can it wait until morning?
If water or sewage is spreading, gas is involved, or you have no working toilet or no water at all, call now. If the problem is contained and you can live with it overnight, a daytime appointment is usually fine and may cost less.
| Situation | What it usually means | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| Water spraying or pouring from a pipe | Burst pipe or failed fitting or hose | Shut off the main and call now |
| Sewage coming up in a tub, shower or floor drain | Blocked main line or sewer lateral | Stop using water and call now |
| Smell of gas (rotten egg odor) | Possible gas leak | Leave, call PG&E or 911 from outside, then call us |
| Water heater leaking from the tank itself | Tank is failing and will not get better | Shut off cold supply and gas or power, call now |
| Only toilet in the house is clogged or overflowing | Toilet clog or main line blockage | Call now if plunging does not clear it |
| Meter spinning with all water off, warm spot on floor | Hidden or slab leak | Call now, damage builds quietly |
| No hot water, no leaking | Pilot, burner, element or control issue | Can usually wait for a daytime visit |
| Slow drain in one sink or tub | Local clog in that fixture | Can wait, avoid chemical cleaners |
| Dripping faucet or running toilet | Worn cartridge, washer or flapper | Can wait, schedule a regular visit |
| Second toilet clogged, others work | Local clog | Can wait if you have another toilet |
When you call, we will ask a few quick questions and give you a straight answer. If something can safely wait, we will say so. Plenty of night calls end with us telling a homeowner to close a valve, use the other bathroom and book a morning slot.
Burst pipes, leaks and slab leaks
A burst or leaking pipe needs the water shut off first, then a repair matched to the pipe material. In Walnut Creek that is usually copper, galvanized steel or PEX, and each fails in its own way.
Walnut Creek grew fast after the Broadway Shopping Center opened in 1951. The population went from 9,903 in 1960 to 39,844 in 1970, so a lot of homes in Parkmead, Walnut Heights, Larkey Park, Tice Valley and Northgate date from that boom. Many of those houses were plumbed with galvanized steel, which rusts from the inside out. It narrows over time, drops your water pressure, sends rusty water through the faucets and eventually splits or leaks at the threads. When a galvanized line fails at 2 a.m., we repair the break so you have water again, then talk with you about whether a section or a whole-house repipe makes more sense down the road.
Copper usually fails with pinhole leaks or at a corroded joint. PEX, used in newer homes and many remodels, is more likely to leak at a fitting or a crimp ring than in the pipe itself. Braided supply hoses on toilets, faucets and washers are another common culprit, and they are cheap to replace before they fail.
Slab leaks and hidden leaks
Some homes have supply lines running under a concrete slab. When one of those leaks, the signs are subtle: the sound of running water with nothing on, a warm spot on a tile floor (a hot water line), damp carpet, cracks in flooring, or a water bill that jumps without explanation. Check your meter: turn off every fixture and watch the meter for a few minutes. If it keeps moving, water is going somewhere.
We use electronic leak detection to narrow down where the leak is before anyone opens a floor or wall. Depending on the location and the condition of the rest of the piping, the fix may be a spot repair through the slab or a reroute through the walls or attic. We will explain both options and the trade-offs. You can read more on our leak detection page.
Sewage backups and overflowing toilets
Sewage backing up into a tub, shower or floor drain almost always means the main line or your private sewer lateral is blocked. Stop running water, keep people and pets away from it, and call us.
In Walnut Creek, sewer service comes from Central San (Central Contra Costa Sanitary District). Central San's rule is simple: the property owner is responsible for the entire private sewer lateral, from the house all the way to the Central San main, including the part under the sidewalk and street. So when your line backs up, it is usually your plumber you need, not the district.
Central San says root intrusion is the leading cause of sewer backups. Mid-century homes often have clay laterals with joints that let roots in, and Walnut Creek is full of mature street trees. Grease poured down the kitchen sink and wipes flushed down toilets, including the ones labeled flushable, are the other big causes.
On an emergency backup call, we find the best access point (ideally an outdoor cleanout), clear the blockage with a cable machine or high-pressure hydro jetting, and confirm the line drains. If the backup came from roots or a broken pipe, we recommend a camera inspection so you know whether it is a one-time clog or a lateral that will keep failing. See our sewer line repair page for the longer-term options.
Toilets that will not stop
If a toilet is overflowing, lift the tank lid and push the flapper down, or close the shutoff valve behind the toilet. A single clogged toilet usually clears with a good flange plunger. If plunging does not work, or the tub gurgles when you flush, the blockage is probably further down the line, and that is a call for us.
No hot water and gas smells
No hot water is rarely an emergency on its own, but a leaking tank is. A gas smell always comes first: get out, call PG&E or 911, and call us once the area is safe.
A tank water heater that is leaking from the tank body has reached the end of its life. A leak from a fitting, the relief valve or a supply connection may be repairable. We can tell the difference quickly. If you need a replacement, we install tank-type, tankless and hybrid heat pump water heaters, and we strap every heater to code. California Health and Safety Code 19211 requires new, replacement and existing residential water heaters to be braced, anchored or strapped to resist earthquake motion. Water heater replacement also generally requires a permit, from the City of Walnut Creek inside city limits or from Contra Costa County in unincorporated areas like Saranap. More on our water heater page.
For gas, the order matters. PG&E's emergency line is 1-800-743-5000. Let them make the situation safe first. Once they have, the repair work on your home's gas piping is where we come in: leak detection, repair or replacement of damaged pipe, and new shutoff valves, seismic valves or excess flow valves. Our gas line page has more detail.
Frozen pipes in a Walnut Creek winter
Yes, pipes can freeze here. Walnut Creek winters are mild, but frequent morning frost is normal and the record low is 17°F, so exposed outdoor pipes, hose bibs and backflow devices are at risk on cold nights.
During the December 2022 freeze warning, the advice was to wrap or cover exposed outdoor pipes. That is still good guidance. The parts that freeze most often are hose bibs on north-facing walls, irrigation backflow preventers sitting above ground, pool and spa equipment lines, and pipes in unheated garages or crawl spaces. Homes up toward Shell Ridge, Lime Ridge and the Mount Diablo foothills tend to see colder mornings than downtown.
If a pipe is frozen, open the faucet it feeds so water can escape as it thaws, and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or warm towels. Never use an open flame. If the pipe has split, you will often not know until it thaws and starts spraying, so know where your shutoff is before you start. Call us if you see a crack, a bulge or water where it should not be.
- Disconnect garden hoses before a cold night so water can drain from the hose bib.
- Cover hose bibs with an insulated cover and wrap exposed irrigation and backflow piping.
- Insulate pipes in garages, crawl spaces and exterior walls.
- Know where your main shutoff is and confirm it turns.
How an emergency call with us works
You call, a real person answers, and we help you stop the damage on the phone before anyone is on the road. Then a licensed plumber comes out, diagnoses the problem, and gives you a written price before work starts.
- You call (925) 887-6347.Day or night, weekends and holidays, a person answers. Tell us what you are seeing, where the water or smell is, and whether you have been able to shut anything off.
- We help you get it under control.We talk you through finding the right valve, killing power or leaving the house if gas is involved. Many emergencies get a lot smaller in the first five minutes.
- We set an arrival window.We tell you honestly when we can get there based on where the plumbers are that night. We do not promise times we cannot keep.
- Diagnosis on site.The plumber finds the actual cause, not just the symptom. That may mean a camera in the sewer line or electronic leak detection for a hidden leak.
- Written price before work.You get the price in writing and decide. Often there is a quick fix to get you through the night and a permanent repair to schedule later. We will lay out both.
- Repair, test and clean up.We make the repair, test it under pressure or with flow, clean up our work area, and tell you what to watch for over the next few days.
After-hours pricing, explained honestly
Emergency and after-hours calls generally cost more than a scheduled daytime visit, because a plumber is leaving home in the middle of the night. We will tell you up front whether after-hours rates apply, and you get a written price before any work begins.
We do not publish flat prices online, because two jobs that sound the same on the phone can be very different on site. A clogged main with an outdoor cleanout is a different job from one where the only access is through a toilet. A burst copper line in an open garage ceiling is easier than one inside a finished wall. Here is what actually moves the price:
- Time of the call: nights, weekends and holidays versus regular hours.
- Access: open crawl space and cleanouts, or finished walls, slabs and no cleanout.
- Pipe material and condition: a clean copper repair or brittle galvanized that keeps breaking.
- Equipment: a cable machine, hydro jetter, camera or leak detection gear.
- Parts: a supply hose versus a new water heater.
- Whether a temporary repair tonight and a permanent one later makes more sense for you.
Sometimes the honest answer is that a stopgap tonight and a full repair on a weekday is the better value. If the water is off and nothing is getting worse, waiting until morning can save you money, and we will tell you that. Estimates are free, we offer a senior discount, and we accept Mastercard and Visa.
Holiday plumbing emergencies
We are open on holidays, and holidays are when a lot of drains and toilets give out. A full house, extra cooking and extra showers put more load on plumbing than it sees the rest of the year.
Thanksgiving and the days around it are the classic example. Turkey fat and pan grease go down the kitchen sink, potato peels go into the disposal, and the kitchen line or main clogs just as guests arrive. Central San's advice applies here: keep fats, oils and grease out of the drain. Let grease cool, scrape it into a container and put it in the trash.
- Do not pour cooking grease down any drain, even with hot water running.
- Go easy on the disposal: no peels, bones, rice, pasta or coffee grounds in large amounts.
- Space out showers and dishwasher loads when the house is full so the water heater can recover.
- Put a small trash can in every bathroom so guests are not tempted to flush wipes.
- Keep a plunger next to each toilet. Guests will thank you.
Winter holidays also bring the coldest mornings of the year. While the family is busy with Walnut Creek on Ice in Civic Park or a show at the Lesher Center, a forgotten hose on the side of the house can freeze. Disconnect hoses and cover hose bibs before you head out.
Emergency plumbing across Walnut Creek, Rossmoor and nearby
We cover all four Walnut Creek ZIP codes, 94595, 94596, 94597 and 94598, plus nearby towns. Being based on North Main Street means we know the neighborhoods, the housing ages and which utility serves which street.
That last part matters in an emergency. Walnut Creek is split between EBMUD and Contra Costa Water District depending on your address, so if you ever need to call the water utility about the meter or the street side of your service, check your bill to see which one serves you. Sewer service across the city comes from Central San. Unincorporated pockets like Saranap fall under Contra Costa County for permits, while the rest of the city goes through the City of Walnut Creek building office at 1666 North Main Street.
In Rossmoor, most homes are co-ops and condos, and about 40% are garden-style duplexes to fourplexes. A leak in one unit can reach a neighbor quickly, and some shutoffs and pipes are shared. Before work on shared plumbing, you may need to check with your mutual or the Golden Rain Foundation, but in an emergency, stopping the water comes first. We will help you find the right valve.
Why Walnut Creek calls us at 2 a.m.
We are a family business that has served Contra Costa and Alameda Counties since 1993, from our shop on North Main Street. When you call at night, you get a person who can actually help, not an answering service.
Local and family run
Owner Mo Williams is a Bay Area native who learned plumbing products and installation at Simon's Hardware in Walnut Creek and Home Depot in Concord before building the business with his wife Ann.
Licensed and insured
We are a California licensed C-36 plumbing contractor, licensed and insured. You can verify any contractor's license status, bond and workers' comp at cslb.ca.gov.
Reviewed by neighbors
We hold a 4.7 rating from 251 Google reviews. One customer wrote that Kevin solved their problem and fixed their water leak in a timely manner.
Part of the community
Members of the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau and PHCC, and BBB Accredited with an A+ rating.
Once the emergency is handled, the next question is how to keep it from happening again. That might mean drain cleaning and hydro jetting for a line that keeps clogging, repiping for tired galvanized pipe, or earthquake safety upgrades like seismic gas shutoff valves. Or start from the home page.
A family business led by Mo Williams since 1993
We are a Walnut Creek family business run from our North Main Street shop. Owner Mo Williams grew up in the Bay Area and learned plumbing products and installation from the inside out at Simon's Hardware in Walnut Creek and Home Depot in Concord. His wife Ann runs the books as CFO. We're rated 4.7 on Google from 251 reviews (October 2026). Meet Mo
Frequently asked questions
Do you really answer the phone 24 hours a day?
Yes. LeapFrog Plumbing is open 24/7, including nights, weekends and holidays, and a real person answers at (925) 887-6347. We will help you shut off water or gas over the phone, ask a few questions to understand the problem, and give you an honest arrival window for a licensed plumber. If the issue can safely wait until morning, we will tell you that too.
How fast can an emergency plumber get to my house in Walnut Creek?
It depends on the time, the night's call volume and where our plumbers are, so we give you an honest arrival window when you call rather than a promise we might not keep. Our shop is on North Main Street in Walnut Creek, which helps for calls across 94595 through 94598. While you wait, we will walk you through stopping the damage.
What should I do first if a pipe bursts?
Shut off the water at the main valve, usually where the line enters the house or at the meter box near the street. Turn off power to any circuit near the water if you can reach the panel safely. Then open a faucet at the lowest point to drain the lines, move valuables away, take photos for insurance and call (925) 887-6347.
Is it more expensive to call a plumber at night?
Generally, yes. After-hours, weekend and holiday calls usually cost more than a scheduled daytime visit. LeapFrog tells you up front whether after-hours rates apply and gives you a written price before work starts. If a temporary fix tonight and a permanent repair during the week makes more sense, we will say so. Estimates are free and seniors get a discount.
Who is responsible if sewage backs up into my house?
Usually the property owner. Central San, which provides sewer service in Walnut Creek, makes owners responsible for the whole private sewer lateral from the house to the public main, including the section under the sidewalk and street. Most backups come from roots, grease or wipes in that private line. We clear the line and can camera it to show you the cause.
What do I do if I smell gas?
Leave the house right away with everyone in it. Do not flip switches, use phones inside or light anything. Once outside, call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000 or 911. PG&E will make the situation safe. After that, call LeapFrog at (925) 887-6347 to locate and repair the leak in your gas piping and to add a seismic or excess flow valve if you want one.
Is no hot water an emergency?
Not usually, unless the water heater is leaking. A heater with no leak and no gas smell can normally wait for a daytime visit. If water is coming from the tank itself, close the cold water valve on top, turn the gas control to off or switch off the breaker, and call us. A leaking tank will not fix itself and can flood a garage or closet.
Can pipes really freeze in Walnut Creek?
Yes, on the coldest nights. Walnut Creek gets frequent winter morning frost and has hit a record low of 17 degrees. Exposed hose bibs, irrigation backflow devices and pipes in garages or crawl spaces are most at risk. Disconnect hoses, cover hose bibs and wrap exposed pipes before a freeze. If a pipe splits, shut off the water and call us.
Do you work on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas?
Yes. We are open every day of the year, including holidays, which is when many kitchen drains and toilets clog because of grease, food scraps and extra guests. Holiday calls may carry after-hours rates, and we will tell you before any work starts. Keep grease out of the sink and put a trash can in each bathroom to help prevent problems.
Do you handle plumbing emergencies in Rossmoor condos and co-ops?
Yes. We work throughout Rossmoor, where most homes are co-ops and condos and many share walls and plumbing. In an emergency, shutting off the water comes first, and we will help you find the right valve. For repairs on shared lines, you may need to coordinate with your mutual or the Golden Rain Foundation, and we can work with them.
Other ways we help Walnut Creek homes
Call a Walnut Creek plumber for emergency plumber
A real person answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Tell us what's happening and we'll give you an honest arrival window and a free written estimate before any work starts.
Call now, day or night
(925) 887-6347- Licensed plumber, not a salesperson
- Free written estimate before work begins
- Senior discount, ask when you call
- Mastercard and Visa accepted
- Non-urgent questions: balzaparis@gmail.com
Water or sewage spreading? Shut off the fixture or main valve, then call. Smell gas? Leave first and call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000 or 911 from outside.
2108 N. Main Street, Suite F
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Phone: (925) 887-6347
Email: balzaparis@gmail.com
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week