Emergency Plumber in Union County, NJ. Available 24/7.
Burst pipes, sewer backups, major leaks. Our phones are answered 24/7, including holidays.
Call 908-577-5579 NowWhen water is flooding your basement or sewage is backing up into your home, you cannot wait until Monday morning. Vanguard Service NJ provides 24/7 emergency plumbing service across Union County and surrounding areas. Call 908-577-5579 and a real person answers, 24/7 including holidays. No phone trees, no voicemail.
What to Do While You Wait
- 1 If water is spreading, shut off the main water valve first. It is usually where the water line enters the house. Find it and test it before you ever need it.
- 2 Once the main is off, open a faucet to drain the water and pressure left in the lines.
- 3 For an overflowing toilet, turn off the supply valve behind the bowl, on the wall or floor near the base, before you reach for the plunger.
- 4 For a sewer backup, stop using water everywhere in the house: no flushing, no faucets, no dishwasher or washing machine. Stay out of the backup water.
- 5 For a leaking water heater, turn off the breaker for an electric unit or set a gas unit's control to pilot, then close the cold water valve on the supply pipe above the tank. Do not stand in water to reach the heater or the panel.
- 6 Keep everyone, including kids and pets, away from standing water near outlets, appliances or the electrical panel.
- 7 If you smell gas near a water heater or boiler, leave the house without touching light switches and call the gas utility's emergency line from outside. Then call us.
- 8 Take photos or video of the damage before you start cleaning up. Your insurer may ask for them.
How we handle a plumbing emergency
A plumbing emergency is handled in two stages. First the water is stopped and the problem is made safe, then the part that failed is repaired properly. This page explains how our plumbers diagnose and fix the calls that cannot wait: a burst or frozen supply pipe, a leaking water heater, a main drain backing up into the basement, a sump pump that quits in a storm, and a house with no water at all. The steps to take while you wait are listed above. Calls to 908-577-5579 are answered 24/7, holidays included, and every repair comes with a written price before it starts.
How is a burst or frozen pipe found and repaired?
Water expands as it turns to ice, and the pressure trapped between the ice and a closed faucet can split a pipe in a stretch that never froze at all. Many splits stay hidden until the line thaws and starts spraying. The frozen run is warmed gradually, never with an open flame, and pressure is brought back slowly so every split along the line shows itself, not only the first one. Each split section is removed and replaced with new pipe. A pipe that froze in an outside wall or an unheated crawl space is likely to freeze again unless it is insulated or rerouted.
What happens on a call for a leaking water heater?
The first job is to confirm the heater is isolated, with its cold supply valve closed and its gas or power off. Then the technician finds where the water is really coming from. A heater often gets blamed for water from a nearby pipe, its relief valve discharge, or a furnace or air conditioner condensate line. A relief valve releasing hot water may be reacting to high pressure or an overheating control, and that gets checked before the heater is relit. Once the tank is isolated, and drained if it is leaking, the urgent part is over, and repair or replacement can be decided with a written price in hand.
What is done about a sewer backup in the basement?
Sewage rising out of a floor drain or toilet in the basement means the main drain is blocked somewhere downstream, in the house drain or the sewer line outside. The plumber opens the main from a cleanout, or by lifting a toilet off its flange when no cleanout can be used, and runs a cable matched to the pipe size until water drains freely. Roots, grease, wipes or broken pipe on the cutting head each point to a different next step, and a line that has backed up before deserves a camera look once it is open. Sewage on the floor needs cleanup and disinfection apart from the plumbing repair.
What if the sump pump stops during a storm?
Unless you would have to stand in water to reach the plug, unplug the pump before reaching into the pit. Many storm failures have simple causes: a tripped breaker or GFCI outlet, a float switch jammed against the pit wall, or an outdoor discharge pipe that has frozen or clogged. A pump that hums but moves no water may have a jammed impeller or a failed motor. The technician checks power, switch and discharge before condemning the pump. If it has failed, the replacement is set in the pit and run until the water is down and the float shuts it off.
What happens when you call
- On the call, we ask what you are seeing, where the water is coming from, and if it has been shut off yet.
- At the house, the technician confirms that water, power or gas to the affected equipment is off and that the area is safe to work in.
- Before anything is replaced, the technician traces the source: which pipe split, which fitting or tank is leaking, or where the drain is blocked.
- You get the plan and its price in writing, including any make-safe repair needed to stop the damage before the permanent fix, and no work starts until you approve it.
- Once the work is done, water is restored in stages, the new joints and those nearby are checked under pressure, and drains are run to confirm flow. When the work needs a permit, we handle the application and inspection.
What an emergency repair costs
An emergency repair is priced by the part that failed and the work needed to reach it. A split pipe above an open basement ceiling is a smaller job than one inside a finished wall, and a blocked main takes more work than one clogged fixture. Replacing a water heater or sump pump costs more than repairing a fitting. The price is put in writing for you to approve first, and larger replacements can be financed.
Emergency plumbing questions
Why is there no water anywhere in the house?
Ask a neighbor first, or check with your water utility, since a break or planned work on the street can cut off a whole block. If only your house is dry, the usual suspects are a main valve that was closed by mistake or has broken inside, a service line frozen where it comes through the foundation, or a failed pressure-reducing valve. Wet ground or a sinking spot along the path of the service line can point to a break outside.
Is the first repair sometimes a temporary one?
Yes. When the proper repair needs parts, access through a finished wall, or new equipment, the first step is to make the situation safe: capping or clamping a damaged pipe, closing off one branch so the rest of the house keeps water, or bypassing a failed part. That stops the damage and restores what service it can. The permanent repair follows, and you see in writing what each step covers and what it costs before it starts.
Which plumbing problems can wait for a regular appointment?
If the water can be stopped at a fixture valve and nothing else in the house is affected, it can usually wait. That covers a dripping faucet, a toilet that keeps running, a single slow drain, or a leak under one sink once its valves are closed. Treat it as an emergency when water cannot be shut off, sewage is coming up, the house has no water, a leak is near wiring, or a leaking water heater cannot be isolated.
What if the main shutoff valve will not close?
Older gate valves with round handles often seize, or turn without sealing fully, after years without use. Do not force a stuck handle, since it can snap off or start the valve leaking. Many homes also have a curb stop, a valve near the street that normally takes a special key and may be controlled by the water utility, so call them about it. Once the water is off, swapping the old valve for a quarter-turn ball valve is a common repair that makes the next shutoff simple.
Don't Take Our Word For It
"I love Vanguard. I have been using them ever since I moved to NJ. They are my trusted plumbers. My most recent experience was for a clogged sink in my son's bathroom that my husband made worse. My experience was extremely pleasant starting from scheduling the visit and when the gentlemen came they were professional and friendly. What I most especially liked is that they cleaned up after themselves. You could hardly tell they were working in there."
Monique Simmons
"Bevon was beyond amazing. We had an HVAC issue with our 2 year old system. Bevon found the issue in 5 minutes, found parts, and had the system running that day. Thanks to Karen who took my initial call. Great service, will call again in the future."
Jaiden Alexander
"Mike and Matt A+! Arrived promptly, got right to work and fixed my issue efficiently. When they left it was like they were never there, no trace left behind. Will definitely be using these guys again."
Christopher Manahan
"Mike and Matt were an excellent team today. Came on time, finished the job, cleaned up, and explained everything thoroughly. They are who I'd call next time."
Laura Cohen
"Whenever I really need service, Bevon and Jaimie have always stepped up. Today was no exception. Very courteous and professional. Looking forward to using Vanguard Service NJ for future needs."
Kofi
"They came on time and were very helpful and professional. They answered any questions that we had."
Reginald Tinson