Plumbing Emergency or Can It Wait? A Ferntree Gully Guide
How to tell whether a plumbing problem needs someone tonight, and what to do in the meantime.
or email info@ferntreegullyplumbing.com.au
Call straight away
Some problems cannot wait. Call 03 7036 4101 if water is spraying from a pipe or coming through a ceiling, if sewage is coming up through a floor waste, shower or the overflow gully outside, if you smell gas, if you have no water at all, or if your only toilet is blocked. These cause damage quickly or put your health and safety at risk.
Make it safe while you wait
For water problems, turn off the stopcock at the water meter, usually near the front boundary. If water is near power points or lights, switch off the power at the switchboard. For gas, turn off the supply at the meter, open doors and windows, avoid switches and flames, and call from outside. For a sewer overflow, stop using all water in the house so the overflow does not get worse.
Usually fine until morning
A dripping tap, a slow-draining basin, a toilet that runs after flushing, a hot water unit that is lukewarm but still working, or a small leak under a sink that you can catch in a bucket can usually wait for a daytime visit. Turn off the isolation valve under the fixture if there is one, and put a towel or container in place.
Ask us
If you are not sure, ring and describe what you can see and hear. We will tell you honestly whether it needs attention tonight or whether it can safely wait. Often a few minutes of advice on the phone saves an after-hours visit.
Be ready
Know where your water meter and gas meter are, check that the stopcock turns, and keep our number handy. In a leafy suburb like Ferntree Gully, meters often disappear under garden beds and leaves, so clear yours now rather than searching for it in the dark.
Ferntree Gully ground and pipes
Ferntree Gully's ground changes as you climb towards the ranges: clay and silty loam on the lower streets, rockier, steeper ground near Upper Ferntree Gully and The Basin. Most homes built before the 1980s were connected with earthenware sewer pipe, and on a slope every joint moves a little over the years and lets roots in. Water service lines from the meter are often long and run through rocky ground or under established gardens. Stormwater has to be carried down the block and away from the house. We use cameras, locators and pressure tests to see what is happening before we dig.
Related services
- Emergency plumbing
- Blocked drains
- Hot water
- Gas fitting
- Hot water replacement
- Heat pumps
- Leaking taps
- Burst pipes
- Toilets
- Leak detection
- Pipe relining
- Stormwater
- Roof and gutters
- Bathrooms
- Kitchens and laundries
- Backflow and maintenance
More guides
Questions on this topic
What counts as a plumbing emergency at night?
Anything that is causing damage or puts someone at risk: burst pipes, sewage backing up, gas smells, no water, or your only toilet blocked. Most other problems can wait until morning.
Should I turn off the hot water during a burst pipe?
If the burst is on a hot pipe or the hot water unit itself, yes. Turn off the gas or power to the unit after turning off the water at the meter.
Why foothills homes call us
Foothills know-how
Sloping blocks, big gums, clay sewers and gas heaters from the 1970s: this is the plumbing we work on every day.
Price first, work second
A licensed plumber finds the fault and agrees a fixed price with you before anything starts.
Camera, not guesswork
Drain cameras, pressure gauges and leak detection tools show the real cause before we dig or replace.
Respect for your home
Boot covers, drop sheets, old parts taken away and the job tested with you.
Get a free quote
Tell us what is going on and a licensed Ferntree Gully plumber will call you back.
How quoting works
Ring 03 7036 4101 or send the form with a short note, and a photo if you have one. A licensed plumber calls you back, asks a few questions and books a time. On site they find the cause, explain your options and give you a fixed price. Nothing starts until you agree, and larger jobs get a free written quote.
Need a plumber in Ferntree Gully?
Ferntree Gully, Upper Ferntree Gully, Boronia, Rowville, Knoxfield and the Knox foothills. Quote-only: the plumber finds the fault, then gives you a fixed price.