A burst pipe doesn’t wait for business hours, and neither do we. Silverback Plumbing & Drain provides 24/7 emergency plumbing across San Antonio, Helotes, Boerne, Bulverde, and Schertz, with a licensed plumber dispatched the moment you call. Whether it’s 2 a.m. or a Sunday afternoon, you’ll get same-day service from someone who shows up ready to fix the problem, not just look at it.
What Counts as a Plumbing Emergency?
Not every plumbing issue needs a midnight phone call, but some genuinely can’t wait. These are the situations we treat as true emergencies:
- Burst pipes, which can dump hundreds of gallons into your home in under an hour
- Gas leaks, identified by a rotten-egg smell or a hissing sound near a line or appliance
- Sewer backups, where wastewater comes up through drains or toilets instead of going down
- Major water leaks behind walls, under slabs, or in ceilings that are actively spreading
- No water at all, especially in freezing weather when pipes are at risk
- Severely clogged drains that affect every fixture in the house, not just one sink
If you’re not sure whether your situation qualifies, call anyway. We’d rather walk you through it on the phone than have you wait out a problem that gets worse by the hour.
Every Minute You Wait, It Gets Worse
Water damage compounds fast. A leak that’s manageable in hour one can soak through drywall, warp flooring, and invite mold growth by hour twelve. Sewer backups carry health risks the longer they sit. Gas leaks are non-negotiable: even a small one is a fire and carbon monoxide risk that needs to be shut off immediately, not monitored. The cost of an emergency call is almost always smaller than the cost of the damage that happens while you wait to make one.
What to Do Before We Arrive
A few quick steps can limit damage while you wait for us:
- If you smell gas, leave the house immediately and call from outside. Don’t flip light switches or use anything electrical on your way out.
- For a burst pipe or major leak, shut off the main water valve, usually located where the supply line enters your home or near the water meter.
- For a sewer backup, stop using all drains and toilets in the house until we arrive.
- Move valuables and furniture away from standing water if it’s safe to do so.
- Take photos of the damage for your insurance claim before cleanup begins.
These steps won’t fix the problem, but they buy time and reduce how much repair you’re looking at once we get there.
What Happens When You Call
- You call, and we ask a few quick questions to understand the urgency and dispatch the right technician.
- We give you a realistic arrival window and head out right away.
- On-site, we assess the situation first and shut off water or gas if it hasn’t been done already.
- We diagnose the actual cause, not just the visible symptom, using camera inspection and pressure testing where needed.
- We repair it on the spot in most cases, and explain what caused it so you can avoid a repeat emergency.
Why Homeowners Call Silverback for Emergency Plumbing
- Local technicians who know San Antonio’s pipe materials, water pressure, and soil conditions
- Equipped trucks stocked for same-visit repairs, not just diagnosis
- Upfront, flat-rate pricing you’ll see before any work starts, even on emergency calls
- 480+ five-star reviews from San Antonio homeowners and businesses
- Licensed, insured, and available for residential and commercial response
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Trusted Reviews from Homeowners & Businesses
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Frequently Asked Questions
A good rule of thumb: if waiting 12–24 hours would make it worse, it’s an emergency. That covers burst pipes, gas leaks, sewer backups, major leaks behind walls or under slabs, a total loss of water, and clogs severe enough to back up every fixture in the house. If you’re not sure, call us — we’d rather tell you it can wait than have you sit on something that can’t.
Emergency plumbing nationally runs roughly $150–$500 for most calls, more for major repairs like a burst pipe or sewer line. Rather than quote a number that may not match your specific issue, we diagnose it first and give you the actual cost before any work starts including any after-hours rate so you’re deciding with real numbers, not a guess.
Shut off the main water valve if you have a leak or burst pipe. If you smell gas, leave the house immediately and call from outside , don’t touch light switches. If it’s a sewer backup, stop using every drain and toilet in the house. Those three steps alone limit most of the damage that happens while you wait.
It depends on your location and how many emergency calls are ahead of yours, but active leaks, gas smells, and sewer backups jump to the front of the line. We give you a realistic arrival window when you call, not a vague “sometime today.”
Like most emergency services, after-hours calls can carry an additional rate. The difference with us is you’ll know that cost before we start the job, not when the invoice shows up.
If it’s your only toilet, or it’s actively overflowing onto the floor, yes — call us. If it’s a second bathroom and just draining slowly, it can usually wait for a normal appointment, and we’ll tell you honestly which situation you’re in.
Don't Wait Out a Plumbing Emergency
Silverback Plumbing & Drain provides licensed plumbing and drain service for homes and businesses throughout the San Antonio area. From emergency repairs to routine maintenance, we diagnose the problem, explain the fix, and get it done right the first time.
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Emergency service available nights, weekends, and holidays.
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Copyright © 2026 Silverback Plumbing and Drain
Mark Vargas, Responsible Master Plumber #43333 Licensed through the Texas Board of Plumbing Examiners P.O. Box 4200, Austin, Texas 78765 (800-845-6584)