Emergency Plumbing
EMERGENCY PLUMBING IN Reedsburg, WI.
A one-eighth-inch crack in a supply line can release more than 250 gallons in a day, and a burst pipe empties far faster. Ernstmeyer Plumbing Co. LLC answers emergency plumbing calls across Reedsburg, WI, and nearby Baraboo, Lake Delton, and Wisconsin Dells for burst lines, water service breaks, failed water heaters, and flooding basements. The first hour decides the total damage.
THE SHUT-OFF VALVE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
Before we can get there, one thing matters more than anything else: stopping the water. Find the main valve, turn it clockwise until it stops, then open the lowest faucet in the house to drain the lines. Every minute the water keeps running adds to the part of the bill that is not plumbing.
If you do not know where that valve is, find it tonight and label it. It is the single most useful thing a homeowner can do before anything ever goes wrong.
- Burst lines, water service breaks, and failed water heaters
- A Wisconsin Master Plumber on every call
- Guidance to stop the water when you call
- Written price before the repair begins
EMERGENCY PLUMBING
A BURST LINE DOES NOT NEGOTIATE.
Most emergencies here happen in two windows. January, when a supply line in an exterior wall or an unheated crawl space finally freezes through and splits. And spring, when saturated ground pushes groundwater into basements faster than a tired sump pump can lift it. Both are predictable, both do enormous damage in a couple of hours, and both are cheaper to prevent than to clean up afterward.
COLD SNAPS HERE DO NOT ASK PERMISSION.
A stretch of nights below zero will find every weak point in a Sauk County house at once. Pipes in an uninsulated rim joist. A hose bib nobody drained. A vacant cabin near the Dells with the heat set too low. When the thaw comes, all of it lets go on the same afternoon, and that is when the phone starts ringing.
THE SAME PLUMBER WHO STOPS IT ALSO FIXES IT.
A burst line or a basement backing up needs someone who has seen the failure before and knows where to look first. Thadd Ernstmeyer holds Wisconsin Master Plumber license 996751 and has handled these failures across the Reedsburg area for 30+ years. That experience is what turns a frightening mess into a contained repair: find the source, stop the water, and fix the cause so the same fitting or the same frozen run does not put you through it again next winter.
WHAT A FAST RESPONSE ACTUALLY SAVES
LESS WATER IN THE HOUSE
Every minute a line runs open adds gallons to the floor. Stopping it early is the single biggest factor in whether this becomes a repair or a restoration claim.
NO SURPRISE PREMIUM
Emergency work here is priced like any other job. Calling on a Sunday evening does not change the rate, so nobody has to weigh cost against damage while water is running.
GUIDANCE BEFORE WE ARRIVE
You get told what to shut off and what to stay away from the moment you call. That advice alone has kept more than one basement from getting far worse.
THE CAUSE, NOT JUST THE SYMPTOM
Stopping the leak is step one. We also find out why it failed, so the same fitting or the same frozen run does not put you through this again next winter.
A CLEANER INSURANCE CLAIM
Photographs of the failure, a written scope, and a dated repair record make an adjuster's job simple. Documentation is part of the visit rather than something you chase afterward.
YOUR HOUSE BACK TONIGHT
Where the repair can be finished in one visit, it is. Water back on, drains working, and a household that does not have to make other arrangements.
WHAT WE HANDLE
OUR EMERGENCY PLUMBING WORK
Six situations account for nearly every urgent call we take. If yours is not on this list, describe it anyway; most plumbing emergencies are variations on the same handful of failures.
BURST PIPE
Burst and Frozen Pipe Repair
Split copper and PEX after a freeze, failed joints under pressure, and lines that let go inside a wall. We isolate, cut out the damaged run, and get water back to the rest of the house.
WATER SERVICE
Water Service Line Break
A break in the underground service line can wash out soil and drop pressure through the whole house. We shut the water at the curb stop, locate the failure, and repair or replace the affected run.
FLOODING
Failed Sump Pump and Basement Flooding
A pump that quit during a storm is an emergency with a short clock. We get water moving again, then look at whether the pump was undersized, worn out, or simply never had a backup.
NO HOT WATER
Water Heater Failure and Leaks
A tank that has split at the seam will not be repaired, and it needs isolating fast. Element and thermostat failures, on the other hand, are often fixed the same visit. We tell you which it is.
GAS SMELL
Gas Line Leak Response
If you smell gas, leave and call the utility first. Once the line is safe, we locate the leak, replace the failed section, and pressure test before anything is put back in service.
OVERFLOW
Overflowing Toilet and Fixture Leaks
A toilet overflowing from a stuck valve, a supply line that let go under a sink, or a fixture leaking onto the floor. We stop the water at the source and repair the failed part before it soaks anything else.
★★★★★
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THE WORD ON OUR WORK
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY.
The stories people tell about us tend to involve bad timing. A pipe that let go at the worst possible moment. A water heater replaced the same day after another company quoted a week. Those calls are the ones customers remember years later.
★★★★★
I was thoroughly impressed by the remarkable level of care and foresight shown throughout the entire experience. Every stage reflected a deep understanding of what makes a process truly effective and enjoyable. The final outcome was exceptional and left me with complete satisfaction.
Andrew A.
★★★★★
Many plumbers to chose from, but the honest, friendly, knowledgeable approach is hard to beat. They have helped me out many times after being introduced during a 4000 sqft home build a few years back.
Kurt H
Common Questions
frequently asked
questions.
What people ask when something has already gone wrong. Read them now rather than during the event, because the useful answers are the ones you already know when it happens.
What counts as a plumbing emergency?
Anything actively releasing water or gas, and anything that leaves a household without water or a working toilet. A slow drip can usually wait until morning; a running line cannot. When in doubt, treat it as urgent.
What should I do while waiting for a plumber?
Shut the main valve, open the lowest faucet to drain the lines, and keep people away from standing water near electrical outlets. Move anything valuable off the floor before you do anything else. Photograph the damage as it happens.
How do I thaw a frozen pipe safely?
Warm it gradually with a hair dryer or heat lamp starting at the fixture end, with the faucet open so melting water can escape. Never use a torch, and never leave the area unattended. A split may already exist.
My basement is flooding and the sump pump is not running. What now?
Check the breaker and the float switch first, since both fail more often than the pump itself. If the motor is dead, a portable pump buys time until a replacement can be installed. Call while you are checking.
What should I do if water is bubbling up in my yard?
That usually means the underground service line has broken. Shut the main valve at the house, keep vehicles off the wet ground, and call. Soil washes away quickly around a break, so waiting widens the repair.
How much water can a burst pipe release?
More than you would expect. A one-eighth-inch crack can put hundreds of gallons on the floor in a day, and a fully burst line empties far faster. That is why shutting the main valve is the first thing to do, before anything else.
How can I prevent most plumbing emergencies?
Insulate exposed pipe, drain hose bibs before winter, keep heat on in every room with plumbing, replace a sump pump before it is 10 years old, and know where the main shut-off is. Those five prevent most of it.
Why call a local plumber instead of a national emergency service?
Because the drive is shorter and the person answering knows the area. Ernstmeyer Plumbing Co. LLC works out of Reedsburg, WI, so help is coming from a few miles away rather than another county.
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HOW WE WORK
FROM THE FIRST CALL TO DRY FLOORS, HERE IS HOW.
STEP 01
Stop the Water on the Phone
Before anything else, we walk you through shutting off the main, isolating a fixture, or killing power to a flooded circuit. That conversation happens immediately, not after we arrive. It costs you nothing.
STEP 02
Get There and Assess Fast
On arrival we confirm what is leaking, what has already been damaged, and whether anything is still live. Five minutes of assessment prevents an hour of working on the wrong thing. Then we move.
STEP 03
Contain It Before Repairing It
The first goal is stopping further damage: isolate the section, relieve pressure, and get standing water heading somewhere useful. The permanent repair comes after the bleeding stops. That order never changes on any job.
STEP 04
Tell You the Price Before Repairing
Even in an emergency you get a number first, and nothing gets replaced that could have been repaired without you agreeing to it. Any work that is not included in the original estimate will be added as a separate line item.
STEP 05
Repair It and Test It
The failed section comes out, new material goes in, and the system gets pressure tested before we call it done. Where a permit applies, we pull it and handle the inspection. Then water goes back on.
STEP 06
Document and Prevent the Repeat
Photographs and a written scope go to you for the insurance file. Then we point out what caused the failure and what it would take to stop it happening again. The choice stays yours.
GET YOUR FREE ESTIMATE
GET AHEAD OF THE NEXT EMERGENCY, FREE.
If nothing is leaking today, this is the right time to have the weak points looked at. Send your details through the contact page and we will tell you what would fail first. The assessment costs nothing. Any work that is not included in the original estimate will be added as a separate line item.
WHAT YOUR FREE ASSESSMENT COVERS:
- Main shut-off located and labeled
- Freeze-risk piping identified
- Sump pump and backup check
- Water heater condition review
- Written list of what to address first
- No obligation and no follow-up calls