Burst pipe, overflowing toilet or sewage coming up a drain? Shut off the water, then call. We move emergencies to the front of the schedule, and you approve a written price before any work starts.
Available in: Norfolk, Winchester & Wilmington
It's the question our office hears every day. When it's a real emergency, we make room.
Powell's is a local emergency plumber with three branches and plumbing trucks stocked for first-visit repairs. When an urgent call comes in, the office rearranges the day's schedule to get a plumber to you, often the same day.
Before anyone touches a pipe, you'll know what's wrong, what your options are and what it costs. You approve a written, flat-rate price first, and we clean up before we leave.
Burst or frozen pipeBurst & frozen pipes →
Water coming through a ceiling or wallPlumbing repair →
Toilet or drain overflowingDrain cleaning →
Sewage backing up into the houseSewer backup →
Water heater leakingWater heater repair →
Basement flooding or sump pump failedSump pumps →The first few minutes decide how much damage the water does. Here's what to do before your plumber arrives.
Nine out of 10 flooding calls that we get could have been mitigated by shutting them off earlier, if people knew where their shut‑offs are.
Powell's dispatch team, Norfolk
Close the valve on the fixture, under the sink or behind the toilet. If water is spreading, close the main shut-off.
If it's leaking, or the main is off, switch off its breaker or turn its gas valve to off.
Don't touch outlets, cords or the panel if water is near them. Keep kids and pets away.
Move things away from the problem so your plumber can get straight to work. Take photos for insurance.
Don't flip switches or use your phone inside. Leave the house, call your gas company from outside, then call us.
The same steps on every emergency call, so you always know what's next.
We ask what's happening, quote the fee and fit you into the schedule.
You get a confirmation, then an “on the way” notice.
Uniform, ID badge, marked truck, shoe covers and drop cloths.
Your plumber finds the cause and explains your options in plain English.
A written, flat-rate price, signed before work starts.
Most repairs done on the first visit. Photos come with your invoice.
No surprise bill, even on an emergency call.
An emergency is the wrong time to be sold something. We stop the problem first, then talk about whether anything needs replacing.
Most emergencies are repairs: a split pipe, a failed fitting, a stuck valve or a clogged line. Our trucks are stocked, so they're usually fixed on the first visit.
We won't push a replacement when a repair will do.
If a water heater has given out, or old galvanized or corroded pipe keeps leaking, your plumber explains good, better and best options in plain language.
In-home estimates on replacements are free, and financing is available.
Right before Christmas, a family's boiler died. It supplied both their heat and their hot water, so our crew set up a temporary water heater and electric heaters for the home.Mark W., general manager, Norfolk
Google reviews mention our emergency plumbing work.
92% of them are five-star.
Burst pipes, flooding and sewage backups go to the front of the line. You'll get a written price before any work starts.
Cost, timing, and what to do while you wait.
It depends on when you call. During office hours, an urgent call starts with your branch's normal trip fee. After-hours emergency calls carry an emergency fee, and we always quote it before anyone is dispatched.
Either way, you approve a written, flat-rate price before any work starts, and the price doesn't go up if the job takes longer.
Look where the water line comes into the house: usually on a basement or crawlspace wall, in a garage or utility closet, or near the water heater. Turn the handle clockwise, or a lever a quarter turn, until it stops.
If you can't find one inside, there's usually a valve in the meter box near the street. Call your water utility if you can't turn it.
Keep the water off and don't run any fixtures. If the water heater is involved, switch off its breaker or turn its gas valve to off. Stay away from water near outlets or the electrical panel.
Then clear a path to the problem area and take a few photos for your insurance company.
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