Drain disasters don’t stick to business hours. If you’ve ever woken up to a flooded basement, seen an ominous ceiling stain after a pipe burst, or watched your toilet water rise (and keep rising) you know: being prepared is everything.
At Drain King Inc., we handle emergencies 24/7 across Minneapolis and beyond, so we’ve seen it all. Here’s our handy, stress-busting action plan for what to do when things suddenly get wet — fast.
1. Stop the Water ASAP
Your #1 move in a pipe emergency? Cut off the water supply immediately. This quick thinking can save thousands in damage.
Find the Main Shut-Off Valve: Usually where the main water line enters your home or building — sometimes in the basement, utility closet, or even outside.
Twist the valve clockwise to turn it off.
Shut the Fixture Valve (if possible): If the issue is isolated to a toilet, sink, or appliance, locate the small valve on the pipe leading to that fixture and shut it off.
Pro Tip: Can’t find the shut-off? Now’s the perfect time to check, label, and make sure everyone in your home or workplace knows where it is!
2. Contain & Redirect the Damage
Seconds count once water starts flowing somewhere it shouldn’t.
Move belongings: Quickly remove rugs, furniture, and personal items from the affected area, especially anything valuable or sentimental.
Create a barrier: Use towels, sheets, or whatever’s handy to block water from spreading.
Catch drips: Set out buckets or pans under ceiling leaks or pipe bursts.
If there’s lots of water, consider using a wet/dry vacuum — but only if it’s safe to do so and not near electrical hazards.
3. Shut Down Electricity IF Safe
Electricity and water don’t mix — ever. If water is pooling near outlets or appliances:
Locate your home’s breaker box and flip the breakers to any affected areas before wading in.
Never touch electrical devices while standing in water!
If you suspect major flooding, sewer backup, or unsafe conditions, it’s best to wait for professionals (like Drain King) or the fire department.
4. Assess the Situation (But Skip the DIY Repairs)
Take a moment to check how serious the issue is:
Common emergencies: Burst pipes, sewage backups, overflowing toilets, water heater failures, mysterious puddles or flooding.
Jot down what happened, where water is coming from, and how fast things are getting worse.
While you might be tempted to patch a leak or “MacGyver” a fix, resist the urge! Temporary band-aids (like plumber’s tape or rubber wraps) can buy time, but big repairs are best for licensed techs.
5. Document Everything
For both insurance claims and peace of mind:
Take photos/videos of the damage — the leak, affected walls/floors, and any possessions that get wet.
Keep receipts and notes on any emergency steps you take.
Sometimes your insurance company wants a clear “before” and “after.” Good documentation means faster, smoother claims.
6. Call for Professional Backup
Even if you’ve done everything right, most drain emergencies need fast, expert help. Now’s the time to contact a licensed plumber.
Call Drain King’s 24/7 Emergency Service: We have teams in the Minneapolis area ready to dispatch day or night. Reach us right away through our emergency service request form or call our main number (find it here).
Have these ready to share:
Your name, address, and a callback number
The issue (what, where, how long, how bad)
Whether water/electric are shut off
If anyone’s at risk (elderly, young children, etc.)
Why choose Drain King? We offer transparent pricing, true 24/7 response, and have some of the most experienced techs (plus the best drain-cleaning tools) in the Twin Cities.
7. Get Guidance While You Wait
You aren’t alone! When you call us, our technician will walk you through additional steps specific to your emergency:
Whether tap water is safe to drink
Should you keep drains open or closed
When it’s safe to re-enter an area
We may also advise contacting your utility provider, especially if gas or electrical systems are involved.
8. Plan Ahead (So Next Time Isn’t So Stressful)
Wish you’d been better prepared? Most people do — until it happens again! Here’s how to be proactive:
Make a plumbing emergency kit: Include large towels, a wrench for the shut-off valve, buckets, flashlight, gloves, and a list of emergency contacts.
Label your shut-off valves. Use bright tags or paint, and show everyone in the household (or all employees) where they are.
Schedule annual plumbing check-ups. Our routine maintenance services majorly reduce your risk for surprise disasters — especially old pipes, tree root blockages, or frozen lines.
Know your insurance policy: Be clear on what’s covered, and keep your insurer’s contact info handy.
Walk through true “worst case scenarios” with staff or family. Practice what steps to take, who grabs what, and where to meet if evacuation’s necessary.
9. Stay Safe — Every Time
Always remember: Your safety is the most important thing. If a situation seems dangerous (major flooding, fast leaks, risk of shock), evacuate and don’t try to handle it yourself.
If you ever feel overwhelmed or unsure, Drain King is here 24/7. No scary surprises, just clear advice and fast, skilled service when you need it most.
Bonus: Common Drain Emergencies and What to Remember
Burst pipe: Turn off water at main; open faucets to drain lines; catch leaking water.
Overflowing toilet: Turn off water behind toilet; use towels to contain spills; avoid flushing!
Sewer backup: Avoid all contact with water; keep kids and pets away; ventilate area if possible.
Water heater leak: Turn off cold-water supply; switch off power or gas to the unit.
Trusted 24/7 Emergency Drain Care in Minneapolis
With the right action plan, you can reduce stress, limit water damage, and keep your home or business safe.
Save this page, share it with friends and coworkers, and—if you need us—reach Drain King Inc. any time, day or night. We’re proud to be the Twin Cities’ go-to emergency plumbing solution.
Sewers and drains are important parts of a building structure. While drains are easier to maintain and clean, sewers require more time and money when they clog. Sewers are installed deep underground, so most likely, you will not think of them unless they have become a problem.
What are the Signs of a Clogged Sewer?
Toilets –Typically, toilets are designed to flow into the most direct path to the sewer, so if there is a problem in your sewer pipes, you will probably encounter difficulties in flushing them. Water backing up when flushing is a sure sign of a sewer problem. The flushed water cannot go down the drain when the sewer pipes are clogged.
Kitchen Sink/Tub Drain–If you run water in the sink or bathtub and can see bubbles or the water is draining slowly, chances are your drains or sewers are clogged.
Nasty Smell–Collected water from overflowing, hidden drains emits a foul odor. Sometimes, you will first notice the odor before you even realize you have a sewer problem.
Common Causes of Clogged Sewers and Drains
Collapsed/Broken Sewer Lines
Collapsed or broken sewer lines can cause blockage. Sewer lines break due to old age, presence of large roots, structural settings, and soil movement. Our plumbing professionals can discover the cause by inserting a rodding machine or inspection camera along the sewer lines.
Grease/Oil Deposits
Grease and oil deposits are the most common cause of blocked sewer lines. Some people believe that it is okay to pour greasy substance down the sink or toilet as long as you follow it up with hot water. While grease flows into the sewer lines as liquid, it will solidify as it cools down, causing blockage over time.
Hair
Blocked drains in the bathroom or tub are usually caused by fallen hairs. Hairs sit in the pipes and accumulate over time, blocking the flow of water. As preventive maintenance, you can use a filter that will trap fallen hair particles before they enter the drain system.
Bath Salts
Bath salts have become popular and are widely used, but these products do not dissolve. When they go down the drain, they will accumulate and cause problems.
Improper Wastes
Sanitary sewer lines are specifically fabricated to accept human wastes. Other items such as paper towels, feminine sanitary pads, condoms, diapers, baby wipes, dental floss, and solid food particles can cause blockage when flushed down the toilet or sink. Foods such as rice and pasta expand as they absorb water from the pipes and may cause blockage.
As a property owner, you will experience clogs or sewer blockage at some point in time. When this happens, it is recommended that you call on experts like Drain King who have the skills and experience to solve the worst drainage and sewer problems. You might be tempted to fix the problem yourself, but improper handling of store-bought cleaning products may cause more harm than good. Some can even damage your esophagus when inhaled.
Let’s talk about inflammable waste traps. They are a part of your sewer septic system, designed to intercept and trap inflammable materials so they don’t flow into sewer lines, creating a dangerous, explosive mixture. These materials are held in a large, leak-proof steel basin. Sediment settles, and inflammable waste rises, so the leftover wastewater can be safely discharged to a sewer-treatment facility. From time to time, the inflammable waste buildup needs to be safely removed and disposed of, and that’s when Drain King can help.
So what is inflammable waste? Since inflammable means “capable of being set on fire,” it could be matter in any of its forms ‑ solid, liquid, or gas (vapor). It can be the by-product of a manufacturing process or a discarded commercial product. Examples include, but are not limited to: waste ethanol, methanol, hexane, acetic acid, acetone, motor oil, paints and solvents, aerosols, and cleaning agents. Inflammable waste is characterized by its flash point (the lowest temperature at which a particular organic compound gives off sufficient vapor to ignite in air) of less than 60 C (140 F).
Great care needs to be taken when handling such volatile compounds, to prevent the risk of explosion and/or environmental contamination. In the early 1900s, long before such contaminants were regulated, serious explosions were a regular problem for industrial cities like Pittsburgh, Boston, and New York. In a single year, these three cities suffered six explosions caused by gasoline vapor, resulting in many deaths and severe injuries, as well as physical damage to the sewer lines, buildings, and streets.
Inflammable waste traps may be installed above or below ground. While tanks should be constructed of a leak-proof material, it is important to have them regularly inspected to make sure the waste is fully contained. It is imperative that underground tanks be accessible at ground level for waste removal and inspection. Consider installing an audio and visual alarm that will detect waste levels and alert you when the tank reaches 75 percent of its total capacity. If you choose not to install an alarm, we can manually measure your liquid levels on a monthly basis to gauge the rate of fill. Inflammable waste traps that are not cleaned regularly may allow oils and other chemicals to leak into a septic or sewer system, contaminating wastewater and causing costly cleanup and disposal.
The professionals at Drain King have the knowledge, experience, and equipment to safely and correctly dispose of all types of inflammable waste. Trust us to do your job right the first time.
Whenever the temperature at your home or business is expected to drop below 32°F for longer than a few days, it is important to make sure your outside oil lines and heating tanks are well protected.
Oil will not freeze, but tanks and oil lines that are located outside a home or in an unheated space could freeze and lose their heat. The main reason for this is, the oil in the lines will get cloudy and then become gelled or waxed, preventing it from flowing. When this happens, you will lose your heat.
There are a few steps you can take to make sure you are prepared for a prolonged cold spell. Start by adding a fuel oil treatment to help prevent the oil from gelling or waxing. After adding a fuel oil treatment, the simplest and least expensive solution is to insulate the piping and fittings at the tank with pipe insulation and a strong tape, like duct tape. This step will need to be done before a problem occurs and the tank freezes, but is an easy way to winterize your tank before the cold snap hits.
Protecting your tank and the oil lines from freezing may be accomplished by wrapping the exposed areas in insulation and heat tape. Should the lines already be frozen, you will need to thaw them with sustained heat until they begin flowing again—then apply the insulation and tape. Follow the instructions carefully or call a Drain King professional plumber to avoid overheating the pipes.
We also recommend using only a single line extending from the tank that stores the oil rather than a two-pipe system. The single oil line will keep the oil warmer and will have less time away from the heat exchange.
Another option for an outside tank is to use kerosene instead of heating oil. Kerosene will store at colder temperatures and will not need any additives or treatments to keep the lines from clogging. This is a headache-free solution. While kerosene is more expensive, it may be a more suitable option if you live in a region where it stays cold for long periods of time and if building a shed or protecting the unit from the elements is not an option.
No homeowner wants to deal with frozen pipes in the middle of winter. They are messy and expensive to take care of, as well as inconvenient. Water expands as it freezes, causing tremendous pressure in whatever contains it. Sometimes the pressure is so great, it causes the container to burst. Luckily, there are steps you can take to protect your pipes and avoid the headache of fixing leaky plumbing in freezing temperatures.
Drain water from garden hoses, sprinkler pipes and swimming pool supply lines, and store them indoors.
Check indoor pipes in unheated areas like basements, crawl spaces, attics and garages. When possible, insulate the pipes with UL-listed heat tape or pipe sleeves. Newspaper can also be used, although it offers less protection.
Have your home’s exterior walls insulated. Make sure windows and doors are caulked and sealed to avoid drafts. Close attic and crawl space doors.
Keep warm air circulating around the pipes by leaving cabinet doors open under sinks in the kitchen and bathrooms.
If you’re going to be away from home for an extended period of time, set the thermostat no lower than 55 degrees.
Make sure heat vents are open and unobstructed by furniture.
Change furnace filters regularly to ensure that heat will be distributed properly to all areas of your house.
Let a small amount of water trickle through the pipes that are in unheated spaces or outdoor walls. Running water doesn’t freeze.
Know where the master shutoff valve is. It is almost always located near an outdoor water meter or indoor appliance (furnace, washing machine, water heater, etc.). Paint it a bright color so it is easily identifiable, and show each member of your family where it is and how to turn it off. Sometimes, no matter how many precautions are taken, the pipes still freeze. If a water line is broken, you may not notice a leak until the ice melts. That leak may manifest as a trickle or a gush, but it’s best to know how to stop the flow of water before it turns into a flood.
As the crisp fall temperatures slowly give way to frigid winter weather, it’s a good idea to think about your plumbing, and how to keep your pipes from freezing. Frozen pipes are inconvenient, expensive to repair and can cause extensive damage to structures in a very short amount of time. With a little preparation, you can save yourself the headache of a major home maintenance disaster.
There are three main causes of frozen pipes: rapid drops in temperature, thermostats set too low and inadequate insulation. The good news is, these are easy to remedy. Before winter weather sets in, consider doing the following:
Seal leaks that allow cold air to enter the home. Even small bursts of cold air are enough to freeze a pipe. Wind chill is worse for pipes than cold temperatures. Look for drafts around electrical wiring, dryer vents, attics, crawl spaces and pipes, and then seal them with caulk or insulation.
Disconnect garden hoses for the winter. Drain the water from them and store before the first hard freeze. Water left in the hose or spigot can freeze, which puts pressure on indoor pipes as the ice expands. Use a faucet cover for extra protection. Don’t forget to winterize your outdoor kitchen.
Even if you live in a climate where freezing temperatures are uncommon, insulate the pipes in your home’s crawlspace, attic and basement. Exposed pipes are the most susceptible to freezing. Wrap them with heat tape or pipe sleeves specifically designed to insulate pipes and keep them from freezing. The more insulation that protects them, the less likely they’ll be to freeze. Also, open cabinet doors in bathrooms and kitchens to let heat circulate around the pipes.
Keep the thermostat set at the same temperature day and night. If you turn it down while you sleep, the drop in indoor temperature, coupled with the cold outdoors, could trigger a freeze. The thermostat should never be set lower than 55 degrees, even if you are away from home for an extended period of time.
If you’re still worried about your pipes freezing, you may want to think about running the hot and cold water at a trickle during the night, especially if the pipes are on an outside, less-insulated wall. It is difficult for running water to freeze, so by leaving the lines open and allowing consistent pressure release, the pipes are protected from rupture.
If you have further questions about protecting your pipes during winter, contact the plumbing experts at Drain King.
