Emergency Plumber in Denver: 24 Hour Costs, Shutoffs and Who to Call

What emergency repairs cost in Denver

These figures come from the GOLDGCP price data for this metro, which applies Denver's construction cost factor of 1.05 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors to the national averages.

Estimates for 2026, including labor and standard parts. Denver prices use the metro's construction cost factor of 1.05 (US average = 1.00) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors. Your quote depends on access, materials and the condition of the home.

What common emergencies cost to fix in Denver

Pipes inside walls, under a slab or out under the yard cost the most, because they take the longest to reach. Cleanup, drywall and flooring repairs are billed separately. For everyday plumbing prices, Denver Water hardness and pipe material in older housing, see our Denver plumbing guide.

Pay for a night call when water is still running, sewage is coming up or gas is in the air. A dripping trap or a slow tub drain can wait for a weekday visit.

The first hour: what to do before help arrives

Water coming through a ceiling or wall

Close the main water valve, which usually sits where the supply line enters the house. There is often a second shutoff at the meter pit. Denver Water describes the pit as a round metal plate about 12 inches across, usually in the front yard and sometimes in the sidewalk, marked "Water Meter." Keep cars off it, because Denver Water notes that pits are not built to carry a vehicle's weight, and damage to a pit in a driveway can be very expensive to repair.

Then shut off breakers for any room where water is reaching outlets, light fixtures or appliances. Open a faucet on the lowest floor to drain what is left in the pipes. Photograph everything before you mop.

If water is pouring from the street or the sidewalk, call Denver Water. It provides water emergency response 24 hours a day for leaks, main breaks and emergency service problems. Its emergency number is 303-628-6801. Customer care is 303-893-2444.

You smell gas, or hear hissing

Get everyone out without touching light switches, thermostats or garage door openers. From a safe spot outside, call the fire department if there is fire or anyone is hurt, and call Xcel Energy's gas emergency line if you smell gas. Shut the meter only if you smell or hear gas and can reach it safely. Once the meter is off, leave it off and let the utility turn it back on and relight the pilots.

The power is out, or something is sparking

Check whether the whole street is dark, then report the outage to Xcel Energy, the electric utility for Denver and most of the metro. If you see a wire down, treat it as live, keep everyone away and call the fire department. Inside the house, a hot panel, a burning smell or smoke from an outlet means you should shut off the main breaker if you can do it without touching water, then leave and call the fire department.

Who to call in Denver

Which trade handles which emergency

Call the right trade first, and you avoid paying two service fees.

Colorado plumbing exams are based on the International Plumbing Code and the International Fuel Gas Code.

For electrical detail, see our electrical pillar. For storm and roof questions, see roofing. If the emergency is a failed water heater, the water heater guide covers repair versus replacement.

Sewer backups: your lateral or the city's main?

When sewage rises through a shower or floor drain, find where the blockage sits. Inside the City and County of Denver, sanitary sewage service for Denver Water customers is provided by the Wastewater Management Division of the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure. The pipe from your house to that main is the lateral, and it belongs to you.

Denver Water maintains and replaces water mains, but property owners are responsible for the service lines and meter pits at their service address. The service line is owned by and installed at the expense of the property owner, and Denver Water is not responsible for water damage caused by a property's service line or internal plumbing.

If neighbors are backing up too, or sewage is coming out of a manhole in the street, call the city so it can check the main. If only your home is backing up, call a plumber.

Denver disasters that cause emergency calls

Hard freezes and burst pipes

The National Weather Service advises that when temperatures drop, you can limit the potential for frozen pipes by trickling warm water through faucets on an outside wall and opening cabinet doors. Winter storms can also cause power outages and loss of heat for hours or even days, which is when pipes in an unheated house are most at risk. Keep a home emergency kit with high-energy food, bottled water, extra medicine, batteries for flashlights and a portable radio, and a carbon monoxide detector. Emergency heat from a space heater, fireplace or generator can save a life, but only with ventilation and working alarms.

Spring hail and snowmelt

After major hail storms, contractors flock to Colorado. The Colorado Division of Insurance points homeowners to the #NoRoofScams campaign when they choose a contractor. Colorado law does not require an insurer to match undamaged siding or paint; the company only has to repair or replace the actual damage from the covered event. If you have had multiple losses, including hail, an insurer may consider non-renewing the policy.

Summer thunderstorms and flash flooding

Heavy rain finds every weak spot in a roof and every low spot around a foundation. During an active leak, put a bucket under the drip, move belongings out of the way, and switch off the breaker for any light fixture that is getting wet. Call a roofer to tarp or repair it once it is safe to go up.

Wildfire and smoke

Smoke and ash from Front Range fires push people to run furnaces and air handlers hard, and power shutoffs and outages follow. If the power is out, unplug sensitive electronics and keep the refrigerator closed. Do not run a generator indoors or in a garage.

Do you need a permit for emergency work?

Yes, and in Colorado the contractor pulls it. The Division of Professions and Occupations says that if you hire an electrical or plumbing contractor, the contractor is responsible for obtaining the required permits, and the homeowner should not continue the permit application. It is a violation of state law for anyone other than the homeowner who is not a registered electrical or plumbing contractor to install an electrical or plumbing project on your property. Homeowner's insurance may not cover repairs for damage caused by uninsured workers.

Where the permit comes from depends on the address, because many local jurisdictions run their own inspection programs and the state does not inspect there:

A few local rules matter after an emergency repair. Lakewood requires contractors to be registered with the city, and plumbing and electrical contractors must show State of Colorado contractor's and master's licenses. Arvada requires licensing for all contractors doing construction, alteration, remodeling, repairing and equipping of buildings, and plumbing contractors must be or employ full time a master plumber licensed by the state. Boulder does not accept reciprocal contractor licenses from other jurisdictions, and its licenses are valid only for work inside city limits. Douglas County verifies state electrical and plumbing licenses through DORA before a permit is issued, and its contractor registration fees are currently waived in unincorporated areas.

Ask the pro to confirm in writing that they will pull the permit. Permit questions for state-inspected areas can go to dora_eandp_permits@state.co.us.

Insurance: what to record during an emergency

Insurers pay for sudden events far more often than slow ones. Denver Water warns that water damage may or may not be covered separately from a typical homeowner's policy, so check with your agent. Three gaps matter in Denver.

• Sewer backup: many policies leave it out unless you add an endorsement.
• Flood: storm water flowing in from outside is usually a separate policy.
• Hail: the insurer pays for actual damage, not for matching undamaged siding or paint.

If a Denver Water main break is the cause, the utility runs a no-fault main break assistance program. Under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act, Denver Water is not responsible for damages from a no-fault main break, and standard property insurance typically excludes main break damage. In exchange, Denver Water provides emergency response and water mitigation at no cost to the homeowner. If the break makes a home uninhabitable, it pays for up to 14 days of temporary lodging at a rate not above the current U.S. General Services Administration lodging rate. It may pay for storage of personal property, offers up to $21,250 for uninsured personal property damage, and covers a vehicle insurance deductible up to $1,000. Restoration payments are based only on its own claims adjuster's estimate, and outside estimates are not considered. It may ask for proof of insurance and for you to file a claim, because insured losses are not eligible.

Before cleanup, take wide photos of each room and close-ups of the damage, the water line on walls and the failed part. Keep the broken part if the pro removes it. Ask for an invoice that states the cause in plain words. Save every receipt for drying, cleanup and hotel stays.

Areas we cover

GOLDGCP's 24/7 line takes emergency calls across the Denver metro, including:

• Denver
• Aurora
• Lakewood
• Littleton
• Highlands Ranch
• Arvada
• Boulder

Enter your ZIP code to see emergency pros and prices for your area.