San Diego Emergency Plumber, 24/7
Burst pipe soaking the drywall? Sewage backing up into a shower? Water heater dead and no hot water at 11pm? All Star Plumbing is your San Diego emergency plumber: we stop the water first, find the failure second, and quote the repair in writing before we touch a thing. A local truck on your driveway in 60 minutes, any hour, any night, any holiday.
- 60-minute response, 24/7
- $0 service call
- Free written estimate before any work
- Licensed, family-owned since 2008
Heads up: we’re an emergency crew for water and drains. Pool and spa equipment and irrigation systems aren’t our scope. Burst pipes, sewage backups, no hot water, and severe clogs? That’s exactly us.
What we see most on San Diego after-hours calls
San Diego has some of the hardest water in the country. Over the years that mineral load scales up inside water heaters and eats at the fittings and supply lines behind the wall. So a heater that just stopped on a Sunday, or a supply line that lets go overnight, is one of the calls we get most.
Age does the rest. Plenty of San Diego homes still run older copper and galvanized pipe. When the pressure climbs past the 60 to 80 psi a home is built for, those tired spots give first. It tends to happen when nobody is watching, so burst-pipe calls cluster into evenings and weekends.
The pattern is steady: a burst or leaking supply line first, a failed water heater close behind, then a main drain or sewer backup. We keep an emergency-stocked truck near our Rancho Bernardo office for exactly this. So a San Diego call gets a real tech and the right parts on the first trip, not a callback in the morning.
No Service Call Fee
It costs nothing for us to come out and diagnose. You get a free written estimate before any work, day or night.
Truck Rolls Day or Night
Burst pipes don't keep business hours. We isolate the line, cap the water, and stop the damage before it spreads.
Same-Trip Repair
Common emergency parts ride on the truck. Most burst-pipe, heater, and angle-stop calls are fixed before we leave.
What plumbing emergencies do you handle in San Diego?
Different failures, one call: water where it shouldn't be, or no water where it should be. Either way, we stop the bleeding first. Then we quote the permanent repair in writing before anything bigger gets opened up.
Burst Pipe & Major Leak
Failed copper, a blown angle stop, a ruptured washing-machine hose, a pinhole behind the drywall. We isolate the line, cut out the failed section, and splice in PEX, the same trip.
- Shut off at the meter or zone valve
- Section replacement, pressure-tested
- Drywall opened only where needed
Sewage & Sewer Backup
A toilet that overflows and won't stop, a shower drain bubbling sewage, gurgling tubs across the house. That points to the main line, not one fixture. We clear it and camera-scope it the same call.
- Cable auger or hydro jet
- Sewer camera inspection
- Cleanout access and locate
No Hot Water & Heater Failure
No hot water on a Sunday, a tank leaking onto the garage floor, a tankless throwing an error code. We diagnose the unit and, when the tank has failed, replace it the same day.
- Same-day tank replacement
- Tankless ignitor and sensor repair
- Code-compliant straps and expansion tank
Severe Clog & Overflow
A kitchen line packed with grease, a main drain backing up at the lowest fixture, a tub that won't clear. We match the method to the line, cabling or jetting based on what it needs, and camera-scope it when the cause isn't clear.
- Method matched to the line
- Cabling for localized clogs
- Hydro jetting for grease and roots
Main Shutoff & PRV Failure
The main valve won't close, the pressure regulator is stuck open past 100 psi, the meter-side angle stop is weeping. The valve that's supposed to save the house fails first. We swap it on site.
- Ball-valve or PRV replacement
- Static pressure tested after install
- Meter-side shutoff coordination if needed
Toilet, Faucet & Fixture Failure
An overflowing toilet with a failed wax ring, a faucet that won't shut off, a shower valve stuck on hot. Common parts ride on the truck, so most are fixed the same trip.
- Wax ring, fill valve, supply line
- Cartridge, stem, and trim service
- Toilet, faucet, and angle-stop replacement
How we triage a San Diego emergency before we drive.
Most emergency-plumbing damage isn't done by the failure itself. It happens in the 30 minutes between the first drip and finding the right shutoff. So while the truck is rolling, our dispatcher walks you through the first steps by phone.
The on-site procedure is the same every time: contain, diagnose, write the estimate, then repair. We don't open drywall or pull fixtures until you've seen the price.
Find the right shutoff, fast
Over the phone we walk you to the closest shutoff: a fixture angle stop, the water-heater inlet, a hose bib, or the main at the front of the house. Two minutes saved here is often a thousand dollars of drywall.
Kill power if needed
Water near outlets, near a furnace, or in a finished ceiling means we ask you to flip the breaker before we arrive. If a water heater is the source, gas off at the heater, electric off at the panel.
Truck rolls with common parts aboard
The truck carries angle stops, supply lines, PEX, water-heater fittings, wax rings, fill valves, cartridges, and a drain machine. That usually saves a parts run in the middle of an emergency.
On-site contain and diagnose
First job on arrival: confirm the water is really off and the failure isn't spreading. Then we pin down the exact failed part. That's often a few minutes for a burst line, longer for a drain backup.
Written estimate, in your hand
Before we cut, drill, snake, or replace, you get a written price for the repair, itemized. The service call to come out and diagnose is $0. Nothing starts until you approve it.
Repair, test, and clean up
Pressure test on supply repairs, flow test on drains, T&P and gas check on heater swaps. We test the fix, clean up the work area, and walk you through what we did.
Most people wait too long. Water doesn't.
By the time a leak becomes impossible to ignore, it has been running for a while. If something is stopping you from calling, it is usually one of six things.
Here is where we stand on each of them.
It's the middle of the night.
We run calls around the clock. There is no bad time to reach us. 2am gets the same response as 2pm.
I'm not sure it's serious enough.
If water is moving somewhere it shouldn't, it's worth a call. We'll tell you honestly what needs to happen right now and what can wait until morning.
I don't know where the leak is.
You don't need to. Locating it is the first thing we do. You don't have to pull anything apart before we arrive.
I'm worried about the cost.
The service call is $0 and you get a written estimate before any work. Nothing starts without your approval, no matter the hour.
I already called someone and they can't come.
We can. A 60-minute response across San Diego, any hour of the day or night.
I think it might stop on its own.
A burst line or a backing-up drain doesn't fix itself, and every hour adds damage. A quick call tells you whether it's urgent or can wait.
Our thanks to the people who keep San Diego running.
A 5% discount, up to $200 off, for first responders, military, healthcare workers, teachers, seniors, and nonprofit staff across San Diego. Mention "Community Heroes" when you call, and we'll take care of the rest.
- First Responders
- Military
- Healthcare Workers
- Seniors
- Teachers
- Nonprofit Employees
Applies to repairs over $500. Cannot be combined with other promotions. Proof of eligibility may be requested at the time of service.
San Diego neighborhoods where we run emergency calls.
Our office on Bernardo Plaza Drive sits in Rancho Bernardo, off I-15. From there, an emergency tech can be on a San Diego driveway in well under an hour, day or night.
San Diego Office
San Diego, CA 92128
Neighborhoods we service for plumbing emergencies
Areas we cover regularly. If you're nearby and don't see your neighborhood, we still cover it, just call.
What stands behind every San Diego emergency call.
You don't need a corporate dispatcher and a $99 trip fee to fix a plumbing problem.
Call (858) 727-5807 to Talk to a Plumber TodayAll Star Plumbing since
Family-owned and serving San Diego since 2008, dispatched from our Rancho Bernardo office.
Emergency calls answered locally
Confirmed after-hours and same-day urgent dispatches handled across San Diego.
Bonded & insured
A licensed California plumbing contractor, bonded and insured.
Google review average
A 4.7-star average across 44 verified Google reviews from All Star customers.
What San Diego homeowners say about our emergency calls.
Recent reviews from after-hours and urgent plumbing calls. All verified through Google Business Profile.
Customer Service was excellent, I had an emergency plumbing issue on an early Saturday night. My kitchen was flooding and I was panicking. Everyone from answering my call to getting a plumber to my house was so helpful and communicating with me throughout the ordeal. Sergio was the plumber that came to the rescue. He explained everything and even answered some other questions. Thank you to all involved;)
I had John and helper come out on a Sunday evening when my water heater quit on me . Got it replaced and had hot water in a quickly manor. Definitely recommend these guys
We had to call an emergency plumber today. This company was very nice, professional, and responsive. They didn't even charge us for coming out, since we didn't need any repairs right now. Looks like we may need some repairs soon though, and we plan to call this company.
What does a San Diego emergency call cost?
Honest answer: we can't quote an emergency from a website. A late-night call could be a quick angle-stop swap or a full heater replacement with code upgrades. What we can do is tell you exactly what drives the price, so the written estimate makes sense when the tech hands you the tablet. The service call to come out and diagnose is always $0.
What moves an emergency call up or down
What actually failed
A failed angle stop or supply line is a smaller fix. A burst section of in-wall copper is more. A failed water heater is more still. The first few minutes on site tell us where on that range you sit.
Time of day
A call at night or on a holiday can carry a different labor rate. Whatever applies, we itemize it on the written estimate before you approve. No surprise surcharges added later.
Access to the failure
An exposed angle stop is quick. A pinhole behind drywall in a finished ceiling takes longer: the drywall is opened, the section is replaced, and the patch is part of the quote.
Parts on the truck vs. a parts run
Most common emergency parts ride on the truck. The occasional exception, like an unusual heater size, may need a daytime parts run. That slows the schedule but doesn't change the labor scope.
What counts as a plumbing emergency worth calling at 2am?
Anything actively releasing water you can’t stop: a burst supply line, a failed water heater, a sewer backup into a fixture, or a main shutoff that won’t close. If the meter is spinning and you don’t know why, call. A slow drip or minor faucet leak can usually wait until morning.
How fast can a tech actually reach my San Diego home?
Our standard window is 60 minutes across San Diego, day or night. We keep an emergency-stocked truck near our Rancho Bernardo office. It’s set up for the 92128, 92127, and 92129 area, so North San Diego usually sees us well inside that window.
I can't find my main shutoff. What do I do?
Call us first and our dispatcher will walk you to it. On most San Diego homes it’s outside, on the wall closest to the street, near the hose bib. If yours is seized or missing, the meter at the parkway shuts off with a standard meter key. We carry one on every truck.
Do you charge a fee just to come out at night?
No. The service call is $0, so it costs nothing for us to come out and diagnose. If a repair is needed you get a free written estimate first, and any night or holiday labor rate is itemized on that estimate before you approve anything.
My water heater died on a Sunday. Can you replace it the same day?
Almost always, yes. We diagnose the unit first, and when the tank has actually failed we carry common gas and electric sizes to replace it the same day, brought up to code with proper straps and an expansion tank. An unusual configuration may need a next-day part. For the full picture, see our water heater service.
Sewage is backing up into a shower. What is that telling me?
Sewage rising at the lowest drains, usually a downstairs shower or tub, points to your main sewer line, not a single fixture. The usual causes are root intrusion or grease. We clear it, then camera-scope the line and tell you honestly whether it needs a follow-up sewer line repair or just a cleaning.
Do I need a permit for an emergency repair?
Water heaters, gas-line work, and sewer-line replacements are permitted through the City of San Diego. A like-for-like emergency repair, such as a burst section of supply line or an angle stop, usually isn’t. Either way, we tell you up front whether a permit is required and what it costs.
The drain keeps backing up after I clear it. Why?
A clog that keeps returning means something a plunger or store-bought cleaner won’t remove: grease, roots, or a low spot in the line. We camera the drain to see the real cause, then clear it the right way. Chemical cleaners are worth skipping, since repeated use corrodes the pipe. See our drain cleaning.
Plumbing emergency in San Diego? We're 60 minutes away.
Your 24 hour plumber in San Diego: local tech, local truck, a written estimate before we touch a thing. If we can't help, we'll tell you who can.
11956 Bernardo Plaza Dr, Suite 147 · San Diego, CA 92128 · Licensed & Insured