Emergency Plumber in Fredericksburg, VA
A burst pipe can soak a floor, a ceiling and everything under it before you find the shutoff. Robert B. Payne answers plumbing emergencies 24/7 across Fredericksburg, Stafford and Spotsylvania. Shut off your water, then call 540-300-6932.
- 24/7 emergency service
- Licensed for plumbing in Virginia
- Upfront pricing before work starts
- In Fredericksburg since 1930
See all of our Fredericksburg plumbing services. Sewage or water backing up from a drain? See drain cleaning.
What Counts as a Plumbing Emergency
Call us now
- A burst or split pipe
- Water coming through a ceiling, wall or light fixture
- A leak you can’t stop with the valve under the fixture
- Sewage coming up into a tub, shower or floor drain
- No water at any tap on a freezing day, which usually means a frozen pipe
- Water near your electrical panel, outlets or appliances
- A water heater leaking from the tank
Usually can wait for a scheduled visit
- A dripping faucet (see sinks & faucets)
- One slow drain while the others work
- A running toilet (see toilets)
If you smell gas, that’s a different emergency. Leave the house and call your gas company or 911 from outside.
The First Five Minutes
Shut off the main water valve
It’s usually where the water line enters the house: a basement, crawlspace, utility room or near the water heater. Turn a round handle clockwise until it stops, or turn a lever across the pipe.
Stay clear of electricity
If water is near outlets, cords or the panel, don’t touch them or walk through standing water to reach them. Turn off power at the panel only if you can get there on dry ground.
Open a faucet to drain the lines
Open the lowest cold tap in the house, then a few others. That relieves the pressure and drains the lines, so less water comes out of the break.
Take photos for your insurance
Photograph the break, the water and anything that got wet before you start cleaning up. Then move what you can to a dry spot.
Call us
Call 540-300-6932. Tell us where the water is coming from and whether the main is off.
Never stand in water to reset a breaker or unplug an appliance. If water is coming through a ceiling light or pooling near the panel, stay out of the area and wait for help.
Burst Pipes vs. Frozen Pipes
Frozen pipe
A faucet gives a trickle or nothing at all on a cold morning. The frozen spot is usually in a crawlspace, garage, attic or outside wall. Keep the faucet open, shut off the main if you can, and call us before the ice thaws. A frozen pipe may already be cracked.
Burst pipe
Water sprays or pours from a pipe, a wall or a ceiling. Shut off the main right away.
Preventing Frozen Pipes in Fredericksburg
- Insulate pipes in crawlspaces, garages, attics and along outside walls
- On the coldest nights, let a thin stream drip from faucets on outside walls
- Open the cabinet doors under kitchen and bath sinks so warm air reaches the pipes
- Disconnect garden hoses and shut off and drain outdoor faucets before the first freeze
- Keep the heat on when you travel. The Red Cross advice is to “Keep inside temperatures above 55 degrees” (Patch).
January is Fredericksburg’s coldest month, with an average low of 23°F. That’s cold enough to freeze an exposed pipe overnight.
Source: U.S. Climate DataHeat out on a cold night? See emergency heating repair.
What Happens When We Arrive
Make it safe and find the damage
We confirm the water is off, check for water near electrical equipment and locate the break or frozen section.
Give you the price
You’ll know what the repair involves and what it costs before we start.
Repair and restore
We replace the damaged section, turn the water back on slowly and check for other leaks.
Talk about next steps
If the pipe froze, we’ll point out how to protect it. If old pipe keeps failing, we’ll explain your repiping options.
If walls, floors or ceilings got soaked, call your insurance company about drying them out.
Emergency Plumbing Near You
Why Neighbors Call Us
Always a wonderful experience with Robert B. Payne!!!Alex my technician was on time, courteous and professional.
The technician did an Awesome job! He was very polite and respectful, and put everything back and cleaned up his mess!
Robert Payne always delivers thoroughness! The guy Rafael today was amazing. Friendly and informative as well. Very happy with their service.
Five-star reviews from our Google Business Profile.
Emergency Plumbing FAQs
Should I call a plumber or my insurance company first after a pipe bursts?
Stop the water and call a plumber first. Call your insurer once the leak is under control. Your photos and our invoice will help with the claim.
Why do pipes often start leaking after the freeze is over?
Ice can split a pipe and plug the split at the same time. You won’t see water until the ice melts, so check exposed pipes as it warms up.
What’s the safe way to thaw a frozen pipe?
Open the faucet it feeds, then warm the pipe slowly with a hair dryer, starting near the faucet and working back. Never use open flame. As the Red Cross advice quoted by Patch puts it, “Never try to thaw a pipe with a torch or other open flame because it could cause a fire hazard.” If you can’t reach the frozen section, call us.
What if my main water shutoff valve won’t turn?
Don’t force it with a wrench. Older valves can seize, and a broken valve makes the leak worse. Call us and we’ll shut off the water another way and replace the stuck valve.
Do Fredericksburg-area winters get cold enough to burst pipes?
Yes. During the December 2022 arctic blast, the National Weather Service said the wind chill “could feel as cold as 4 degrees below zero” (Patch). Winter Storm Fern in January 2026 dropped about 8 inches of snow across the area (Potomac Local). Cold snaps like these are when exposed pipes freeze.
All Plumbing Services
24/7 Emergency Plumber in Fredericksburg
Shut off the water and call Robert B. Payne. We’ll stop the damage and fix the pipe, with the price up front.
