Emergency Plumber in Cheltenham, PA
A burst pipe at 2 a.m. or a backed-up main on Sunday does not wait for business hours, and neither does our dispatch line. Call (215) 714-6692 and a live person answers, day or night.
Emergency plumbing
Burst pipe, active leak, no water, sewage backup or a water heater flooding the basement. Shut off the water if you can, then call and we start dispatch.
Scheduled plumbing
Water heater swaps, fixture installs, camera inspections and repairs that can wait a day. Same-day appointments when available.
Emergency plumbing problems we handle in Cheltenham
These are the calls our line sees most. Each service page explains the cause, the repair options and what to do while you wait for the plumber.
Drain Cleaning
Clogged sinks, tubs, toilets and main lines cleared with cable machines and cameras.
View service →Water Heater Repair
No hot water, leaks and strange noises on tank and tankless units.
View service →Leak Detection
Hidden, wall, ceiling and slab leaks found before they spread.
View service →Burst Pipe Repair
Water shut off, pipe cut out and replaced with the damage contained.
View service →Sewer Line Repair
Cracked, rooted or collapsed sewer laterals diagnosed and repaired.
View service →Sewer Line Cleaning
Main-line backups cleared from the cleanout to the street connection.
View service →Toilet Repair & Installation
Running, leaking, clogged and cracked toilets fixed or replaced.
View service →Sump Pump Installation & Repair
Sump pumps installed, replaced and repaired to Cheltenham discharge rules.
View service →Water Heater Replacement
Failed tanks swapped for a right-sized unit, usually the same day.
View service →Planned jobs are covered too, from water heater installation and whole-house repiping to sewer camera inspections. The full list is on the plumbing services page.
What happens when you call our 24/7 emergency plumber line
You call
Tell the dispatcher what is happening, where the water is and whether you can reach the main shutoff.
We dispatch
The nearest plumber who can handle the job is sent. You get a clear price before work starts.
Fix on site
The plumber finds the cause, stops the damage first, then repairs or replaces what failed.
Walkthrough
You see the repair, the test and the cleanup before the plumber leaves.
While you wait, the first minutes matter more than anything a plumber can do later. Shut off the fixture valve or the main water valve, switch off the power to any wet area you cannot enter safely, and move valuables off the floor.
Take photos of the damage before you start cleaning. Insurers usually want them, and a plumber's written notes help too. If you smell natural gas, leave the building and call PECO at 1-800-841-4141 or 911 before anything else.
Plumbing in Pennsylvania falls under the Uniform Construction Code, which is built on the International Plumbing Code (IPC). In practice that means a repair or replacement should use approved materials and leave shutoffs, relief valves and cleanouts where a later plumber can reach them, so ask for that in the quote.
Emergency or can it wait until morning?
Not every plumbing problem needs a 2 a.m. visit, and a good dispatcher will tell you honestly which kind you have. This table is the same triage we walk callers through.
| What you see | Call the emergency line now? | Do this first |
|---|---|---|
| Water spraying or flowing from a pipe | Yes | Close the main water valve and switch off power near the water |
| Sewage coming up a floor drain or tub | Yes | Stop using every drain and toilet in the house |
| Water heater leaking from the tank body | Yes | Shut the cold supply and the gas or power, then call |
| Single slow drain, no water on the floor | Usually not | Hold off on chemical cleaners and book a visit |
| Dripping faucet or running toilet | No, schedule it | Close the fixture stop valve if the waste is bothering you |
| Wet ceiling under a bathroom | Yes | Stop using that bathroom and shut the main if it is still dripping |
Older houses, a creek valley and an aging sewer system
Cheltenham Township was founded in 1682, and much of its housing stock has stayed largely unchanged since the early twentieth century. Homes in Elkins Park, Wyncote and Cheltenham Village often still carry original cast iron drain stacks and old supply lines. When those fail, they tend to fail in the walls or under a finished basement floor, so a leak that looks small can be hiding a bigger problem.
Water moves through the township in a way you can see on a map. Tookany Creek runs through it, and the Army Corps of Engineers noted in 2015 that urban runoff had reduced the creek's carrying capacity.
For homes near the creek, a sump pump that fails during a storm is a real emergency, and Cheltenham's sump pump rules in Chapter 211 of the township code decide where that water is allowed to go. Our sump pump service is built around those rules.
The public sewer is part of the picture as well. Aqua Pennsylvania bought the township's sanitary sewer system for $50.25 million, with the system described as about 90 years old and under state repair orders. Defective private laterals are a known source of stormwater entering it. If your lateral is cracked or full of roots, a camera inspection shows it before the next backup does.
Dispatch across Cheltenham, Elkins Park, Glenside, Wyncote and Jenkintown
We take emergency calls from every part of the township. Elkins Park and Glenside both straddle the Abington Township line, so the permit office depends on which side your house is on. Wyncote has its historic district and Victorian-era houses, and Jenkintown is a separate borough that owns its own sewer system.
Neighbors in La Mott and Melrose Park share the 19027 ZIP code with Elkins Park. Across Cheltenham Avenue, Ogontz and West Oak Lane sit inside Philadelphia. If you live on that side of the line, call and dispatch will tell you whether we can take the job.
How to check a plumber before you let them in
Cheltenham Township regulates plumbers through Chapter 209 of its code. Plumbing and drainage work requires a license, registration is renewed every December, and master plumbers working in the township must mark their trucks with a business name and address. The same checks apply to anyone you hire, including us.
- Ask for the plumber's township registration and the business name on the truck.
- Call Cheltenham Township at 215-887-1000 to confirm a registration, or Abington Township at 267-536-1000 if your property is on that side.
- Get the price in writing before work starts, and ask what is included.
- Read your homeowner policy so you know what sudden water damage coverage looks like before you need it.
For a bigger job, the questions to ask are on the about page, and the contact page has our address and hours.
Emergency plumber questions from Cheltenham homeowners
Yes. Dispatch answers every hour of every day, including nights, weekends and holidays. Call (215) 714-6692, describe the problem and the dispatcher arranges the visit.
Shut off the water at the fixture valve or the main, switch off power near any standing water you cannot avoid, and stop using drains if sewage is backing up. Take photos for your insurer. For the full steps by problem, open the page for your service, such as burst pipe repair.
You hear the price before work starts, whatever the hour. Call the line and ask for the after-hours terms for your job, so there are no surprises.
We dispatch to 19012 (Cheltenham Village), 19027 (Elkins Park, La Mott and Melrose Park), 19038 (Glenside), 19095 (Wyncote) and 19046 (Jenkintown). The town pages list the streets and landmarks we work around in each.
Yes. Tenants and property managers call us regularly. Tell the dispatcher who authorizes the work, and we coordinate access with the owner or manager.
Permit rules vary by job, so ask the Cheltenham Township building department at 215-887-1000. If the house is on the Abington side of the line, call Abington Township at 267-536-1000, extension 4.
Yes, for light commercial properties such as shops, offices and small multi-unit buildings. The commercial plumbing page explains what we cover after hours.
Plumbing emergency in Cheltenham right now?
Call (215) 714-6692. A live dispatcher answers 24 hours a day, every day.