Updated October 2026
Quick answer
Across Harris County, the urgent plumbing problems are burst pipes after hard freezes and sewer lines that back up or fail, often after heavy rain. Both can damage a house quickly. Ring us any hour; we'll walk you through closing the main or stopping water use until we arrive.
What plumbing calls look like in Harris County
Two kinds of emergency come up again and again in Harris County. In winter, a hard freeze splits pipe in attics, exterior walls and hose bibs, and the leak often starts when the line thaws. In storms, sewer mains fill with rain and push back toward houses, while older or settled service lines crack, sag or take in roots. Calls are dispatched from our Rosharon service office, and our head office is in Spring, on the county's north side.
Ownership shapes how those calls arrive. With close to half of homes rented, a plumbing problem here often involves a landlord or property manager as well as the tenant. We can coordinate access with tenants and send owners the camera footage, photos and price before any repair goes ahead, so the person paying sees what the plumber saw.
On a burst pipe, stopping the water comes first, then a clean repair and a check of nearby runs that froze along with it. On a sewer line, we clear it, camera it, and price a repair or replacement based on what the footage shows. Where the line runs under a driveway or mature trees, we'll also say whether trenchless work is an option.
Local conditions
Harris County's population was 4,731,145 at the 2020 Census and 5,045,026 in the July 1, 2025 estimate, with a 54.7% owner-occupied housing unit rate. Harvey flooded 154,170 homes across Harris County, and a little less than half of the flooded homes were outside the 100- and 500-year floodplains, so sewer backflow is not only a floodplain problem. The 2021 freeze hit just as broadly. A University of Houston Hobby School survey found that 38% of Harris County residents suffered water damage from burst pipes during the February 2021 winter storm and 65% were without running water at some point.
Sources: census.gov, communityimpact.com, uh.eduPlumbing jobs that come up in Harris County
- Emergency PlumberA split pipe or a sewage backup can't wait for business hours. We answer at any hour and help you shut things off while a plumber is booked.
- Burst Pipe RepairFreezes split attic, wall and outdoor lines. The fix is cutting out the break, replacing the section and checking neighboring runs that froze with it.
- Leak DetectionAfter a freeze, a pipe can crack without an obvious drip. Meter testing and acoustic locating find it before it rots a wall or ceiling.
- Sewer Line ReplacementOlder service lines that have cracked, sagged or collapsed in several places keep backing up. Replacing the run ends the cycle.
- Backwater Valve InstallationHarvey flooded many homes outside the mapped floodplains. A valve on the main line keeps an overloaded city sewer from pushing into the house.
- Water Line Repair & ReplacementA freeze or settling soil can crack the buried line from the meter to the house. Wet ground or a meter that won't stop are the clues.
Plumbing problem in Harris County right now?
Call (281) 845-9645Questions from Harris County homeowners
Yes. We can schedule access with the tenant, handle the emergency at any hour, and send you photos, camera footage and a price before any non-urgent work. That keeps the owner in control of the decision.
Watch for several drains slowing at once, gurgling toilets, sewage odors outdoors or backups in the lowest drain. A sewer camera inspection confirms what's going on and whether repair or replacement fits.
Often, if you're careful. Leave the faucet on that line open a little, open cabinet doors to let warm air in, and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer, never an open flame. If you can't find the frozen section, call us before it splits.
Yes. Sewer mains can surcharge during heavy rain even when streets stay dry, and almost half the homes Harvey flooded in the county were outside the mapped floodplains. That reverse flow is what a backwater valve closes against.