Some plumbing problems really can wait until morning. Others cost you a ceiling if you leave them an hour. Here's how a Greenwich plumber tells them apart — and what to do before the van arrives on your street in SE10.
What actually counts as an emergency
Water you cannot stop — burst pipe, leaking joint you cannot isolate, or the internal stopcock is seized. Call immediately.
Water coming through a ceiling. Every 10 minutes matters because the plasterboard is soaking up load before it collapses.
No heating or hot water in winter with a baby, elderly relative or vulnerable person in the house.
Gas smell or a suspected gas leak — evacuate first, then call National Gas Emergencies on 0800 111 999 before you call a plumber.
A blocked toilet in a property with only one WC.
What can safely wait until morning
A dripping tap. Annoying, but not damaging. Put a bowl underneath and book a next-day slot.
A slow-draining sink with no overflow risk.
A boiler that is running but noisy — as long as pressure is holding and there is no leak.
A radiator with a cold spot but the rest of the heating is working.
Booking these as morning appointments saves you an out-of-hours rate.
How to shut off water fast in a Greenwich home
Most Greenwich houses have the internal stopcock under the kitchen sink. Newer flats in SE10 (around North Greenwich and Peninsula) often have it inside the utility cupboard or behind the boiler.
Older Victorian conversions around Ashburnham Grove and Point Hill sometimes have the only working stopcock on the external mains, under the pavement, requiring a stopcock key. If you cannot find your internal valve, know where the external one is before you need it.
If the stopcock will not turn, isolate the specific fixture: most modern toilets and taps have small isolation valves on the supply pipe under them. Turn the slot 90 degrees with a flat screwdriver to close them.
Response times across Greenwich
Central Greenwich (SE10) and Blackheath (SE3): under 45 minutes typically.
Charlton (SE7), Woolwich (SE18) and Kidbrooke: 45–60 minutes.
The Peninsula and North Greenwich: 30–50 minutes off-peak, longer at rush hour due to the Blackwall approach.
Weekend and overnight response times are often quicker than weekday rush hour — traffic, not distance, is usually the bottleneck.
Common questions
Is there really a Greenwich plumber on call 24/7?
Yes. Sam answers the phone directly, day or night. If the issue can safely wait until morning he will tell you honestly and book you in — no upsell to an unnecessary emergency call-out.
What does an out-of-hours call-out cost in Greenwich?
It is quoted before the van leaves — never a shock on arrival. There is no separate callout fee inside the local SE London catchment; you pay for the work done at the honest out-of-hours rate.
Should I turn the boiler off in an emergency?
Yes — switch it off at the panel or fused spur once you have shut the water off. Running a boiler with no water flow can damage the heat exchanger. Sam will restart it and check pressure when the leak is fixed.