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24/7 emergency dispatch. Licensed plumbers, furnace and AC techs. Upfront flat-rate pricing.
24/7 Emergency Plumber, Furnace & AC Repair in Vancouver One Call. Any Hour. We Roll.
Burst pipe flooding your basement in Vancouver? Furnace dead in a Surrey cold snap? Sewer backing up at midnight? BC Home Service runs genuine 24/7 emergency crews across Metro Vancouver — licensed plumbers, furnace technicians and AC specialists in stocked vans, dispatched around the clock with flat-rate pricing told to you before we start. Call now and a live dispatcher — not a machine — picks up.
Select Your Emergency
Match what is happening right now. You jump straight to first-aid steps and the fastest way to get the right technician rolling — no phone tree, no guessing.
Burst Pipe
Shut the main, kill power, call now. Emergency pipe repair and thaw crews on standby around the clock.
Burst pipe repairNo Heat
Furnace or boiler down in a cold snap is a genuine emergency. Emergency furnace repair techs on call.
Emergency furnace repairSewage Backup
Stop using water, keep everyone away from the affected area, and call. We clear and sanitize same-night.
Sewer emergency serviceGas Smell
Leave the building now and call FortisBC first: 1-800-663-9911. Do not flip switches. Call us after for the licensed repair.
FortisBC: 1-800-663-9911Flooding
Water rising from rain, sump failure or a burst line. We stop the source, extract, and document for insurance.
Flood response & sump pumpsNo AC
During a heat dome, no cooling is dangerous for seniors, infants and pets. Emergency AC repair dispatched first.
Emergency AC repairNo Hot Water
Tank leaking or gone cold? Same-day replacement and 24/7 tankless repair across Metro Vancouver.
Hot water emergenciesFrozen Pipes
No water during an Arctic outflow? Keep the tap open and call — safe thawing before the pipe splits.
Frozen pipe thawingThe Middle-of-the-Night Team Metro Vancouver Actually Reaches
Most home service companies advertise 24/7 and route your midnight call to a voicemail. BC Home Service runs a real dispatch desk staffed around the clock, with emergency plumbers, Red Seal furnace technicians and AC specialists staged across the region. Since 2010 we have answered more than 12,000 emergency calls: burst pipes in East Vancouver basements during January outflows, furnaces that quit in Surrey townhouses on Christmas morning, sewage backups in Burnaby duplexes during November atmospheric rivers, and AC failures in seniors' homes during summer heat domes.
- A live human answers — 3am, Christmas, storm night, no exception
- We coach you through stopping the damage while the truck rolls
- The $89 diagnostic is credited to your repair
- The price you approve is the price you pay — nights, weekends and holidays included
- Licensed (BC-PL-2019-4421), $2M insured, WorkSafeBC covered
Emergency Track Record
24/7 Emergency
Professional Emergency Response
Live dispatch - Flat-rate pricing - Licensed and insured
Emergency Response Done Right
Every emergency call is handled by licensed plumbers, Red Seal furnace technicians and AC specialists who treat your home with respect. Drop cloths, shoe covers, photo documentation, and full cleanup — every time, every hour.
- Live dispatch — 604-615-2212, answered 24/7/365
- 30-45 minute average response in core cities
- $89 diagnostic credited to your repair
- Flat after-hours premium disclosed before dispatch
- Licensed (BC-PL-2019-4421), $2M insured, WorkSafeBC
- Insurance documentation and direct billing
- 4.9 stars from 500+ verified reviews
What Actually Counts as a Home Emergency?
Not every after-hours problem needs after-hours rates. Here is the honest line our dispatchers draw when you call — if it risks your safety, your home's structure, or a fast-escalating repair bill, it is an emergency.
Burst or leaking supply pipe
Pressurized water inside your home is losing volume by the second — a half-inch line can dump 200+ litres in ten minutes. This is always an emergency, any hour.
Sewage backup
Waste water entering your living space is a health hazard, not a mess. Stop all water use, keep people and pets away, and call — day or night.
Gas smell or suspected leak
Leave the building immediately and call FortisBC's 24-hour line at 1-800-663-9911 from outside. Once the site is safe, we handle the licensed gas repair.
No heat in winter
When temperatures sit near or below freezing, a dead furnace or boiler risks frozen pipes, burst lines and unsafe indoor conditions. In BC winters this qualifies as an emergency, especially with infants, seniors or medical needs in the home.
Active flooding
Rising water from a failed sump, burst line or backed-up drain — or the BC classic, an overflowing washing machine hose. Every minute adds damage; response time is everything.
Suspected carbon monoxide
Dizziness, nausea or flu-like symptoms that fade outdoors, plus soot or yellow burner flames: get everyone outside, call 911, and let us inspect the equipment after the home is cleared.
Water near electrical
Water pooling near panels, baseboard heaters or outlets is a shock and fire risk. Kill the breakers if it is safe to reach the panel without standing in water, then call. If you cannot — evacuate and call us.
What is NOT an emergency
A dripping faucet, a slow drain with partial flow, one toilet out of commission with a working second bathroom, a jammed garburator. These cost less booked at daytime rates — honest triage is part of our dispatch job.
The First 60 Minutes: Step-By-Step for Every Scenario
What you do before the truck arrives often decides whether a bad night costs $400 or $40,000. Bookmark this page. Our dispatchers walk you through these same steps when you call.
Burst pipe or major leak
Shut the main water valve
In most Vancouver homes the main shutoff is in the basement or crawl space, on the front foundation wall where the water service enters — usually within a metre of the floor, near the water meter or water heater, sometimes behind an access panel. Turn the handle clockwise until firm resistance stops. If it is seized, close the meter valve at the property line instead.
Kill power to wet areas
At the electrical panel, switch off the breakers for any circuits in the flooded zone — only if the panel itself is dry and you can reach it without standing in water. If water is anywhere near the panel, leave it and call BC Hydro's emergency line as well.
Protect and contain
Move valuables, rugs and electronics clear; push water toward floor drains with a squeegee or broom; deploy buckets and towels. Open the affected taps to relieve remaining pressure in the lines.
Call 604-615-2212 and photograph everything
While you wait, take wide and close-up photos of the leak and damage for your insurer — documentation started early is worth thousands later. The phone in your pocket is your best insurance tool.
Sewage backup
Stop using every drain and fixture — flushing and running taps push more sewage into your home. Close the door, keep children and pets out, and turn off any basement HVAC to avoid spreading airborne contamination. Do not attempt chemical openers. Call us; night crews clear the line, then sanitize affected surfaces to WorkSafeBC standards and document the loss.
Gas smell
Leave immediately — do not turn switches on or off, use the phone inside, or light anything. From outside, call FortisBC 24-hour emergency: 1-800-663-9911, then call us. FortisBC makes the site safe; our licensed gas fitters then find and repair the leak, pressure-test the line, and pull the required permits for any replacement.
Furnace down in a cold snap
Check the thermostat batteries, the furnace switch (the wall switch near the unit — it gets bumped), the filter (a clogged filter can lock out a furnace), and the breaker. If nothing obvious, call before the house cools: interior pipes start freezing risk once indoor temperatures drop near 13 degrees in older homes. Leave taps on exterior walls trickling while you wait.
Flooding (rain, sump, or storm)
Confirm the sump breaker is on and the float is not tangled. Shut water to the house if the source is plumbing. Keep clear of any water near electrical. Move belongings up, not sideways. Call us with your address — during storm events we prioritize by risk and always tell you honestly where you sit in the queue.
Carbon monoxide alarm
Treat every alarm as real. Get everyone outside into fresh air, call 911, and do not re-enter until responders clear it. Then call us to inspect the furnace, boiler, water heater and venting — and install CO detectors on every level if you do not have them. BC requires them near sleeping areas for good reason.
Water + electrical danger
Ceiling dripping near a light fixture? Water above a panel? Do not touch switches in the wet zone. Kill the circuit at the panel only if you can reach it completely dry. Otherwise evacuate the immediate area and call us — we coordinate with electricians when water and power share a room.
Emergency Response Times Across All 17 Cities
Crews stage across the region so the nearest stocked van rolls to your call. Times below are honest averages from 2024-2025 dispatch data — severe weather nights can stretch them, and our dispatcher tells you the real ETA when you call, not marketing math.
| City | Average Emergency Response | Coverage Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | 30-45 min | Full coverage — West Side, East Van, downtown, Kits, Strathcona; condo and strata experienced |
| Burnaby | 30-45 min | North and South Burnaby, Metrotown, Brentwood, SFU area |
| Richmond | 30-45 min | All zones including Steveston and Hamilton; flood-prone low-lying areas prioritized |
| Surrey | 45-60 min | North, Central, South, Cloverdale, Fleetwood, Newton, Guildford |
| Coquitlam | 45-60 min | Westwood Plateau, Burquitlam, Maillardville |
| Langley | 45-60 min | City of Langley and Township, Walnut Grove, Murrayville, Brookswood |
| New Westminster | 45-60 min | Uptown, downtown, Queensborough, Sapperton heritage homes |
| North Vancouver | 45-60 min | District and City, Deep Cove to Lions Bay approaches; slope-home specialists |
| West Vancouver | 45-60 min | Ambleside to British Properties; long service lines and PRVs common |
| Delta | 45-60 min | North Delta, Tsawwassen, Ladner; pump-station aware |
| White Rock | 45-60 min | Ocean Park, Crescent Beach, Semiahmoo |
| Port Moody | 45-60 min | Inlet, Newport, Anmore approach |
| Port Coquitlam | 45-60 min | Downtown PoCo, Citadel, Citadel Heights, Blakeburn |
| Maple Ridge | 60-90 min | Albion, Hammond, Silver Valley, Ruskin |
| Abbotsford | 60-90 min | Clearbrook, Mill Lake, Matsqui, Sumas, Clayburn |
| Mission | 60-90 min | Mission City, Hatzic, Silverdale, Deroche approach |
| Chilliwack | 60-90 min | Sardis, Vedder, Promontory, Greendale; storm-season priority routing |
Curious how coverage works where you live? See the full Metro Vancouver service areas breakdown with local notes for older-pipe neighbourhoods, flood zones and strata buildings.
From Your Call to a Technician at Your Door
You call, a human answers
604-615-2212 rings to a live dispatcher — 3am, Christmas, storm night, no exception. WhatsApp messages to the same number reach the same desk.
Safety triage and stop-the-damage coaching
The dispatcher confirms the emergency type and immediately coaches the first-60-minutes steps: finding your main shutoff, isolating breakers, clearing people from hazards. Damage stops while the truck is still moving.
The nearest stocked van rolls
GPS dispatch sends the closest qualified crew — plumber, furnace tech or AC specialist — with over 300 parts on board. You get an honest ETA and a text when the van is en route.
On-site assessment — $89 diagnostic, credited
The technician assesses the source, not just the symptom, checks for hidden secondary damage, and walks you through what they find. The diagnostic fee is credited to any approved repair.
Flat-rate approval, then the emergency repair
You approve one written flat price — including any after-hours premium, disclosed up front — before work begins. Night work focuses on stopping the damage and restoring safe service.
Documentation, follow-up, restoration
Photos, cause-of-loss report and itemized invoice for your insurer; a follow-up plan for permanent repairs at standard rates; and coordination with restoration contractors when dry-out is needed.
What a 3am Call Actually Costs
Emergency pricing in this industry is often where homeowners get burned: vague "time and a half" talk and invoices nobody can audit. Here is ours, in writing, on the internet.
| Emergency Service | Typical Price (CAD) | What You Should Know |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency diagnostic | $89 (credited to repair) | Same fee day or night — finding the problem is never premium-priced |
| After-hours dispatch premium | $120 – $180 flat | Applies 10pm-7am, weekends and holidays; told to you before the truck rolls; a flat fee, never an hourly multiplier |
| Burst pipe repair | $180 – $420 | Isolation, repair and pressure test; section replacement quoted if the line is compromised |
| Frozen pipe thaw | from $189 | Safe thaw equipment, then split-check before pressurizing |
| Emergency drain / sewer clearing | $189 – $389 | Augering with root cutting; jetting scheduled at standard rates once flow is restored |
| Sewage backup mitigation | $380 – $900 | Clearing, extraction, sanitizing to safe standard; restoration quoted separately |
| Emergency furnace repair | diagnostic $89 + flat repair quote | Common no-heat fixes run $180-$650; parts availability confirmed before dispatch |
| Emergency water heater failure | diagnostic $89 + replacement options | Same-day tank replacement from stock; tankless repairs flat-quoted on site |
| Gas leak repair (after FortisBC clearance) | $220 – $750 | Licensed gas fitting, pressure test, permit filed |
| Temporary repairs & isolations | $120 – $280 | Cap, isolate or re-route to stop damage overnight; permanent work at standard rates |
The night-rate honesty clause: after-hours work exists because someone has to give up sleep to save your basement. We charge a flat $120-$180 premium to cover exactly that — never a percentage game on the repair, never an open meter. And whenever a safe, genuine option exists to stop the damage tonight and finish the repair tomorrow at standard rates, we recommend that instead, because a customer who trusts our pricing calls us for the next thirty years. Financing is available for larger emergency replacements, and approved insurance claims can be direct-billed so you are not fronting covered costs.
Insurance & Direct Billing for Flood and Water Damage Claims
Water damage is the number one home insurance claim in British Columbia, and the difference between a smooth claim and a denied one usually comes down to documentation. From the moment we arrive, we work claim-ready: photos of the source and damage before anything is touched, a written cause-of-loss report stating exactly what failed and why, moisture readings, and itemized invoices in the format BC adjusters expect. If your policy covers the loss, that paper trail is what unlocks it.
For approved claims we can arrange direct billing — billing your insurer for covered emergency work instead of you paying out of pocket and waiting for reimbursement. Deductibles and any non-covered work are always explained in plain language before we proceed, so there are no surprises on either side.
We also coordinate the full recovery: emergency extraction and dry-out through trusted restoration partners, plumbing repairs so the source cannot fail again, and post-restoration checks for the things adjusters and restorers sometimes miss — like a seized shutoff valve that caused the uncontrollable flood in the first place, or poly-B piping that will fail again on the next claim.
Two BC-specific notes worth knowing: most insurers now ask about poly-B plumbing at renewal and may surcharge or restrict coverage until it is replaced — a documented PEX-A repipe usually resolves it; and sewer backup coverage is an add-on rider in BC, not standard — if your backup is not covered, our flat-rate mitigation keeps the out-of-pocket cost as low as honest work allows. Questions about a claim in progress? Call the 24/7 line and ask for the documentation package.
Insurance Claims & Financing OptionsWhen Emergencies Happen in Vancouver: The Seasonal Pattern
Fifteen years of call logs tell a story. If you know when your risk peaks, you can beat it.
First freeze + atmospheric rivers
Vancouver's double-header: the first hard frost catches unprotected hose bibs and crawlspaces, while the first big rain event drowns sump basins and backs up storm-swamped sewers. October prep — insulation, sump service, backwater valve check — deletes most of this category.
Arctic outflow cold snaps
Every few winters, outflow winds drag temperatures to -10 or lower for a week. Pipes freeze in exterior walls and unheated spaces; furnaces run non-stop until limit switches and ignitors fail. No-heat calls meet burst-pipe calls the same night. Keep cupboard doors open under sinks on cold walls and taps trickling during outflow warnings.
The thaw and the reveal
Freeze-damaged pipes let go during the thaw; saturated ground tests foundations and sumps one last time; and the winter of deferred maintenance shows up as water heater failures and fixture leaks. Spring checks catch these while they are still cheap.
Heat dome AC failures
Since the 2021 heat dome, summer no-AC calls have become genuine emergencies — indoor 30+ degrees is dangerous for seniors, infants and pets. AC systems that sat idle all winter fail on their first heat load. Book pre-season AC service in May and you skip the June queue.
Windstorms and power outages
BC Hydro windstorm outages kill sump pumps at the exact moment rain is peaking. Battery backup on your sump is the single highest-value emergency prevention in Metro Vancouver — ask us; it costs less than one deductible.
Random failures are not random
Water heaters let go at year 11-13, poly-B at fittings after 25 years of chlorinated water, galvanized as pinholes, furnace heat exchangers past 18. Equipment age predicts emergencies surprisingly well. Book our plumbing health check and furnace tune-up to see where your home actually stands.
The Emergency Prevention Checklist
Ten items, an afternoon, and the odds of ever needing the 3am number drop dramatically. Print it, work through it, and sleep better.
Know and tag your main shutoff
Find the shutoff today, while nothing is wrong. Confirm it turns. Hang a tag on it and show everyone in the house. At 2am, panic plus an unknown valve equals a flooded basement.
Insulate and winterize
Foam-sleeve every exposed pipe in crawlspaces, garages and exterior walls. Drain and shut off hose bibs each October. Heat tape with a thermostat for the stubborn spots.
Battery backup on the sump
Storms knock out power exactly when sumps work hardest. A battery or water-powered backup keeps the basin empty through an outage.
Backwater valve awareness
If your street is flood-prone, a backwater valve blocks city sewer surcharge from entering your basement. Some municipalities offer rebate programs; ask us for options.
CO detectors on every level
BC code requires them near bedrooms. Test monthly, replace on schedule — they are the only warning a cracked heat exchanger will ever give you.
Annual furnace tune-up
A $150 autumn service finds the ignitor, flame sensor and limit-switch failures that otherwise become Christmas-morning no-heat calls.
Retire aging equipment on schedule
Water heaters at 10+, furnaces at 18+, poly-B whenever you can. Planned replacement is cheaper, calmer and better scheduled than failure.
Upgrade washing machine hoses
Burst rubber washer hoses are the top preventable condo flood in BC. Braided stainless hoses cost about $30 and a ten-minute install.
Smart leak sensors
Wi-Fi water sensors under the water heater, dishwasher and washing machine catch slow leaks before they become claims. Some models auto-shut the main.
Camera-inspect older sewers
Every 2-3 years if you are in a mature-tree Vancouver, Burnaby or New Westminster neighbourhood. Roots found early are a jetting visit; found late, a backup at dinner.
Before and After Gallery
Emergency mitigation tonight, permanent repair done right. Drag the slider to see the transformation.
Before
After
Burst Pipe Repair & Repipe
Christmas-night burst isolated, then galvanized section replaced with PEX-A in East Vancouver
Before
After
Flooded Bathroom Mitigation
Supply-line failure dried, sanitized and re-fitted with new fixtures in a Burnaby duplex
Before
After
Burst Washer Hose Repair
Overnight hose burst contained, braided stainless lines installed and cabinet base restored in Surrey
Questions Vancouver Homeowners Ask at 2am
Recent Emergency Reviews
"Burst pipe above the ceiling at 1:40am on a Tuesday. Live human answered on the second ring, talked me to the shutoff while the van rolled, tech arrived in 35 minutes. Isolated the line that night, permanent repair the next afternoon at daytime rates. The invoice matched the quote to the dollar."
"Furnace quit Christmas Eve with relatives visiting and a toddler in the house. They warned me about the holiday premium before anyone moved, tech showed up in under an hour, and it was a flame sensor he had on the van. Warm by dinner. That is the whole review."
"Sewer backed up into the basement during the November atmospheric river. Night crew cleared it, sanitized, and the documentation package they produced was so complete my adjuster approved the claim without a single question. Handled a disaster like it was routine."
Emergency Plumber Service in 12 Metro Vancouver Cities
One licensed team from Tsawwassen to Abbotsford. Every city page has local pricing, neighbourhood notes and same-day dispatch details.
Book Your Emergency Service
Active emergency? Call 604-615-2212 — a form is the wrong tool for water pouring through a ceiling. Not urgent, but want a flat-rate quote for the repair, replacement or repipe behind last night's scare? Send the form and we respond within one business hour.
Related Services
Every emergency ends in a repair — we stabilize tonight, then fix it right with the same team. Explore the service behind your emergency.
Read These Before the Next Emergency
24/7 Emergency Plumber Cities We Serve
Dedicated pages with neighbourhood-level detail, local pricing and response times for every major Metro Vancouver city.
Real humans on the emergency line every hour of every night — holidays, storms and cold snaps included.
BC License BC-PL-2019-4421, Red Seal certified, fully insured and WorkSafeBC covered. Strata documentation available.
$89 diagnostic credited, after-hours premium disclosed before dispatch, and one approved price that does not move.
Rated by Metro Vancouver homeowners we have rescued — often at the worst hour of their year.
Proudly Serving Metro Vancouver & Fraser Valley
From downtown Vancouver to Chilliwack, our licensed technicians come to you — same-day service available across the region.