Start by checking for danger from a safe place. If you smell gas, leave immediately. If water is near electrical equipment, keep clear. For a water leak without those hazards, close a known, safely accessible fixture valve or main water shutoff, then call for repair. Do not cross standing water to reach a valve.
Match the hazard before reaching for a shutoff
Gas odor
Leave the area. Call the gas utility from a safe location. Avoid switches, phones and other ignition sources until you are clear.
Water near electricity
Stay out of standing water. Leave wet equipment alone and arrange qualified electrical help.
Water leak, safe valve access
Close the known fixture valve or main water shutoff. Tell the plumber whether the flow stopped.
Valve unknown or unsafe to reach
Keep clear and call for help. A search through a flooded area is not a safe next step.
Guidance: NW Natural, CDC and City of Vancouver. Checked October 20, 2026.
Prepare exposed plumbing before a forecasted freeze
Tyler Toivonen says elevation can contribute to freeze exposure in Clark County, but True Plumbing's field experience points more often to stiff east winds and exposed plumbing on the east side of a home as useful local clues. Regional weather records also describe cold, blustery east winds during some of the Portland-Vancouver area's coldest outbreaks. That does not mean every east-facing pipe will freeze or that Clark County has freeze breaks every year. Tyler describes them as episodic events that show up in some cold spells, often years apart.
Before temperatures fall, pay attention to pipes in exterior walls, crawlspaces, garages, outbuildings, and other unheated or wind-exposed areas. The City of Vancouver recommends disconnecting hoses, protecting exterior faucets, sealing air leaks, insulating vulnerable piping, and knowing where the main water shutoff is before an emergency. Arrange inspection or insulation work ahead of the freeze when the piping is not safely accessible.
Observe a possible frozen pipe without forcing a repair
Little or no flow after freezing weather can be a warning sign, but it does not show where the pipe is frozen or whether it has split. Look only from a safe, accessible area for visible water, frost, or a changed pipe shape. Do not cut into a wall or enter a hazardous crawlspace. Do not use an open flame or torch, and do not attempt to thaw or repair a pressurized line. A concealed break may begin leaking when the ice releases.
Isolate an active leak only when the valve is safe to reach
If one fixture is leaking and its supply valve is known and safely accessible, close that valve. If the break is elsewhere and the home's main shutoff is known and safely accessible, closing it may limit damage. Do not search for a concealed shutoff during the emergency, enter standing water, or climb into a crawlspace to reach a valve. Tell the plumber whether the valve stopped the flow.
Stay clear when water and electricity are close
Do not enter standing water or touch wet electrical equipment, outlets, cords, switches, appliances, or an electrical panel. Keep other people and pets away. Call the appropriate utility or emergency service from a safe place when there is an immediate electrical hazard, then arrange plumbing service after the area is safe to enter.
Leave immediately if you smell gas
Do not investigate a gas odor indoors or try to determine which appliance caused it. Leave without operating lights, switches, phones, thermostats, garage-door openers, or anything that may create a spark. From a safe location, call the gas utility or 911 and follow its instructions. NW Natural customers can report a suspected leak to its emergency line at 800-882-3377.
Keep prevention separate from emergency response
Plan sump pump service before wet weather and complete weatherization before freezing conditions. During an active leak, focus on safe observation, a safely reached shutoff and arranging help. Leave concealed piping and equipment repairs for the professional who assesses the problem.
Avoid actions that can make the emergency worse
- Do not enter standing water or touch wet electrical equipment.
- Do not open an electrical panel or try to disconnect wet equipment.
- Do not use a flame, torch, or improvised heat source on a frozen pipe.
- Do not pour chemical drain cleaner into a backed-up drain and walk away.
- Do not keep flushing an overflowing toilet. Close only a known, safely accessible fixture valve.
- Do not cut into walls or attempt a repair while plumbing is pressurized.
Questions during a plumbing emergency
Which water valve should I close first?
For an isolated fixture leak, close its known supply valve if you can reach it safely. For a leak elsewhere, use the home's known main water shutoff if access is safe. Keep clear of standing water and electrical hazards. Tell the plumber whether closing the valve stopped the flow.
What if I cannot find or safely close the shutoff?
Stop searching in unsafe areas and call for help from a safe place. Do not enter a flooded crawlspace or cross standing water. Finding and checking the home's shutoff before an emergency is part of Vancouver's recommended preparation.
Can I turn off the breaker if the floor is wet?
Do not stand in water to operate an electrical panel, switch or appliance. CDC says to call an electrician if reaching the main power switch would require entering standing water. Keep other people away from the affected area.
Should I look for the source of a gas smell?
Leave immediately rather than investigating. Avoid phones, light switches, flames and other ignition sources in the affected area. From a safe location, call the gas utility or 911. NW Natural's emergency line for its customers is 800-882-3377.
Who should I call if there is no water after a freeze?
Call a plumber when freezing conditions may have affected your pipes. Never use an open flame to thaw them. If you are a City of Vancouver water customer and suspect a problem at the meter, the City directs you to 360-487-8177 for assistance.
What should I tell the plumber when I call?
Give the service address, where water is visible, which fixtures are affected, when it started and whether a safely reached valve stopped the flow. Mention freezing weather, standing water or electrical hazards. Ask the team to confirm current availability and the next safe step.
Call with the facts the plumber needs
From a safe location, note the address, where water is visible, whether the problem followed freezing weather, which fixtures are affected, and whether a known valve stopped the flow. For unexplained water, review the hidden-leak warning signs. Use the water-heater leak-prevention guide for future planning, not as a repair procedure during an active emergency.
Contact True Plumbing through its emergency plumbing page or call (360) 207-6064 to describe the situation and confirm current response availability.
Sources
- City of Vancouver: Preventing and Handling Frozen Water Pipes
- National Weather Service Portland: Portland Climate Book
- NW Natural: What to Do if You Smell Natural Gas
- CDC: Safety Guidelines for Reentering a Flooded Home
- Clark Public Utilities: Preventing Water Leaks and Frozen Pipes
- Portland Water Bureau: Toilet Supply Shutoff
