Emergency Plumber in Manhattan Beach, CA
Burst pipe in the wall, sewage in the tub, no hot water on a cold night. Our dispatch line is staffed around the clock, so a real person picks up and sends a licensed plumber to your door in the Sand Section, the Hill Section, El Porto and beyond.
You get a clear price before work starts, and same-day appointments when available for everything that is not an emergency.
- Licensed and insured
- Clear price before work starts
- Same-day appointments when available
- 24/7 dispatch line
Water coming through the ceiling right now?
Close the main shutoff, turn off the breaker for that part of the house, and call. Our 24/7 line is answered by dispatch, not a voicemail box, and we will talk you through the next two minutes while a plumber is lined up.
What we fix
Six repairs we are called for most
Most late-night calls fall into a handful of buckets. A drain that has stopped moving, a tank that has stopped heating, a bill that keeps climbing, a sewer line that has backed up, a pipe that has let go, or a water heater that has reached the end of its life. Each card below opens the full service page.
We also handle fixtures, garbage disposals, repiping and commercial work. The full list lives on our services page.
Dispatch(310) 424-7510
Drain Cleaning
Clogged drains, drain snaking and main line clogs cleared day or night with cable and camera.
Water Heater Repair
Gas, electric and heat pump water heaters repaired the same day when we can.
Leak Detection
Acoustic, thermal and pressure testing that finds a hidden leak before the wall opens.
Sewer Line Repair
Cracked, offset or root-damaged sewer laterals repaired by pipe lining or open trench.
Burst Pipe Repair
Fast shut-off guidance, pipe repair and photo records that help with your insurance claim.
Water Heater Replacement
A failed tank swapped out with new connectors, bracing and a clear price first.
Not sure which one you have? Describe the symptom on the phone and dispatch will point the visit at the likeliest cause, so the plumber arrives with the right camera, nozzle or parts.
Why call us
What a good emergency call looks like
A plumbing emergency is stressful enough without a runaround. Here is how we try to keep the call simple.
A person answers at 2 a.m.
The line is a dispatch desk, open 24/7. You describe the problem, we ask a few plain questions about where the water is and whether you can reach the shutoff, and a licensed plumber is assigned.
You hear the price first
Before any wrench turns you get a clear price for the work. If the plumber finds something bigger once a wall is open or a camera is down the line, you hear about it and decide before it is added.
Licensed and insured
Our plumbers are licensed and insured. You can check any California contractor yourself on the CSLB website, and we encourage it.
Same-day when it is not urgent
A dripping faucet or a slow drain does not need a midnight dispatch. We book same-day appointments when available, and otherwise the earliest slot that suits you.
That is the whole pitch. Pick up the phone, describe what you see, and we take it from there.
Where we work
Manhattan Beach and the towns around it
Our office sits at 1800 N Sepulveda Blvd in ZIP 90266, so the beach strip and the hills are close. Crews also work in four neighboring towns, each with its own water system and its own plumbing quirks.
Coverage runs across ZIP 90266 in Manhattan Beach, 90254 in Hermosa Beach, 90278 and 90277 in Redondo Beach, 90245 in El Segundo, and 90260 and 90261 in Lawndale. The PO-box ZIP 90267 has no street addresses to service, so those calls simply route by the street. Read the full picture on our service areas page.
Your Manhattan Beach neighborhood decides what goes wrong
Plumbing problems follow the map. The same city has a flat beach strip, a steep hillside and a commercial belt, and each one fails in its own way.
Sand Section and The Strand
Walk streets and oceanfront homes sit close to the surf, so salt air eats hose bibs, outdoor shower valves and exposed supply stops faster than it does inland. If a fixture on the ocean side of the house looks crusty or green, replace it before it fails on a holiday weekend.
Hill Section
On a slope, water pressure at the bottom of a street is noticeably higher than at the top, and a pressure regulator (PRV) that has aged can let that pressure beat up fixtures and the water heater. A gauge on a hose bib tells you quickly, and a failed PRV is a common hidden reason for repeated leaks.
El Porto
The north end of the beach is surf country, with outdoor rinse showers and sandy gear going through drains all week. Sand in a trap or a floor drain is a classic slow-drain cause, which is why we start with a drain camera before reaching for heavy equipment.
Manhattan Village and Sepulveda Blvd
East of Sepulveda between Marine and Rosecrans, around Manhattan Village Mall, you find shops, offices and multifamily buildings. A stoppage there can hit several units at once, so tell dispatch if the building has a shared main shutoff or a roof-access riser. See commercial plumbing for business calls.
East Manhattan Beach
Toward Aviation Blvd, the neighborhoods back onto the same corridor that runs through El Segundo. These addresses are a short drive from our office on Sepulveda, and dispatch will tell you what the visit is likely to cover.
Around the parks and schools
Near Polliwog Park, Live Oak Park, Sand Dune Park and Mira Costa High School, mature landscaping is common. Tree roots reaching into a sewer lateral are a general cause of repeat backups, so if a drain keeps clogging every few months, a sewer camera shows whether roots are the culprit.
Tell dispatch your cross streets or the nearest landmark. It helps us plan access, and it helps the plumber find the main shutoff quickly.
Emergency or can it wait until morning?
Not every plumbing problem needs a midnight call, and we would rather you sleep when it is safe. Use this as a quick sorting guide.
| Situation | Call tonight? | What to do meanwhile |
|---|---|---|
| Burst pipe or water spraying | Yes, call the 24/7 line | Shut the main valve, open a low faucet to drain the lines, cut power to wet rooms. |
| Sewage backing up in tub or floor drain | Yes | Stop using all water and toilets, keep children and pets out of the area. |
| No hot water, tank not leaking | Usually next morning | Check the pilot or breaker, a reset sometimes helps. Call if the flame will not stay lit. |
| Water heater leaking at the base | Yes | Close the cold supply on top of the tank and turn off gas or power to it. |
| Slow drain in one sink | Can wait | Pull out the stopper, clear what you can see, avoid chemical drain openers. |
| Dripping faucet | Can wait | Close the supply stop under the sink if it bothers you. |
| Gas smell | Leave first, then call SoCalGas | Go outside on foot, no switches or phones near the smell, call 1-800-427-2200 or 911. |
If you are unsure which row you are in, call anyway. Dispatch will tell you honestly whether it can wait.
How a call to our 24/7 line works
No form, no booking portal. The whole process runs by phone.
- 1
You describe it
Tell dispatch what you see, hear and smell, and which room it is in. Photos are not needed, a plain description is enough.
- 2
We assign a plumber
A licensed plumber is assigned and you are told what to expect. If it is not urgent, we offer a same-day appointment when available.
- 3
You get the price first
On site the plumber diagnoses the problem, explains the options and gives you a clear price before work starts. You say yes or no.
- 4
The fix and the handover
The repair is done, the area is cleaned up, and you get plain advice on what to watch. For serious leaks, we suggest you contact your insurer, since policies often cover sudden damage but not slow wear.
Prefer to talk first? You can reach the team any time through the contact page or learn more about how we work on the about page.
Sewer backups and the City's lateral rule
In Manhattan Beach the City maintains most sewer mains, while the lateral from your building to that main belongs to the property owner under Manhattan Beach Municipal Code 5.36.240. That matters at 1 a.m. when a floor drain gurgles, because the blockage may be on your side of the connection.
Before we flush or clean a lateral, the City asks for 24 to 48 hours of notice so crews can watch the main, since extra flow can cause an overflow. The City Utilities office is at (310) 802-5304 on weekdays, and the after-hours call center is (310) 802-5000. If sewage is already rising, tell dispatch and we will advise on the safest next step.
Our sewer line cleaning work usually starts with a camera, so you see where the blockage is before any cutter or hydro-jet nozzle goes in.
Manhattan Beach note
What the City's 2023 water report means for your plumbing
Manhattan Beach water is a blend of locally pumped groundwater and treated imported surface water bought from the Metropolitan Water District via West Basin. The City's 2023 Annual Water Quality Report lists groundwater hardness at an average of 392 mg/L, roughly 22.9 grains per gallon, while the imported water averages 136 mg/L, around 8 grains.
Because the blend changes day to day, the hardness at your tap swings between those numbers. Harder water leaves scale on heating elements and inside tankless heat exchangers, so tanks need their anode rod checked and a flush now and then. If scale is a recurring issue, a softener may help, see water softener and filtration.
The report states the water met all EPA and state primary drinking water standards. It also says lead and copper at the tap come mainly from household plumbing, so if water has sat for several hours, flush the tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before drinking.
Sources: City of Manhattan Beach
Hot water, tanks and earthquake straps
When the shower runs cold, the cause is usually one of a few things: a failed thermostat or element on an electric tank, a pilot or thermocouple on gas, or a tank that has built up sediment. Our water heater repair visits start with those checks.
If the tank is leaking from the shell, repair rarely makes sense and a swap is the answer. See water heater replacement for what that involves. California Health and Safety Code 19211 requires water heaters of 120 gallons or less to be braced, anchored or strapped against earthquake motion, so a good install includes that.
A high water bill with no visible leak points to a hidden loss. Our leak detection uses an acoustic ground microphone, thermal imaging and a pressure test to find it without tearing out half a wall.
Licensed and insured, and how to check any plumber
Licensed and insured is not a slogan, it is something you can verify. California requires a contractor license for jobs of $1,000 or more in labor and materials, and the Contractors State License Board lets you look up a license at cslb.ca.gov or by calling 800-321-CSLB (2752). Do that with us and with anyone else you hire.
CSLB also advises paying no more than 10 percent down or $1,000, whichever is less, unless the contractor has a blanket bond on file. A reputable plumber will not push you to pay in full before work is done. Our about page explains in more detail how we handle licensing, insurance and pricing.
Burst pipe, backup or no hot water?
Dispatch is on the line right now, any hour of the day.
FAQs
Questions we hear on the 24/7 line
Yes. The dispatch line is open 24 hours a day, every day, including holidays. A person takes the call, asks what is happening and arranges a licensed plumber.
Shut off the main water valve if water is escaping, turn off power to wet areas at the breaker, and move valuables away from the water. Do not run a drain you suspect is backing up. For a gas smell, leave on foot and call SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200.
It depends on the problem, access and parts, so we do not quote blind. You get a clear price before work starts, and you can say no. Call for your real number.
We cover Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo and Lawndale. See Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo and Lawndale for details.
Yes, licensed and insured. You can check any contractor at the CSLB site, cslb.ca.gov, or by phone at 800-321-CSLB.
The City of Manhattan Beach asks for 24 to 48 hours notice before you flush or clean a lateral, because extra flow can overload the main. Its Utilities office is (310) 802-5304 on weekdays. We can explain the steps when you call.
Policies often cover sudden burst damage but not slow leaks or wear. Ask your insurer, and photograph the damage before cleanup.
Yes. Shops, offices and multifamily buildings around Sepulveda Blvd and Manhattan Village are common calls. Tell dispatch about shared shutoffs and access.
Plumbing problem that cannot wait?
Our 24/7 line is staffed right now. Call, describe what you see, and a licensed plumber gets assigned.
Call (310) 424-7510