24/7 Emergency Plumbing Services

The first step is to shut off the water: turn off the main stopcock or the angle valve of the specific appliance. The second step is electricity – switch off the electrical circuit for the wet area from the fuse box. The third step is to inform neighbours if water might reach flats below.

Take photos of the damage before cleaning – these are necessary for filing an insurance claim. Our dispatcher will guide you by phone until the team arrives.

In an apartment building, it is advisable to immediately ascertain where the main stopcock for your flat is and where the riser shut-off valve for the building is located. In most Tallinn panel buildings, flat shut-off valves are in the bathroom or kitchen utility cabinet near the riser, while general apartment building shut-off valves are in the basement or ground floor utility room. If shutting off the flat's supply does not resolve the situation, it usually means the leak is in the riser or the building's main supply pipe, and the entire riser must be shut off – this is done either by a representative of the apartment association or by our team on-site.

If water has reached the ceiling or wall structure, do not attempt to paint over or cover the surface immediately. The wet structure must dry, and the extent of the damage should be assessed before finishing, otherwise, mould will develop later, the removal of which is many times more expensive than the initial repair.

• Shut off the water – main stopcock or appliance angle valve
• Switch off the electrical circuit for the wet area
• Inform neighbours and the apartment association board
• Photograph the damage before cleaning
• Collect water in containers if the leak continues due to pressure
• Call the dispatcher and describe exactly where the water is coming from

In winter, one of the most common call-outs is a frozen pipe: water isn't coming out of the tap, or the drain isn't flowing. Freezing usually occurs in uninsulated basements, utility shafts, garages, and external supply lines.

We thaw pipes in a controlled manner, using the appropriate method according to the pipe material, and after thawing, we check if the pipe has cracked due to freezing. Often, a leak appears only after thawing – which is why we don't leave the site before pressure and leak checks.

A typical freezing pattern is as follows: severe frost persists for several days below -10 °C, water consumption is low (e.g., a summer house or rarely used flat), and the pipe is in an uninsulated zone. Water stands in the pipe, cools, and freezes at the narrowest or coldest point. The frozen section expands, pressure rises, and if the pipe material is rigid – galvanised steel, cast iron, old copper pipe – a crack forms. Plastic pipes tolerate freezing better, but even they can break at fittings.

Drain freezing primarily occurs in external lines and private houses where the pipe slope is too shallow or the pipe is above the freezing depth. In such cases, thawing alone is not enough – it's necessary to assess whether the line's slope and depth meet actual conditions, otherwise, the situation will recur with every cold snap.

The most costly part is usually not the leak itself, but searching for it in the wrong place. We use acoustic equipment and a thermal camera to locate leaks, avoiding unnecessary demolition. Only after precise localisation do we open the structure and carry out repairs.

A hidden leak usually indicates itself indirectly: the water bill increases without a change in consumption, a floor tile is warmer in one spot, a damp patch appears on the wall, or there's a persistent mouldy smell in the room. A heating system leak manifests as a continuous pressure drop – water constantly needs to be added to the system.

In an emergency, the primary task is to stop the damage, not to carry out an immediate final repair. We often perform a two-stage job: at night, we shut off and isolate the leaking section, restore water supply to the rest of the house, and carry out the final repair the next day when materials and access are available. This prevents the entire stairwell from being without water overnight.

If the exact location of the leak remains unclear after the initial inspection, we use more thorough diagnostics – you can read about leak detection methods on a separate page.

• Water main and internal pipework leaks
• Heating main and heating system leaks
• Hidden leaks in wall and floor structures
• Joint and fitting leaks
• Underfloor heating circuit leaks
• Water heater, expansion tank, and valve leaks

Emergency call-outs follow surprisingly similar patterns. Most are related to material ageing, poorly executed previous installations, or neglected components. The following overview helps understand what is most likely to happen in your building and what should be preventively checked.

The value of an emergency service lies in its well-thought-out process, with every stage clear to the client. Work doesn't start on-site, but with the initial phone call: the more accurately the situation is described, the more appropriately equipped the team will arrive.

• Call to the dispatcher – you describe the situation, receive instructions for initial steps
• Deployment – the team brings equipment and materials appropriate for the situation
• On-site assessment – identifying the source of the leak or blockage
• Stopping the damage – shutting off water, isolating the section, stopping backflow
• Diagnostics – thermal camera, acoustics, or camera inspection if needed
• Repair or temporary solution with agreement for final work
• Pressure and operational check, and system restart
• Work documentation: photos, description, and invoice

Emergency assistance is needed by all building types, but situations and responsibilities vary significantly.

Insurance companies assess incidents based on documentation. The more thorough the evidence, the smoother the process. The most common mistake is quickly cleaning up and repairing damage before photographing it – then it's difficult to prove the actual extent of the damage later.

We document the work performed: describing the cause of the leak or blockage, what work was done, what materials were used, and adding photos if necessary. We issue a proper invoice suitable for submission to both the apartment association and the insurance company.

We do not provide insurance legal assessments or decide on compensation – that is done by the insurance company. Our role is to provide a technically accurate description of what happened, which serves as the basis for the proceedings.

• Photograph damaged surfaces and the leak point before cleaning
• Record the date and time of the incident
• Notify the apartment association if the damage concerns common property or neighbours
• Retain the emergency work invoice and work description
• Do not discard the broken part – it is evidence

A large proportion of emergencies are foreseeable. Pipework usually doesn't burst unexpectedly – there are often prior signs that are simply not noticed or considered important. Regular inspections cost a fraction of resolving the aftermath of an emergency.

In an apartment building, the most sensible prevention is a planned assessment of the condition of risers and basement mains, and their phased replacement before recurrent emergencies begin. In a private house, the condition of external lines, the reliability of the pump station, and monitoring of heating system pressure are equally important.

• Regularly replace washing machine and tap flexible hoses
• Check and operate shut-off valves to ensure they work in an emergency
• Monitor your water meter reading – an unexplained increase indicates a hidden leak
• Monitor heating system pressure – a continuous drop means a leak
• Clean drains with high-pressure jetting before a complete blockage occurs
• Insulate pipes in cold zones before winter
• In an apartment building, assess the condition of risers and plan their replacement

The price of emergency work is determined by the time of day, the scope of work, and the equipment and materials used. Night, weekend, and public holiday call-outs have a higher tariff than weekday visits. However, prompt intervention is almost always cheaper than waiting until morning, as water damage increases hourly and eventually reaches structures and neighbouring flats.

We will state the estimated scope and price of the work before starting. If during the work it becomes apparent that more extensive intervention is needed – for example, opening up structures or additional diagnostics – we will agree this separately with the client. Valid prices are listed in the price list; we do not change them based on this page.

In an emergency service, it's not just about how quickly someone arrives, but also whether the true cause of the problem is identified. If an emergency is only resolved at the symptom level, it will recur in a few months – usually at a worse time.

ToruFix performs emergency work with diagnostics: we use leak detection equipment and pipe video inspections to avoid unnecessary demolition and repeat call-outs. We provide a guarantee for both the work performed and the materials installed, and we prepare documentation suitable for both apartment associations and insurance companies.

• Dispatcher answers 24/7/365, including public holidays
• Response time in Tallinn usually 30–60 minutes, Harjumaa 1–2 hours
• Diagnostics with equipment, not based on assumptions
• Safe temporary solution if final repair is not immediately possible
• Guarantee for work and materials
• Correct documentation for insurance and apartment associations