Serving the Des Moines, Omaha & Salt Lake City Metro Areas
24/7 Emergency Dispatch · Des Moines Metro
(515) 310-1425
Get a Plumber Headed Your Way
Tell us what is happening and a dispatcher will call you right back.
Water actively running or coming up through a drain? Don’t fill out a form — call (515) 310-1425 now.
No obligation. We never sell your information.
24/7 — No Overtime Charges
Plumbing Emergency? We Answer 24/7 — And You Approve the Price First
Burst pipe, no hot water, water where it does not belong. Call and a real person picks up — night, weekend, or holiday. A licensed Golden Rule plumber finds the problem, hands you the price in writing, and does not start until you say go.
- Answered 24/7 — nights, weekends and holidays
- No overtime charges, even at 2 a.m.
- Written price you approve before any work starts
- Licensed plumbers · 100% satisfaction guarantee
Family owned · Serving Central Iowa since 1999 · 100+ trucks in the metro
4.9★
9,500+ local reviews
A+
BBB accredited
24/7
Emergency dispatch
100+
Trucks in the metro
$0
Overtime charges
When to stop waiting
If any of this is happening, it is an emergency.
Water damage compounds by the hour. These are the calls we want you to make tonight rather than Monday morning.
A pipe burst or will not stop leaking
Water spraying, dripping through a ceiling, or pooling under a sink. Shut the water off first, then call — every hour of soaking adds drywall, flooring and subfloor to the bill.
No water coming out at all
Nothing at any fixture, or pressure that dropped to a trickle. In an Iowa winter that usually means a frozen or split line, and it needs eyes on it before it thaws.
Water heater leaking or no hot water
Water around the base of the tank, a relief valve discharging, or a tank that has gone cold. A leaking tank does not get better on its own — it gets bigger.
Toilet overflowing or running nonstop
An overflow that will not stop, or a toilet that keeps running after the valve is closed. Both point at something upstream that we can find tonight.
Sump pump failed — water in the basement
Pump silent, pump running constantly, or water already on the floor. Storm nights are exactly when these fail, and exactly when we are staffed for it.
You smell gas
Get everyone out of the house first. Do not flip switches or use your phone inside. From outside, call 911 and your gas utility. Once the area is safe, call us for the gas line repair.
While you wait for us
Before we get there: what to shut off.
Thirty seconds of the right move saves thousands in water damage. Find your problem, do this, then call.
Burst or leaking pipeUsually where the line enters the basement or next to the water meter. Turn it clockwise until it stops.Main water shutoff
Water heater leakingClose the cold inlet valve on top of the tank, then kill the breaker — or turn a gas valve to Pilot. Do not drain it yourself.Cold inlet + power or gas
Toilet overflowingTurn the oval valve at the wall clockwise. If it will not budge, lift the tank lid and push the flapper down by hand.Valve behind the toilet
Sump failed, water on the floorNever reach into standing water for a plug or a breaker. Cut power at the panel if you can do it dry, then move what you can off the floor.Power first, then contents
You smell gasNo switches, no phone, no garage door. Get out, then call 911 and your gas utility from outside. Call us once the area is cleared.Leave the house
Then call us — we answer 24/7 (515) 310-1425
Not sure where your main shutoff is? Tell the dispatcher what you are looking at and they will walk you through finding it while a truck is on the way.
How it works
From your call to the water shut off and fixed.
Five steps, one licensed crew, and a price you sign off on before anyone touches a wrench.
1
You call, a person answers
No phone tree at midnight. Tell us what is happening and we will tell you what to shut off right now.
2
We dispatch the nearest truck
With 100+ trucks across the metro, dispatch sends whoever can reach you soonest and gives you a real arrival window.
3
Diagnosis on site
A licensed Golden Rule plumber finds the actual cause instead of guessing at it — and shows you what they found.
4
Upfront price, your approval
You get the number in writing, including your options, before any work begins. Nothing starts until you approve it.
5
Repair, test and clean up
We fix it, test it, and leave your house the way we found it — backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee.
6
You still have our number
Questions next week? You are calling the same local company that did the work, not a call center three states away.
Why it matters who you call
2 a.m. is when the surprises show up on the invoice.
Emergency work is where the industry does its worst pricing. Here is how we handle it.
No overtime charges
Nights, weekends and holidays are priced the same as a Tuesday afternoon. The clock on the wall does not change your number.
You approve the price before we start
Upfront pricing in writing, with the options laid out. No hourly meter running while you stand there wondering what it will come to.
Licensed plumbers on our payroll
The person coming to your house is a Golden Rule employee — background-checked and trained — not a subcontractor we found for the night.
Guaranteed work, with financing
Every repair is backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee. If the fix turns into a bigger project, financing is available on approved credit.
Still watching water you cannot stop?
Every hour costs drywall, flooring and subfloor. We answer 24/7 and there is no overtime charge.
From our neighbors
4.9 stars across 9,500+ Google reviews.
Recent reviews from Des Moines metro homeowners who called us on a bad day.
★★★★★
“Amazing service when our house flooded it was such a stressful disaster but Riley was amazing and explained all our options was very quick and efficient no pressure or rush to make a decision just honest and completely straightforward and very knowledgeable will definitely be doing business with them again”
Jessica Sandoval · Google
★★★★★
“John from Golden Rule is fabulous. I had a refrigerator leak that ruined my kitchen floor and basement bedroom and contents. John located the leak and sealed the water source immediately. He also installed a water pressure valve at my request. He is extremely knowledgeable and represents Golden Rule exceptionally.”
Nancy Wood · Google
★★★★★
“We are always very happy with golden rule. They’ve replaced our AC unit in the past and now water heater today. They’re always kind, helpful and give us all the information up front. Bobby was so great to work with today, and got us in same day!”
Janae & Quentin Erickson · Google
Reviews are unedited and pulled from our Google Business Profile. Read all 9,500+ reviews on Google →
Common questions
Emergency plumbing, answered.
Do you really answer 24/7?
Yes. Call (515) 310-1425 at any hour and a person answers — nights, weekends and holidays included. Emergency calls go straight to dispatch, and dispatch can tell you what to shut off while a truck is already being assigned.
Do you charge extra for nights, weekends or holidays?
No. Golden Rule does not add overtime charges. A 2 a.m. burst pipe is priced the same as the same repair on a Tuesday afternoon, and you see the price in writing before we start.
How fast can someone get here?
It depends on where you are in the metro and what is already on the board — storm nights are busier than most. We run 100+ trucks across Central Iowa, and the dispatcher will give you a real arrival window on the call rather than a vague promise. If you are actively flooding, say so; that changes how the call is prioritized.
What is this going to cost?
We cannot price a repair honestly over the phone without seeing it, so here is the commitment instead: a licensed plumber diagnoses the problem on site, presents the price in writing with your options, and does not begin work until you approve it. No hourly meter, no surprises added at the end.
What should I do right now while I wait?
Shut off the water closest to the problem — the valve behind a toilet, the cold inlet on a water heater, or the main shutoff for anything bigger. If you smell gas, leave the house first and call 911 and your gas utility from outside. Move what you can off a wet floor, but never reach into standing water for a plug or a breaker.
Is this an emergency, or can it wait until morning?
If water is running and you cannot stop it, if you have no water at all, if a water heater is leaking, or if you smell gas — call now. A slow drip into a bucket or a single slow drain can usually wait for a scheduled visit, and we will tell you honestly which one you have.
Do you offer financing on an emergency repair?
Yes. Financing is available on approved credit with monthly payment options, which matters when an emergency turns into a water heater or a repipe. We go over the terms in writing alongside the price.
Are your plumbers licensed and background-checked?
Yes. The plumber who shows up is a Golden Rule employee — licensed, background-checked and trained in house, not a subcontractor hired for the night. Permits are pulled where the repair requires them.
What areas do you serve?
We cover the Des Moines metro and Central Iowa — Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, Urbandale, Waukee, Johnston, Grimes, Altoona, Clive, Norwalk, Indianola, Ames and the surrounding communities listed below.
Service area
Where we answer emergency calls.
AdelAltoonaAmesAnkenyBondurantBooneCliveColfaxDallas CenterDes MoinesGrangerGrimesIndianolaJohnstonMadridMingoMitchellvilleNevadaNewtonNorwalkPanoraPerryPleasant HillPleasantvillePolk CityStuartUrbandaleWaukeeWest Des MoinesWinterset
