For a Spencer plumbing emergency, close the main valve, and if there's any gas smell, leave the house and call 911 or Piedmont Natural Gas from outside. Then call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Spencer.
Spencer's housing and utilities
Spencer grew up around Southern Railway's Spencer Shops, now the North Carolina Transportation Museum, and its houses show it. The median home was built in 1950, about 76% predate 1980, and about a third go back before 1940, one of the oldest housing stocks in the area. Gas is common: about 39% of homes in ZIP 28159 heat with utility gas, and nearly 10% with fuel oil.
Salisbury-Rowan Utilities provides water and sewer. SRU maintains the line from the street main to the meter, and the owner is responsible from the meter to the house. SRU's inventory found no lead or galvanized service lines needing replacement, but that covers service lines, not the pipes inside a house that may be original.
What to do now
- Gas first. With so many gas furnaces and water heaters, any odor means leaving the house and calling 911 or Piedmont Natural Gas at 800-752-7504 from outside.
- Find the main valve. Older Spencer homes often have it in the crawl space; if it's seized, use the valve at the meter.
- Turn off the water heater. Set a gas unit to off or pilot, or switch off an electric unit at the breaker.
- Relieve pressure by opening a faucet at the lowest point.
- Keep clear of wiring. Older houses may have outlets low on the wall near wet floors.
- Write down when it started and what you've done, for the plumber and your insurer.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Rusty water and a pinhole leak | Corroded galvanized pipe inside the house |
| Sewer smell and slow drains | Cracked cast-iron drain or blocked main |
| Wet ground between the meter and house | Leak on the owner's section of the service line |
| Relief valve on the heater dripping | High pressure, heat expansion or a worn valve |
| Gas smell near the furnace or heater | Possible leak: leave and call |
Cost factors
- Night, weekend or holiday timing
- Old pipe that has to be replaced rather than patched
- Reaching pipes in tight crawl spaces or plaster walls
- Rowan County Building Inspections permits for replacements; a storage water heater permit is listed at $75
Ask about after-hours rates when you're connected; no arrival time is promised.
Emergency Plumber questions in Spencer
Does an older house make plumbing emergencies more likely?
There's a gas odor near the furnace or water heater. What is the safe move?
The leak looks like it's near the water meter. Is that my repair or the utility's?
What should I do in the first few minutes after a pipe breaks?
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