In 2025, you can easily Google a service in your local area, call them, and book an appointment or schedule a maintenance consultation. But the truth is that when you have a very important need, in an emergency let’s say, any old number online from a service that has gamed their SEO might not do.
In other words, it’s good to have someone reliable on hand you absolutely know will come, one that won’t try to rip you off based on your current urgency, and one that has many recommendations and is trusted in your local space. This way, when the going gets tough or that pipe bursts at 3am, you won’t have to put on your “smart consumer” had as you try to secure the safety of your family, because you’ll have done that work already.
Let’s help you in that direction. In this post, we’ll discuss four emergency home maintenance contacts to always have in that golden analogue or digital address book:
Locksmiths
Good locksmiths are worth their weight in gold. You want someone who shows up when they say they will and doesn't see your emergency as an opportunity to charge triple while you’re fed up, cold and annoyed with yourself for losing keys. Ask neighbors who they've used before, because that can help. It’s good if they cover a wide area and if they can do electronic fobs for your car as well, because if you’re sat in your workplace car park with everything inside, that can be just as annoying as standing with a frown outside your home..
Keep their number saved somewhere that isn't just your locked phone, because the irony is that somehow that might not be available either. Maybe that's an old-school address book or a note in your wallet.
Pest Control
Local pest control companies usually know exactly what pests are common in your specific area and are prepared for it. They've probably treated your neighbors' homes and understand what works. The good ones won't just spray chemicals and leave either, they'll talk you through prevention when the time is right, or advise you to vacate the space when it means your safety is on the line.
Plumbers & Electricians
Water pouring through your ceiling or sparking outlets definitely count as emergencies, because sometimes hitting the fuse box or switching off the water main isn’t enough. These are situations where waiting until morning might mean serious damage to your home or worse, putting yourself or those who live near in harm’s way.
Good plumbers and electricians are booked solid during regular hours, but they know they have a duty to emergencies, because they know things break at the worst possible times. They might charge more for middle-of-the-night service, but they won't gouge you either if you get a good one.
Gas Company
Of course, this one's a bit different. You already have a gas company if your home uses natural gas, but do you have their emergency number saved? Most people don't, strangely enough, even if a carbon monoxide detector is going haywire.
If you smell gas, that's not the time to be hunting through paperwork or searching online, and certainly not time to put the toaster on. The gas company's emergency line should be somewhere obvious, maybe stuck on your fridge or saved in your contacts under "GAS EMERGENCY" so it jumps out when you need it, and they can immediately begin isolating the issue if it occurs.
That wasn’t a fun article to read, but it may save your life, and so we hope with this advice, you can always access the right resource when you need it.