Three tests separate a true emergency from a miserable inconvenience: is water actively damaging the home, is there a health or sanitation risk, or have you lost a function you cannot live without — water entirely, or your only toilet? A yes to any of them means call now, whatever the clock says. Burst supply lines, sewer backups, overflowing fixtures that ignore their shutoff, and heaters dumping water all pass those tests easily.
A dripping faucet, a slow-but-moving drain, or one clogged toilet while another works fine does not — those deserve prompt attention, not a midnight call-out. The grey zone is the problem that is changing: a damp spot spreading across a ceiling, a drip becoming a stream. When you are unsure, call and describe it. We would rather spend two minutes helping you judge it than have you guess wrong in either direction.