Drains & sewer · St. Louis
Sewer line repair in St. Louis, MO
A damaged sewer line can be fixed with a spot repair, a trenchless liner, pipe bursting or an open-trench replacement. Which one fits depends on what the camera shows, how deep the pipe is, and what's on top of it, such as a driveway, trees or landscaping.
- Licensed local plumbers
- The problem explained before work starts
- Price agreed before the job begins
Sewer line repair for St. Louis homes
Sewer repairs are big decisions, so they should start with a camera video and a locator showing exactly where the defect is. One cracked joint near the foundation is a very different job from a line that's collapsed in three places under the street.
For the full guide, including what you can safely do before a plumber arrives, see sewer line repair explained.
Sewer line repair in St. Louis at a glance
- Urgency
- Can be an emergency: shut off the water and call
- Area
- St. Louis, MO
- Who does the work
- An independent, licensed local plumber
- Permit
- Plumbing permits inside the city are issued by the City of St. Louis Building Division
- Typical steps
- Diagnose → Choose a method → Permit and locate → Repair and inspect
- Availability
- Call now to check plumber availability
Signs you need sewer line repair in St. Louis
- Roots found in the line again and again
- Sewage backing up into the basement
- A camera showing breaks, sags or offset joints
- Sewer smell in the yard
- Unusually green or sunken strips of lawn
Local conditions
Sewer line repair in St. Louis: what's different
Century-old clay laterals under brick homes in Soulard, Tower Grove and Lafayette Square crack and collect roots. MSD's Project Clear works on reducing overflows and basement backups, but the private lateral is the owner's responsibility.
The City of St. Louis is separate from St. Louis County, so permit offices differ by address. A camera inspection first shows where the damage is.
Brick homes on narrow city lots often have laterals running under gangways and rear yards, which affects access.
- Water and sewer in St. Louis
- The City of St. Louis Water Division supplies water; the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) handles sewers.
- Permits in St. Louis
- Plumbing permits inside the city are issued by the City of St. Louis Building Division; St. Louis County has its own office.
St. Louis housing and plumbing
Brick homes and flats from the late 1800s and early 1900s in Soulard, Tower Grove and Lafayette Square typically have basements and old drains.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Plumbers on Thawline cover St. Louis and City of St. Louis, including Soulard, Tower Grove, The Hill, Central West End, Lafayette Square, Dogtown. ZIP codes: 63101 · 63102 · 63103 · 63104 · 63105 · 63106.
Other St. Louis conditions that affect plumbing
- Old laterals: Century-old clay laterals crack and collect roots.
- Basement drains: Heavy rain backs up basement floor drains.
- Frozen pipes: Cold snaps freeze pipes in brick exterior walls.
- City vs. county: The City of St. Louis is separate from St. Louis County, so permit offices and some utilities differ depending on your address.
How sewer line repair works in St. Louis
- 1
Diagnose
Camera inspection and locating confirm the damage, its depth and its position.
- 2
Choose a method
The plumber explains spot repair, lining, bursting or trenching and why one fits.
- 3
Permit and locate
Permits are pulled and 811 is called to mark buried utilities before digging.
- 4
Repair and inspect
The work is inspected, then the line is cameraed again to confirm it's sound.
What affects sewer line repair cost in St. Louis
Every job is priced by the plumber after they see it. These are the things that move the price most. Ask for the price before work starts.
- Repair method
- Depth and length of pipe
- Driveways, trees or landscaping above the line
- Work in the street or at the main
- Permits and restoration
Sewer line repair questions in St. Louis
Who issues sewer repair permits in St. Louis?
What is trenchless sewer repair?
Who pays for a sewer line under the street?
Do I need a permit to replace a sewer line?
Also in St. Louis
Related
Related plumbing services
Sewer camera inspection
A sewer camera inspection runs a waterproof camera through the line from your house to the city main and records what it finds: roots, cracks, sags, offset joints or collapsed pipe.
Learn more
Drain cleaning
If one fixture is slow, the clog is usually in that fixture's branch line.
Learn more
Hydro jetting
Hydro jetting cleans the full width of a drain pipe with high-pressure water, washing out grease, scale and fine roots that a cable only punches a hole through.
Learn moreGuides
Read before you call
Drains & sewer
Why is my basement floor drain backing up?
When water comes up through the basement floor drain, the main sewer line is usually blocked between the house and the street. Stop using water upstairs, then call a plumber to clear the main line. If it happens more than once, a camera inspection shows the cause.
Drains & sewer
Should you get a sewer scope before buying a home?
For homes built before about 1980, or with large trees in the front yard, a sewer scope is worth it. A standard home inspection doesn't look inside the sewer line, and in most U.S. cities the buyer will own that line, often all the way to the main.
Need sewer line repair in St. Louis?
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