4 services · St. Louis
Drains & sewer in St. Louis, MO
A single slow sink is usually a local clog a plumber can clear in one visit. Several drains backing up at once, gurgling toilets or water at a basement floor drain point to the main sewer line, which may need cleaning, a camera inspection and sometimes repair.
- Licensed local plumbers
- The problem explained before work starts
- Price agreed before the job begins
Drains & sewer services in St. Louis
Drain cleaning in St. Louis
UrgentIf one fixture is slow, the clog is usually in that fixture's branch line. If several drains back up at once, or the basement floor drain fills when you run the washer, the main sewer line is blocked and needs a larger cable or a jetter.
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. It works best on sound pipe and is usually done after a camera inspection confirms the pipe can take it.
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. It's the best way to decide between cleaning, spot repair and replacement.
Sewer line repair in St. Louis
UrgentA 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.
Local conditions
Drains & sewer in St. Louis: what's different
Century-old clay laterals in Soulard, Tower Grove and Lafayette Square crack and collect roots. MSD's Project Clear works on reducing overflows and basement backups.
The City of St. Louis is separate from St. Louis County, so permit offices differ by address.
A camera inspection shows whether a repeat clog is roots, a cracked pipe or a sewer backup.
Brick homes on narrow lots often have laterals under gangways and rear yards, which affects access. Permits differ between the City of St. Louis and the county.
- 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.
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.
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.
When to call a plumber in St. Louis
- Water backing up in the tub or shower when a toilet flushes
- Several fixtures draining slowly at the same time
- Water or sewage at a basement floor drain
- Gurgling from drains or toilets
- Sewer smell inside or a soggy patch in the yard
- The same clog returning within weeks of being cleared
How these problems start and how to choose between repair options is covered in the drains & sewer guide.
Drains & sewer questions in St. Louis
Who issues plumbing permits in St. Louis?
Are chemical drain cleaners safe to use?
More plumbing in St. Louis
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