Need a plumber in St. Louis? Half the city's homes were built before 1938, and their original cast iron stacks, galvanized lines and clay sewer laterals are behind most calls. Call Same Day Plumber any time to reach a St. Louis-licensed plumber.
Need a Plumber in St. Louis Today?
Say whether the problem is in the basement and whether sewage is coming up the floor drain. Your call is passed to an independent plumber working in St. Louis. They quote the job and bill you directly, and they'll tell you when they can arrive before you commit.
Emergency Plumbing Services in St. Louis
3 situations account for many urgent calls in St. Louis. Each has a first step to take while you wait.
- Sewage coming up the basement floor drain: stop using water everywhere in the house. See sewer backup.
- Leak from a cast iron stack or old galvanized line: close the main shutoff for a supply leak, and stop using upstairs fixtures for a stack leak.
- Frozen pipe: open the faucet it feeds and warm the pipe gently. If it has split, close the main. See frozen pipes.
For any of these, an emergency plumber can often come out to St. Louis the same day, including nights and weekends. If you smell gas, leave the building first and call the gas utility or 911 from outside.
24/7 Plumbing Services in St. Louis
- Emergency PlumbingBurst pipes, flooding, sewage backups and loss of water, any hour.
- Drain CleaningClogged sinks, tubs, toilets and main sewer lines.
- Water Heater Repair & ReplacementNo hot water, leaking tanks, tank and tankless repair or replacement.
- Leak Detection & RepairHidden, slab and pipe leaks found and fixed before they cause damage.
- Sewer Line RepairCamera inspection, sewer repair and trenchless replacement.
- Pipe Repair & RepipingBurst, frozen and corroded pipes repaired or replaced.
- Toilet RepairRunning, clogged, leaking and broken toilets repaired or replaced.
- Faucet & Fixture RepairFaucets, garbage disposals and shower valves.
- Sump Pump RepairSump pump repair, replacement and battery backups.
- Gas Line RepairGas leak repair and appliance hookups by licensed plumbers.
- Water Softeners & FiltrationWater softeners, whole-house filtration and well pumps.
- Commercial Plumbing & BackflowCommercial plumbing service and backflow testing.
Common Plumbing Problems in St. Louis Homes
Half the homes in St. Louis were built before 1938. Brick houses and 2-family flats in neighborhoods like Soulard, Tower Grove South and Dutchtown often still run on the plumbing they were built with.
The City of St. Louis Water Division draws mainly from the Missouri River. Its 2025 report lists total hardness at 129 ppm, about 7.5 grains per gallon, with a range of 80 to 206 ppm. The city uses the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code.
What Old Pipe Looks Like in a St. Louis Basement
- Galvanized supply lines are gray, threaded at the joints and stick to a magnet. Low pressure and rusty water are the usual complaints.
- Cast iron stacks are thick, black pipes with bulging joints. Look for rust streaks, flaking and damp spots.
- A sewer smell or water around the basement floor drain points at the lateral. A sewer camera inspection shows its condition.
- A patch often fails next to the repair, so ask whether replacing the whole run makes more sense. See repiping.
Sewer Lateral Problems
Old clay laterals crack, shift and fill with roots, backing sewage up into basement floor drains.
Frozen Pipes
Cold snaps freeze pipes along exterior brick walls and in unheated basements.
What Affects Plumbing Costs in St. Louis
No plumber can quote a firm price before seeing the problem. These are the things that move the cost of plumbing work in St. Louis.
- Old pipe. Repairs on 1930s plumbing often grow, because the pipe next to the failure is in the same shape.
- Lateral depth and length. A sewer lateral repair depends on how deep the line runs and what sits above it.
- Finding the problem. Leak locating and camera inspections are separate steps, but they keep the repair itself small.
- Time of day. Many companies charge an after-hours, weekend or holiday fee.
- Permits. When a job needs one, it comes from City of St. Louis Building Division, and the plumber usually pulls it.
- Ask for the arrival fee before the plumber heads out, and for the repair price in writing before work starts.
How to Find a Licensed Plumber in St. Louis
These checks take a few minutes and prevent most bad experiences, whichever St. Louis plumber you end up hiring.
Check the St. Louis License
Missouri does not license plumbers statewide. The City of St. Louis licenses its own plumbers and plumbing contractors through the Building Division, so ask for the St. Louis license number before work starts.
St. Louis Permits Go Only to City-Licensed Contractors
The City of St. Louis issues plumbing permits only to plumbing contractors it has licensed. The city lists new fixtures, soil pipe connections and replacement of sewer laterals, soil stacks, vent pipes and water supply lines as work that needs a permit. Licensing questions go to the city's Plumbers and Drainlayers Board of Examiners.
What to Ask on the Phone
- What is the arrival window?
- Is there a service, trip or after-hours fee?
- For an emergency, will you stop the damage first and quote the permanent repair before starting it?
- What is your license number?
Plumbers in Cities Near St. Louis
FAQs About Plumbers in St. Louis
Is St. Louis water hard?
Yes. The City of St. Louis Water Division's 2025 report lists total hardness at 129 ppm, about 7.5 grains per gallon, with a range of 80 to 206 ppm.
How quickly can I get a plumber in St. Louis?
Often the same day, including nights and weekends, but it depends on demand and where in St. Louis you are. The plumber gives you an arrival window when you call. During a citywide event such as a hard freeze or major storm, waits are longer, so shut off the water and limit the damage while you wait.
Find a Same-Day Plumber in St. Louis, MO
If you have old cast iron and galvanized pipe, sewer lateral problems or another plumbing problem in St. Louis, call now. You'll be connected to a licensed plumber who works in your area, and you'll know the arrival window and any fee before they head out.