Storage tank
$1,600–$2,400Typical cost, including installation
WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT IN LEMAY
Lemay Water Heater
Replacement
Take a photo of your old water heater to start a replacement quote.
Get a water heater quotePhotos optional. No payment or booking.
See what replacement costs ↓LEMAY AT A GLANCE
Replacing a water heater in Lemay.
Lemay is unincorporated, so a water heater replacement needs a St. Louis County plumbing permit, which costs $47. It has some of the oldest homes in south St. Louis County: the median home dates to 1955 and about 93% were built before 1980, so a typical job is a basement replacement in a small post-war house. Parts of Lemay sit along Gravois Creek, the River Des Peres and the Mississippi, where basement flooding is a real risk to any heater.
Lemay is an unincorporated community in St. Louis County, so county offices handle permits.
- Permit to replace with the same type
- Yes · St. Louis County Department of Transportation and Public Works (unincorporated St. Louis County)
- Permit fee
- $47 is the whole fee for a home water heater replacement (St. Louis County Code §1100.200, Ord. 29445, 11-5-2025). Replacements skip the separate $47 processing fee.
- Who gets the permit
- County code limits water heater replacement permits to a licensed, bonded and insured master plumber or master water heater replacement specialist. There's also a limited homeowner permit (it can include one water heater) for an owner who lives in a detached single-family house and does the work in person.
- Electric utility
- Ameren Missouri
- Gas utility
- Spire
- Water
- Missouri American Water (see note) · Missouri River facilities up to 164 mg/L as CaCO3 (range 82–164); Meramec River facilities up to 150 mg/L (range 60–150); about 9.6 and 8.8 gpg at the highs; 2025 report
- Rebate worth checking
- Missouri IRA Home Energy Rebates (HOMES and HEAR) (Not launched)
- Typical home
- Built 1955 (median) · 77% owner-occupied
- Companies found
- 4 that advertise water heater work
01 / TYPICAL PRICES
What a new water heater costs.
Know before you call.
Heat-pump tank
$2,500–$5,000Typical cost, including installation
Tankless
$2,400–$5,400Typical cost, including installation
AI equipment illustrations; models vary and images are not to scale. Typical national prices from Home Depot ↗, checked September 28, 2026. The source doesn’t say how many jobs the ranges are based on. These are not Lemay averages or guaranteed quotes.
Compare what each quote includes.Equipment · Labor · Permits · Old heater removalHow to compare quotes →
What we know about prices in Lemay
- National installer’s published rangeThe ranges above. Home Depot ↗
- Local permit fee$47 is the whole fee for a home water heater replacement (St. Louis County Code §1100.200, Ord. 29445, 11-5-2025). Replacements skip the separate $47 processing fee.. St. Louis County Department of Transportation and Public Works (unincorporated St. Louis County) fee source ↗
- Local company’s advertised price1 of the companies listed for Lemay post water heater prices or specials on their websites: Hoffmann Brothers. Each offer has its own conditions.
- Measured local dataNot collected yet, so no Lemay average is shown.
What can change the price in Lemay?
Heaters over 120 gallons are charged as mechanical units. Plumbing repairs after fire, flood or wind damage need permits, and so does moving fixtures. Swapping only a faulty T&P relief valve counts as minor work and needs no permit.
02 / COMPANIES WE FOUND
Who replaces water heaters in Lemay?
Companies that advertise water heater replacement here, with what their water heater customers say.
Companies we found in our research. They are not Ember & Tank providers or partners. We show selected reviews, not a rating or every review. How we choose reviews →
Hoffmann Brothers
Lists Lemay among the areas it serves. Based in 3700 Rider Trail S, Suite 100, Earth City, MO 63045 (other St. Louis-area offices: 1643 Tower Grove Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110; 2043 Woodland Pkwy, Suite 100, St Louis, MO 63146; 1254 University Drive, Suite 800, Edwardsville, IL 62025).
- Tank
- Tankless
- Repair
Published price:
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Customers praised quick replacements (often same or next day), clean installs with floor protection, clear explanations of options, warranties and rebates, and no pushy selling.
Worth knowing A 2026 BBB reviewer said a $927 water heater repair failed, the unit was replaced for about $4,000, and the company credited $450 only after back-and-forth; another reviewer said the company was not the cheapest.
5 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised kind, knowledgeable plumbers, a temporary fix that restored hot water until replacement, and pricing they considered fair.
Worth knowing No water heater complaints found in the sources checked.
2 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Superior Service
Lists Lemay among the areas it serves. Based in 101 Stag Industrial Blvd., Lake Saint Louis, MO 63367 (second location: 17722 Chesterfield Airport Rd., Chesterfield, MO 63005).
- Tank
- Tankless
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
Water heater feedback Reviewers praised a well-done gas water heater installation and a technician who caught water heater corrosion during routine maintenance.
Worth knowing A 2025 BBB complaint alleged a water heater and drain-pan install that was never tested and later let water leak into a neighbor's unit, and that Superior charged a $100 visit fee and would not correct it; Superior responded that the work was permitted, passed inspection, excluded the existing drain system, and that the overflow came from equipment it never serviced (listed as Answered).
4 water heater reviews read, checked September 30, 2026.
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup (St. Louis)
Lists Lemay among the areas it serves. Based in 2671 Washington Ave, St Louis, MO 63103 (local branch of national company).
- Tank
- Tankless
- Heat pump
- Repair
- Emergency service
What the reviews say
We haven’t found reviews that mention this company’s water heater work yet.
Order: companies based in Lemay first, then companies whose water heater reviews we’ve read. Each group is alphabetical. These businesses are not our employees or vetted partners and do not receive requests from Ember & Tank. We haven’t checked their license, insurance or quality of work. Missouri has no statewide plumbing license (check your city or county) ↗.
See before-and-after replacement examples from independent companies →
HOMES IN LEMAY
What Lemay homes are like.
1955Median year built
93%Built before 1980
77%Owner-occupied
79%Heat with utility gas
83%Single-family homes
About 93% of homes were built before 1980. Older homes often have older venting, smaller closets and shutoff valves that should be checked before install day.
79% of homes heat with utility gas, so gas water heaters with existing venting are common here.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2024 5-year ↗ (2020-2024). Heating fuel is what homes use to heat the house. It often, but not always, matches the water heater’s fuel.
LOCAL CONDITIONS
What’s different in Lemay.
Creek and river flooding
Homes along Gravois Creek in Lemay have had water rise to their foundations in storms. MSD says the creek drains about 20 square miles and has had its banks reinforced over the past decade, and the Lemay Fire District keeps watch on the Mississippi when it crests. Replacing a water heater ruined by floodwater needs a county permit, since plumbing work after flood damage requires one. In low basements, consider putting the new heater on a stand.
First Alert 4: Lemay neighborhoods relieved as flooded creek recedes (July 2024) ↗ · St. Louis County: Plumbing Work - Residential ↗
Post-war homes with basements
Census estimates (ACS 2020-2024) put the median Lemay home at 1955. 93.2% were built before 1980, 82.7% are single-family, 77% are owner-occupied and about 79% heat with utility gas. Many heaters vent into the original chimney, so a replacement is a good time to check the flue and draft.
Census Reporter: ACS 2024 5-year, year structure built (St. Louis metro places) ↗
ENERGY & WATER
Who supplies Lemay homes.
Energy
- Electric: Ameren Missouri (The Missouri PSC locator doesn't list Lemay by itself; for nearby unincorporated Affton and Mehlville it lists Ameren Missouri, Spire and Missouri American Water)
- Gas: Spire (Lemay isn't listed by itself in the Missouri PSC locator; nearby Affton and Mehlville show Ameren Missouri, Spire and Missouri American Water)
Missouri PSC Utility Locator (St. Louis County / St. Charles / Lincoln / Franklin city list) ↗
Water
Missouri American Water (see note): Missouri River facilities up to 164 mg/L as CaCO3 (range 82–164); Meramec River facilities up to 150 mg/L (range 60–150); about 9.6 and 8.8 gpg at the highs; 2025 report
Missouri PSC Utility Locator (St. Louis County / St. Charles / Lincoln / Franklin city list) ↗ · Missouri American Water St. Louis County/St. Charles County 2025 Annual Water Quality Report ↗
REBATES & CREDITS
Rebates for Lemay homes.
For Ameren Missouri and Spire customers in Lemay. Ask installers for the price before rebates, then check with the program that you qualify.
- Missouri IRA Home Energy Rebates (HOMES and HEAR) ↗Not launchedMissouri expects about $76 million for HOMES and $75 million for electrification and appliance rebates.
- Federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) ↗EndedCovered improvements made through December 31, 2025.
Checked September 30, 2026. Who qualifies and the conditions: Missouri rebates · How to check an incentive.
PERMITS & LICENSING
Permits and licenses in Lemay.
Permits and who issues them
St. Louis County Transportation and Public Works requires a plumbing permit to replace a water heater. Heaters of 120 gallons or less get a No-Plan Plumbing Permit: nothing to submit, you apply and pay online on the county's Accela portal, then the work is inspected. Lemay is unincorporated, so the county's building and plumbing codes apply directly.
For home water heaters up to 120 gallons, 40 kW or 140,000 BTU, the installer must have a St. Louis County license as a master or journeyman plumber, or a master or journeyman water heater replacement specialist.
St. Louis County Department of Transportation and Public Works (unincorporated St. Louis County) ↗ · St. Louis County: Plumbing Work - Residential ↗ · St. Louis County: No-Plan Plumbing Permits ↗ · St. Louis County Code §1100.200 Plumbing Inspection and Permit Fees (Ord. 29445, 11-5-2025) ↗ · St. Louis County Code Ch. 1103 Plumbing Code (scope, homeowner permits, water heater licensing) ↗
Check the installer’s license
Ask for the license number and search it yourself on the Missouri has no statewide plumbing license (check your city or county) ↗. A listing on Ember & Tank is not a license check. Missouri licensing explained →
NEARBY CITIES
Compare places near Lemay.
| City | Distance | Permit to replace | Fee | Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Affton | 3 mi | Required (county) | $47 | Ameren Missouri |
| Mehlville | 3 mi | Required (county) | $47 | Ameren Missouri |
| Webster Groves | 5 mi | Required | — | Ameren Missouri |
| Crestwood | 5 mi | Required | $47 | Ameren Missouri |
| Oakville | 6 mi | Required (county) | $47 | Ameren Missouri |
| St. Louis | 7 mi | Required | $30 | Ameren Missouri |
COMMON QUESTIONS
Lemay water heater questions.
My Lemay basement flooded and the water heater is ruined. Do I need a permit to replace it?
Yes. St. Louis County, which handles plumbing permits in unincorporated Lemay, says repairs to plumbing damaged by fire, flood or wind need a permit. Replacing a water heater needs one anyway.
How old are Lemay homes?
The median home was built around 1955, and about 93% were built before 1980, according to ACS 2020-2024 estimates.
Census Reporter: ACS 2024 5-year, year structure built (St. Louis metro places) ↗
More guides: Missouri water heater replacement · All local guides