Gas line leak repair in Saint Paul, MN
If you smell gas right now, stop reading, get everyone outside, and call Xcel Energy or 911 from outside the house. Once the utility makes it safe, we find the leak, repair the pipe, and test the system before gas goes back on.
- Phone answered 24/7
- Saint Paul office on E 7th Street
Tell us what you see and hear. We explain the visit and the likely cost on the phone. (651) 215-2087
The short answer
Gas line leak repair fixes leaking joints, valves, appliance connectors and corroded pipe on the house side of the gas meter. If you smell gas, leave first and call Xcel Energy or 911 from outside, then call us. We locate the leak with a detector and leak solution, replace the failed section, pressure test the line, and relight appliances. Typical Saint Paul repairs run $243 to $687, more for buried or hidden pipe.
When gas line leak repair cannot wait
You smell gas: get out first
Leave the house right away with everyone, don't flip switches, light anything or use the garage door opener, and call Xcel Energy or 911 from outside. Then call us.
A hissing sound near a pipe or appliance
A faint hiss at a valve, union or connector behind the stove or dryer can mean gas is escaping, so treat it like a gas smell.
Utility shut off your gas
If Xcel Energy found a leak and locked the meter or valve, the house side piping has to be repaired and tested before service comes back.
Dead grass or bubbling over a buried line
A brown strip in the lawn along a gas line route or bubbles in a puddle can point to a leak on a buried line to a garage or grill.
Corroded pipe in the basement
Heavy rust and flaking on black iron gas pipe, especially near a damp floor or a leaking water line, means the pipe should be checked.
Pilot lights going out or weak flames
Repeated outages or lazy yellow flames can mean a gas supply problem, though not always a leak, and it deserves a look.
What to do the moment you smell gas
Natural gas has an added odor, often described as rotten eggs, so you'll notice even a small leak. If you smell it in the house, don't try to find the source. Leave right away and take everyone, including pets. Don't turn lights on or off, don't use your phone inside, don't start a car in an attached garage, and don't light anything.
Once you're outside and a safe distance away, call Xcel Energy's gas emergency line or 911. The utility sends a crew to check the leak and shut off gas if needed. After they've made it safe and told you the leak is on the house side of the meter, call us at (651) 215-2087. The line is answered 24/7, and we'll get the repair started as soon as it's safe.
- Leave the house immediately with everyone
- Don't flip switches, light matches or use the garage door
- Call Xcel Energy or 911 from outside
- Wait for the utility to make it safe
- Then call us for the house side repair
How we handle gas line leak repair once we arrive
Confirm it's safe to enter
We only start after Xcel Energy or the fire department has cleared the house and gas is shut off where needed.
Pinpoint the leak
We use an electronic detector and leak solution on joints, valves and connectors to find exactly where gas escapes.
Isolate and test hidden sections
For pipe in walls or underground, we test section by section to avoid opening more than we must.
Repair or replace the failed part
We redo the joint, replace the valve or connector, or cut in new pipe where corrosion or damage caused the leak.
Pressure test the system
We test the whole house side gas line under pressure and arrange inspection if the repair requires a permit.
Restore gas and relight
We purge the lines, relight pilots and appliances, check flames, and work with the utility to reopen the meter if needed.
What gas line leak repair costs in Saint Paul
These are typical Saint Paul ranges for gas leak repairs on the house side of the meter. We confirm the price after the leak is found and we see what it takes to reach it.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Leaking joint, union or valve, exposed pipeRedope or replace fitting, test and relight | $243 to $437 |
| Appliance connector replacementRange, dryer or water heater connector | $187 to $319 |
| Corroded pipe section replacement, basementNew black iron section and fittings | $463 to $1,085 |
| Leak inside a finished wall or ceilingIncludes opening and capping, patch not included | $687 to $1,645 |
| Buried line repair or replacementLocates, digging, new pipe and test | $1,240 to $3,180 |
What moves the price
- Where the leak is: exposed, inside a wall or underground
- Pipe material and how much corrosion is nearby
- Number of joints and appliances that need testing
- Permit and inspection needs for the repair
- Coordination with the utility to reopen the meter
- Night, weekend or holiday timing
Typical Saint Paul ranges. We confirm your price after we see the job and before work starts. See every price on one page.
Where gas leaks usually come from
Most leaks we repair are at threaded joints and fittings, not in the middle of a pipe. Old pipe dope dries out, unions loosen, and valves wear at the stem packing. The flexible connector behind a range or dryer is another common spot, especially when the appliance gets pulled out and pushed back many times. Older uncoated brass connectors are a known failure point and should be replaced.
Corrosion is the other big cause. Black iron pipe that sits near a damp basement floor, a leaky water line or a sump pit can rust through over time. Buried lines to garages and grills can corrode or get nicked by shovels and fence posts. A damaged flexible stainless line from a nail or lightning is less common but needs a full section replacement, not a patch.
How we find a leak without guessing
We start where the utility found the problem, then work through the whole house side system. An electronic gas detector sniffs along pipes, valves and connectors to narrow down the area. Then we brush leak detection solution on each suspect joint. Bubbles that grow and pop show exactly where gas is escaping, even on a leak too small to smell from across the room.
For hidden or buried pipe, we isolate sections and pressure test them one at a time. A gauge that drops tells us which section holds the leak. That way we only open the wall or dig where we need to, instead of tearing into a whole run. When we're done, the full system gets a final pressure test before the utility or we turn the gas back on.
Repairing, replacing and getting gas back on
Repairs range from cleaning and redoping a joint, to replacing a worn valve or connector, to cutting out a corroded section and installing new pipe. We never patch gas pipe with tape or sealant on the outside. If a pipe is rusted badly enough to leak in one spot, we check nearby pipe for the same problem so you're not calling us again next month.
After the repair, we pressure test the system and, when required, get it inspected. Then we restore gas, purge the air from the lines, and relight every pilot and appliance. We check burner flames and look for any remaining odor. If the utility locked the meter, we coordinate with Xcel Energy so they can restore service once our work and test are complete.
Gas leaks in Saint Paul's older basements
Many Saint Paul homes have gas pipe that's been in the basement for generations, added to piece by piece as coal furnaces gave way to gas boilers, and old ranges gave way to new ones. In Dayton's Bluff, the North End and Greater East Side, we often find unused gas stubs capped decades ago, old cocks that no longer seal, and threaded joints that have been disturbed by later remodels.
Damp basements make corrosion worse. Spring snowmelt and heavy rain push groundwater into older stone and block foundations, and gas pipe that runs low along a wet wall rusts faster. We point out any rusted pipe we find while we're there. In newer homes in Roseville or Maplewood, leaks more often show up at flexible connectors behind appliances that get moved during cleaning or remodeling.
Where we do gas line leak repair
Saint Paul and the surrounding east metro. These are the busiest ZIP codes on our board; the full list has 55 neighborhoods, cities and counties.
Questions about gas line leak repair
Who do I call first if I smell gas in my Saint Paul home?
Leave the house first, then call Xcel Energy's gas emergency number or 911 from outside. They respond to check the leak and make it safe. Once they've confirmed the problem is on the house side of the meter, call us at (651) 215-2087 for the repair. Don't wait inside to see if the smell goes away.
Can Xcel Energy repair a gas leak inside my house?
The utility checks leaks and makes them safe, and it repairs the meter and the line up to the meter. Piping on the house side of the meter, including basement pipe, appliance connectors and lines to a grill or garage, is the homeowner's responsibility. That's the part we repair, test and get back in service.
How long does a gas line leak repair usually take?
A leaking joint or connector on exposed pipe often takes one to two hours including the test and relighting. A leak hidden in a wall, a corroded section, or a buried line can take a half day to a full day or longer, depending on access and whether an inspection is needed before gas goes back on.
Is it safe to use my gas stove after a leak repair?
Yes, once the repair is done, the system passes a pressure test, and appliances are relit and checked. We look at each burner flame and check joints near the appliance with leak solution. If you ever smell gas again after a repair, leave the house and call the utility or 911 from outside right away.
Jobs that often go with gas line leak repair
Brands we work on in Saint Paul homes
- Kohler
- Moen
- Delta
- American Standard
- Rheem
- A. O. Smith
- Bradford White
- Navien
- Rinnai
- InSinkErator
- Zoeller
- Liberty Pumps
- Watts
- Weil-McLain
Call the Saint Paul office, day or night
A real person picks up at any hour. Tell us what you are seeing, and we will tell you what happens next and roughly what it costs.
(651) 215-2087- Phone
- Answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Office
- 289 E 7th Street, Saint Paul, MN 55101
- Headquarters
- 50666 229th Ave, Bemidji, MN 56601
- Coverage
- Saint Paul and the east metro, see all areas