Plumbing service in Michigan
Call NowMichigan plumbing faces hard Great Lakes winters, basements prone to flooding, aging city infrastructure and many rural homes on wells and septic.
Michigan weather and your plumbing
Michigan has cold, snowy winters, with heavy lake-effect snow on the west side of the Lower Peninsula and in the Upper Peninsula. Summers are warm, and heavy summer storms have caused major basement flooding in metro Detroit.
Season by season in Michigan
- Winter
- Deep cold freezes pipes in exterior walls and crawl spaces, and frozen water services occur in hard winters.
- Summer storms
- Heavy rain overloads sewers, especially in metro Detroit, and basements flood through floor drains.
Problems the Michigan climate causes
Basement flooding
Cause: Intense summer rain on aging sewers.
Result: Sewage and stormwater back up through basement drains.
Do: Install a backwater valve and keep a backup sump pump.
Frozen water lines
Cause: Long, deep cold.
Result: Water services and exposed pipes freeze.
Do: Insulate exposed lines and keep a trickle running during extreme cold if lines have frozen before.
Housing in Michigan
Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids and Lansing have many pre-1950 houses whose basements hold clay-tile sewer connections and old threaded-steel water lines. Some older homes still have lead service lines, which cities are replacing. North of the cities and across the Upper Peninsula, a private well and septic field is the norm.
Where calls are covered in Michigan
- Covered ZIP codes
- 495
- Cities and towns with coverage
- 364
Most covered ZIP codes
- Detroit · 19 ZIPs
- Grand Rapids · 12 ZIPs
- Flint · 7 ZIPs
- Lansing · 7 ZIPs
- Muskegon · 6 ZIPs
- Warren · 5 ZIPs
- Ann Arbor · 5 ZIPs
- Kalamazoo · 5 ZIPs
Check whether your exact Michigan ZIP code is covered (coverage changes over time)
Michigan questions
How do I protect my Detroit-area basement from flooding?
Keep the floor drain clear, test the sump pump, add a battery backup and consider a backwater valve on the sewer line.
How can I tell if I have a lead service line?
Check the pipe where water enters near the meter. Lead is dull gray and soft. Many Michigan cities run replacement programs.
How do I check a plumber's license in Michigan?
Michigan licenses plumbers under the Skilled Trades Regulation Act through the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Bureau of Construction Codes and the State Plumbing Board. A plumbing contractor must hold or employ a licensed master plumber.