Looking for a Highland Park plumber? We fix clogged drains, sewer laterals, water heaters and leaks across Highland Park. Call (313) 474-7729 to talk to us. We're open 8 AM–10:30 PM, every day.
Highland Park, like Hamtramck, is a separate city surrounded by Detroit, along Woodward Avenue. Close to half its homes date from before 1940, and many properties have sat through periods of vacancy, which means frozen and split pipes and failed drains are common when a house is brought back into use.
How old are Highland Park houses?
Highland Park is one of the older places in the metro. According to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2020–2024), 46% of its 5,660 housing units were built before 1940, and the median year built is 1944, the third-oldest housing stock of the 28 suburbs we cover. That's 3 years older than Detroit's median of 1947.
| Year built | Highland Park | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1940 | 46% | 36% |
| 1940s | 9% | 20% |
| 1950s | 11% | 21% |
| 1960s | 5% | 8% |
| 1970s | 13% | 5% |
| 1980–1999 | 6% | 5% |
| 2000 or later | 10% | 4% |
Common plumbing materials in Highland Park
Expect a mix in Highland Park: original cast-iron drains and clay sewer pipe, galvanized water lines that have been replaced in some rooms but not others, and in some houses a lead water service still coming in from the street. Each of those ages differently, so a good diagnosis matters more than a quick fix.
Highland Park housing types and plumbing responsibility
About 44% of occupied homes in Highland Park are owner-occupied, and 51% of housing units are single-family detached houses (ACS). Another 12% are in two- to four-unit buildings, a big share. In flats and duplexes, a single drain stack or lateral often serves both units, so one clog can affect two households and the owner usually carries the repair. With a large renter share, many calls in Highland Park come from landlords and property managers. Tenants should report leaks and backups to the owner promptly; landlords can call us directly.
Local plumbing notes for Highland Park
Highland Park's housing is old (median year built 1944, with about 46% before 1940) and its owner-occupancy is the lowest on this list at about 44%. Many properties have also sat vacant at some point, and an unheated house in a Michigan winter is where split pipes, cracked fixtures and failed water heaters come from. If you're bringing a Highland Park house back into use, a pressure test of the supply lines and a camera inspection of the lateral before restoring water can save a lot of damage. The Building Department takes applications electronically and requires contractor registration where it applies. Lead or galvanized water services are likely in homes of this age; ask the water provider about your service line before any interior repiping.
Highland Park water heater repair and replacement
In Highland Park, 78% of homes heat with natural gas (ACS 2020–2024), and gas tank water heaters are the norm. If yours is leaking at the base, it's usually the tank and can't be repaired; if it's lighting but not keeping up, sediment or a failed dip tube are common suspects. Our water heater repair page explains repair versus replacement, and permits are handled through the Highland Park Building Department.
Freeze risk for Highland Park plumbing
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Detroit Metro Airport, averaged 111 nights at or below freezing per winter from 2015-2025, and 30 days that never got above 32°F. In 9 of those 10 winters the low hit 0°F or colder at least once. Older Highland Park houses often have supply lines on uninsulated exterior walls or in crawlspaces under rear additions, the first places to freeze. See our frozen pipes guide or, for a split pipe, the emergency plumber page.
Lead service lines and sewer laterals in Highland Park
Michigan requires water supplies, including Highland Park's, to replace all lead service lines and galvanized lines that were connected to lead by 2041, paying for the full line. You can check yours where the pipe enters the basement: lead is soft, dull gray and scratches to shiny silver. Ask the city before paying privately to replace a lead service.
If a backup happens during a heavy storm and neighbors are affected too, call Highland Park's public works or water department; Michigan law gives you 45 days to give written notice if you think the public sewer caused damage. Otherwise, the lateral from the house is usually yours to maintain. See sewer backups.
Who issues plumbing permits in Highland Park
Highland Park's Building Department handles plumbing permits and inspections and takes applications electronically with contractor registration where it applies. Source: Highland Park Building Department. Statewide, plumbing is governed by the 2021 Michigan Plumbing Code (effective March 12, 2024), with one- and two-family homes following the plumbing provisions of the Michigan Residential Code. Clearing a stoppage or repairing only the working parts of a faucet generally doesn't need a permit; replacing pipe or a water heater does.
Plumbing services in Highland Park
Drain cleaning
Root and scale clogs are common in Highland Park's older lines. Fixture, floor-drain and main-line cleaning.
Sewer line repair
Camera inspection, spot repair and lateral replacement, permitted through Highland Park.
Water heater repair
Gas and electric tank repair and replacement for Highland Park homes.
Emergency leak repair
Burst and frozen pipes, active leaks and backups. Call first.
Nearby service areas: Hamtramck, Ferndale, Oak Park, and Detroit. See all areas.
No published prices. Every job is priced on site after diagnosis, because access, pipe material, depth and parts all change the work. Call (313) 474-7729 to talk through a plumbing problem in Highland Park.
Highland Park plumbing FAQ
How old are most homes in Highland Park?
The American Community Survey (2020–2024) gives a median year built of 1944 for Highland Park's 5,660 housing units, with 66% built before 1960 and 46% before 1940.
Do I need a permit for plumbing work in Highland Park?
Usually, for anything beyond clearing a stoppage or repairing faucet parts. Water heater replacement, re-piping and sewer work need a permit from the Highland Park Building Department.
Could my Highland Park home have a lead water service line?
It's possible, especially in homes built before about 1950 (55% of Highland Park's housing). Check where the line enters the basement, and contact the city's water department; Michigan requires water supplies to replace lead lines by 2041.
Who fixes the sewer line between my Highland Park house and the street?
Generally the property owner is responsible for the private lateral from the house to the public sewer, and the city maintains the public main.
Do you cover all of Highland Park?
Yes, we take calls from every neighborhood in Highland Park. Call (313) 474-7729 or send the form with your ZIP code.