Detroit plumbing, one call away

Detroit homes, up close

Building permits are filed online with the Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department. Older homes with basements are prone to backups during heavy summer storms.

GLWA's Water Resource Recovery Facility on West Jefferson is the largest single-site wastewater plant in the country. Older homes may still have a main stack of cast iron that has thinned inside over the decades, so a camera look before major work is a good idea.

When temperatures sink well below freezing, keep cabinet doors open on outside walls and know where your shutoff is. A frozen line that bursts can flood a room fast. Hard freezes and heavy snow are common from December through February.

What usually goes wrong

You may want a plumber if you notice any of these:

• Slow or clogged drains
• Running toilet
• Low water pressure

How we connect you

1. Share your ZIP code and what you are seeing.
2. We look for an available plumber near Detroit and connect you.
3. You and the pro agree on the details before any work starts.

Rules and utilities worth knowing

Your drinking water comes from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, and wastewater goes to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, with treatment at the Great Lakes Water Authority's plant on West Jefferson. When a drain backs up, the question is where the blockage sits: inside the house or in your private sewer lateral is usually the owner's job, while the public main belongs to the utility. Michigan licenses plumbers through the Bureau of Construction Codes, part of LARA, and you can verify a license online.

Before the visit

Shut off the water to the fixture or the whole house if a leak is active, and put a towel or bucket down.