Illinois · 26 covered places · 31 ZIP codes
Plumbers in Lake County, IL
We cover 26 cities and towns in Lake County, Illinois, across 31 ZIP codes, including Waukegan, Round Lake, Lake Zurich. About 691,000 people live in those ZIP codes. Most homes date from 1980 to 1999, old enough that original water heaters, valves and drains are wearing out.
| Year built | Share of homes |
|---|---|
| Before 1940 | 9% |
| 1940–1959 | 13% |
| 1960–1979 | 26% |
| 1980–1999 | 33% |
| 2000 or later | 19% |
Share of housing units in the covered ZIP codes. Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates.
| Place | Residents in covered ZIPs | Built before 1960 |
|---|---|---|
| Waukegan | 100,191 | 39% |
| Round Lake | 62,000 | 15% |
| Lake Zurich | 44,100 | 7% |
| Buffalo Grove | 42,781 | 4% |
| Gurnee | 37,208 | 7% |
| Mundelein | 37,146 | 22% |
| Grayslake | 35,579 | 13% |
| Lake Villa | 34,708 | 14% |
| Zion | 30,485 | 32% |
| Highland Park | 30,236 | 47% |
What goes wrong in Lake County homes
Natural gas in most homes
84% of occupied homes here heat with utility gas, so gas water heaters, ranges and dryers are common. That means gas line extensions for new appliances, flexible connector replacements and venting checks when a water heater is swapped. If you smell gas, leave first and call the gas utility from outside. See gas line repair.
1980s and 90s construction and polybutylene
33% of homes were built between 1980 and 1999. Polybutylene supply pipe was installed widely in US homes from about 1978 to 1995, so houses from these years are worth checking for gray plastic pipe stamped PB2110, usually visible at the water heater or under sinks. Insurers and buyers often ask about it. See polybutylene replacement.
Long, hard winters
47% of homes here were built before 1980, when pipes were more often run through exterior walls and uninsulated crawl spaces. In a long Illinois winter those are the lines that freeze and split. See frozen and burst pipe repair.
Hard water
Illinois water is generally hard. With 84% of homes here on gas, scale settles as sediment in gas water heater tanks, which then rumble and wear out early. See water softener installation.
Common plumbing work in Lake County
City pages in Lake County
Other covered towns in Lake County
- Antioch (1 ZIP)
- Buffalo Grove (1 ZIP)
- Deerfield (1 ZIP)
- Fort Sheridan (1 ZIP)
- Fox Lake (1 ZIP)
- Grayslake (1 ZIP)
- Great Lakes (1 ZIP)
- Gurnee (1 ZIP)
- Highland Park (2 ZIPs)
- Highwood (1 ZIP)
- Ingleside (1 ZIP)
- Lake Bluff (1 ZIP)
- Lake Forest (2 ZIPs)
- Lake Villa (1 ZIP)
- Lake Zurich (1 ZIP)
- Libertyville (1 ZIP)
- Lincolnshire (1 ZIP)
- Mundelein (1 ZIP)
- North Chicago (2 ZIPs)
- Round Lake (1 ZIP)
- Vernon Hills (1 ZIP)
- Wadsworth (1 ZIP)
- Wauconda (1 ZIP)
- Winthrop Harbor (1 ZIP)
- Zion (1 ZIP)
Lake County plumbing FAQ
Which towns in Lake County do you cover?
26 places: Antioch, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Fort Sheridan, Fox Lake, Grayslake, Great Lakes, Gurnee, Highland Park, Highwood, Ingleside, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Lake Villa, Lake Zurich, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Mundelein, North Chicago, Round Lake, Vernon Hills, Wadsworth, Wauconda, Waukegan, Winthrop Harbor, Zion. Enter your ZIP code to confirm coverage for your street.
How old are homes in Lake County?
Across the covered ZIP codes, Census estimates put 22% of homes as built before 1960, 26% from 1960 to 1979, 33% from 1980 to 1999 and 19% in 2000 or later.
Who licenses plumbers in Lake County, IL?
The Illinois Department of Public Health licenses plumbers and plumbing contractors must register; Chicago adds its own requirements.
Housing and heating figures are US Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year estimates for the ZIP code areas we cover in Lake County, combined across places and weighted by housing units. Some ZIP codes extend into neighboring counties.
Need a plumber in Lake County?
Same-day service when a plumber is available. One call connects you with a licensed plumber who serves your ZIP.