Indiana · 17 covered places · 28 ZIP codes
Plumbers in Lake County, IN
We cover 17 cities and towns in Lake County, Indiana, across 28 ZIP codes, including Gary, Crown Point, Hammond. About 503,000 people live in those ZIP codes. 40% of the homes were built before 1960, so galvanized pipe and old cast iron drains are common.
| Year built | Share of homes |
|---|---|
| Before 1940 | 15% |
| 1940–1959 | 25% |
| 1960–1979 | 27% |
| 1980–1999 | 16% |
| 2000 or later | 17% |
Share of housing units in the covered ZIP codes. Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates.
| Place | Residents in covered ZIPs | Built before 1960 |
|---|---|---|
| Gary | 73,224 | 58% |
| Crown Point | 71,418 | 15% |
| Hammond | 69,511 | 68% |
| Merrillville | 38,803 | 20% |
| Hobart | 32,525 | 33% |
| East Chicago | 26,158 | 72% |
| Schererville | 24,012 | 10% |
| Highland | 23,749 | 37% |
| Munster | 23,733 | 26% |
| Dyer | 23,405 | 14% |
What goes wrong in Lake County homes
Natural gas in most homes
86% 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.
Pre-1960 homes: galvanized pipe and cast iron
40% of homes in Lake County's covered ZIP codes were built before 1960, 15% of them before 1940. Houses that old often still have galvanized steel supply lines that rust closed from the inside, and cast iron or clay sewer pipe that cracks and lets roots in. Weak pressure at upstairs fixtures, brown water after a shutoff and slow drains are the usual clues. Typical fixes are whole-house repiping and a sewer camera inspection.
Long, hard winters
67% of homes here were built before 1980, when pipes were more often run through exterior walls and uninsulated crawl spaces. In a long Indiana winter those are the lines that freeze and split. See frozen and burst pipe repair.
Hard water
Indiana water is generally hard. With 86% 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
Other covered towns in Lake County
- Cedar Lake (1 ZIP)
- Crown Point (2 ZIPs)
- Dyer (1 ZIP)
- East Chicago (1 ZIP)
- Gary (8 ZIPs)
- Griffith (1 ZIP)
- Hammond (4 ZIPs)
- Highland (1 ZIP)
- Hobart (1 ZIP)
- Lake Station (1 ZIP)
- Lowell (1 ZIP)
- Merrillville (1 ZIP)
- Munster (1 ZIP)
- Saint John (1 ZIP)
- Schererville (1 ZIP)
- Shelby (1 ZIP)
- Whiting (1 ZIP)
Lake County plumbing FAQ
Which towns in Lake County do you cover?
17 places: Cedar Lake, Crown Point, Dyer, East Chicago, Gary, Griffith, Hammond, Highland, Hobart, Lake Station, Lowell, Merrillville, Munster, Saint John, Schererville, Shelby, Whiting. 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 40% of homes as built before 1960, 27% from 1960 to 1979, 16% from 1980 to 1999 and 17% in 2000 or later.
Who licenses plumbers in Lake County, IN?
The Indiana Plumbing Commission, through the Professional Licensing Agency, licenses plumbers and plumbing contractors.
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.