Delaware · 16 covered places · 20 ZIP codes
Plumbers in Kent County, DE
We cover 16 cities and towns in Kent County, Delaware, across 20 ZIP codes, including Dover, Smyrna, Camden Wyoming. About 177,000 people live in those ZIP codes. 41% of the homes were built in 2000 or later, so most calls are about water heaters, fixtures and clogs rather than old pipe.
| Year built | Share of homes |
|---|---|
| Before 1940 | 7% |
| 1940–1959 | 8% |
| 1960–1979 | 20% |
| 1980–1999 | 26% |
| 2000 or later | 41% |
Share of housing units in the covered ZIP codes. Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates.
| Place | Residents in covered ZIPs | Built before 1960 |
|---|---|---|
| Dover | 77,274 | 15% |
| Smyrna | 27,164 | 14% |
| Camden Wyoming | 13,579 | 12% |
| Felton | 13,167 | 8% |
| Magnolia | 12,618 | 7% |
| Harrington | 10,730 | 24% |
| Clayton | 9,867 | 9% |
| Frederica | 5,508 | 19% |
| Hartly | 4,614 | 13% |
| Houston | 1,728 | 30% |
What goes wrong in Kent County homes
Newer homes on their first water heater
41% of homes here were built in 2000 or later. Those houses usually have PEX or CPVC supply lines in good shape, so the work is on equipment: original tank water heaters past their 8 to 12 year service life, expansion tanks, pressure regulators and fixtures. See water heater replacement.
Oil-heated homes
10% of occupied homes here heat with fuel oil, far above the national norm. Many of them make hot water with a tankless coil inside the boiler, which runs the boiler all summer. Plumbers often replace the coil with an indirect tank or a standalone water heater when the boiler is serviced or replaced.
Winter freezes
34% of homes here were built before 1980, when pipes were more often run through exterior walls and uninsulated crawl spaces. In a cold Delaware winter those are the lines that freeze and split. See frozen and burst pipe repair.
Propane service
13% of homes here use bottled or tank propane for heat, typical of areas beyond the gas mains. Propane water heaters, ranges and generators need correctly sized lines and fittings rated for LP. See gas appliance hookups.
Common plumbing work in Kent County
Other covered towns in Kent County
- Camden Wyoming (1 ZIP)
- Cheswold (1 ZIP)
- Clayton (1 ZIP)
- Dover (5 ZIPs)
- Dover Afb (1 ZIP)
- Felton (1 ZIP)
- Frederica (1 ZIP)
- Harrington (1 ZIP)
- Hartly (1 ZIP)
- Houston (1 ZIP)
- Kenton (1 ZIP)
- Little Creek (1 ZIP)
- Magnolia (1 ZIP)
- Smyrna (1 ZIP)
- Viola (1 ZIP)
- Woodside (1 ZIP)
Kent County plumbing FAQ
Which towns in Kent County do you cover?
16 places: Camden Wyoming, Cheswold, Clayton, Dover, Dover Afb, Felton, Frederica, Harrington, Hartly, Houston, Kenton, Little Creek, Magnolia, Smyrna, Viola, Woodside. Enter your ZIP code to confirm coverage for your street.
How old are homes in Kent County?
Across the covered ZIP codes, Census estimates put 14% of homes as built before 1960, 20% from 1960 to 1979, 26% from 1980 to 1999 and 41% in 2000 or later.
Who licenses plumbers in Kent County, DE?
Delaware's Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners licenses plumbers.
Housing and heating figures are US Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year estimates for the ZIP code areas we cover in Kent County, combined across places and weighted by housing units. Some ZIP codes extend into neighboring counties.
Need a plumber in Kent County?
Same-day service when a plumber is available. One call connects you with a licensed plumber who serves your ZIP.