Massachusetts · 9 covered places · 23 ZIP codes
Plumbers in Essex County, MA
We cover 9 cities and towns in Essex County, Massachusetts, across 23 ZIP codes, including Lynn, Lawrence, Haverhill. About 445,000 people live in those ZIP codes. 56% of the homes were built before 1960, so galvanized pipe and old cast iron drains are common.
| Year built | Share of homes |
|---|---|
| Before 1940 | 41% |
| 1940–1959 | 15% |
| 1960–1979 | 17% |
| 1980–1999 | 17% |
| 2000 or later | 10% |
Share of housing units in the covered ZIP codes. Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates.
| Place | Residents in covered ZIPs | Built before 1960 |
|---|---|---|
| Lynn | 100,905 | 63% |
| Lawrence | 88,297 | 62% |
| Haverhill | 67,387 | 47% |
| Peabody | 53,961 | 39% |
| Salem | 44,115 | 61% |
| Beverly | 41,656 | 55% |
| Gloucester | 29,862 | 59% |
| Newburyport | 18,444 | 57% |
| Prides Crossing | 752 | 24% |
What goes wrong in Essex County homes
Pre-1960 homes: galvanized pipe and cast iron
56% of homes in Essex County's covered ZIP codes were built before 1960, 41% 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.
Oil-heated homes
17% 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.
Long, hard winters
73% of homes here were built before 1980, when pipes were more often run through exterior walls and uninsulated crawl spaces. In a long Massachusetts winter those are the lines that freeze and split. See frozen and burst pipe repair.
Natural gas in most homes
58% 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.
Common plumbing work in Essex County
City pages in Essex County
Other covered towns in Essex County
- Beverly (1 ZIP)
- Gloucester (2 ZIPs)
- Haverhill (4 ZIPs)
- Lawrence (4 ZIPs)
- Newburyport (1 ZIP)
- Peabody (2 ZIPs)
- Prides Crossing (1 ZIP)
- Salem (2 ZIPs)
Essex County plumbing FAQ
Which towns in Essex County do you cover?
9 places: Beverly, Gloucester, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lynn, Newburyport, Peabody, Prides Crossing, Salem. Enter your ZIP code to confirm coverage for your street.
How old are homes in Essex County?
Across the covered ZIP codes, Census estimates put 56% of homes as built before 1960, 17% from 1960 to 1979, 17% from 1980 to 1999 and 10% in 2000 or later.
Who licenses plumbers in Essex County, MA?
The Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters licenses plumbers and gas fitters; local inspectors issue permits.
Housing and heating figures are US Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year estimates for the ZIP code areas we cover in Essex County, combined across places and weighted by housing units. Some ZIP codes extend into neighboring counties.
Need a plumber in Essex County?
Same-day service when a plumber is available. One call connects you with a licensed plumber who serves your ZIP.