Field Notes · New Castle & Northern Kent County, DE
Master Plumber's Log
Job logs, real cost numbers, and straight answers — written from 30+ years in Delaware basements, not a content calendar.
LOG #022 · 2026-11-06
Why Does My House Smell Like Sewer? What to Check First
A sewer smell indoors usually means sewer gas is getting past a plumbing barrier. Start with a dry drain trap, then know when the odor needs a plumber.
LOG #021 · 2026-11-03
Water Line Leak at Home? What to Check Before Calling for Repair
How Delaware homeowners can spot water line leak signs, run a safe meter check, record what they see, and decide whether to call the utility or a plumber.
LOG #020 · 2026-11-03
Why Is My Water Bill Suddenly High? How to Check for a Leak
A sudden jump in your water bill is either more use, a billing change, or a leak. A 2-hour meter check and a toilet dye test tell you which to chase.
LOG #019 · 2026-10-30
Why Does Water Pressure Drop When More Than One Fixture Is Running?
Your fixtures share one supply, so running two at once can lower flow. What a bigger or worsening drop can mean, and what to note before you call.
LOG #018 · 2026-10-27
Leaving Home During Cold Weather? A Delaware Homeowner's Plumbing Checklist
Before you leave a Delaware home empty in freezing weather: find the main shutoff, check for leaks, and ask a plumber whether the system should be drained.
LOG #017 · 2026-10-23
Adding a Gas Range During a Kitchen Remodel: What to Plan First
Planning a gas range in a kitchen remodel? What to confirm about the gas supply, range placement, and scheduling before cabinets go in and walls close.
LOG #016 · 2026-10-20
Why Does the Same Drain Keep Clogging? What to Note First
One sink or tub that keeps clogging may have buildup the last fix didn't remove. What to write down, where DIY stops, and what to tell a plumber.
LOG #015 · 2026-10-20
Can You Move a Toilet or Sink During a Bathroom Remodel?
In many homes, yes. What decides it is the drain path, the vent, and what is under the floor. Here is what to measure and ask before you lock in a new bathroom layout.
LOG #014 · 2026-10-13
Is Your Sump Pump Failing? Signs, Safe Checks, and When to Call
A silent, humming, or nonstop sump pump each point to different problems. Here is what New Castle County homeowners can safely check and when to call a plumber.
LOG #013 · 2026-10-07
On a Well in Southern New Castle County? What That Changes About Your Plumbing
Which problems on a private well in Townsend or Odessa belong to a well contractor, which belong to a plumber, and what Delaware's rules say about each.
LOG #012 · 2026-10-05
New Castle County Plumbing Permits: Water Line, Gas Line, Water Heater
Replacing a water service line, extending a gas line, or swapping a water heater in New Castle County? What the county code requires and who pulls it.
LOG #011 · 2026-09-29
What the Development Boom Left Behind: Plumbing in Bear, Glasgow, and Christiana Homes
Census data puts about half of Bear and Glasgow homes in the 1980s and 1990s, the polybutylene era. What that means for your supply pipes, and how to find out.
LOG #010 · 2026-09-25
What "24/7" Actually Means When You Call a Plumber at 2am
What happens when you call a plumber after hours: who picks up, how dispatch decides tonight or morning, what to have ready, and what to ask.
LOG #009 · 2026-09-21
Water, Sewer, and Gas in Middletown: What You Own and Who to Call
Who supplies water, sewer, and gas to Middletown homes, where the Town's pipe ends and yours begins, and what to do when something goes wrong.
LOG #008 · 2026-09-13
Older Wilmington Homes: The Plumbing That Goes First
More than half of Wilmington's housing predates 1950. Here is what that means for supply pipe, drains, and the buried lines, and what to get ahead of.
LOG #007 · 2026-09-11
How to Check That a Delaware Plumber Is Actually Licensed
Delaware licenses master plumbers through DELPROS. Here is how to look one up, what the status means, and what a license still leaves unanswered.
LOG #006 · 2026-09-04
"Plumber Near Me" in Delaware: How to Tell Who Actually Covers Your Address
Near-me results are not sorted by who is closest. Four quick checks show whether a plumber in the list will actually drive to your street in Delaware.
LOG #005 · 2026-09-01
Who Owns the Water and Sewer Line to Your House in New Castle County?
Where the utility's pipe ends and yours begins for water and sewer in New Castle County, sourced from Artesian, Veolia, Middletown, and County rules.
LOG #004 · 2026-08-25
Repair or Replace Your Water Heater? A Delaware Decision Guide
Use the leak source, tank condition, repair history, performance, warranty, efficiency, and household demand to decide what to compare next.
LOG #003 · 2026-08-18
What Counts as a Plumbing Emergency? A Delaware Homeowner's Triage Guide
Learn which plumbing problems need an immediate call and which can safely wait for a scheduled appointment, plus the shutoff steps that limit damage either way.
LOG #002 · 2026-08-12
How to Tell If Your Delaware Home Has Polybutylene Pipes
Check the color, stamped markings, and common locations that indicate polybutylene supply piping, and learn why a visual check alone isn't a final answer.
LOG #001 · 2026-08-05
Delaware Whole-House Repipe Cost: 2026 Ranges and a Worked Example
Dated Delaware whole-house repipe cost ranges for PEX and copper, with the calculator's inputs, a step-by-step worked example, and what each range excludes.