Plumbing in Hershey

Hershey at a glance

Hershey is a community of 13,858 people (2020) in Derry Township, about 14 miles east of Harrisburg, home to the Hershey Company and Hersheypark. Derry Township's mix of old company houses, postwar ranches and new developments means a plumber here might replace a 1930s drain stack in the morning and set a tankless heater in a new build that afternoon. The medical center and the park bring in workers and renters too, keeping repair calls steady all year.

What that means for your plumbing

Hershey has many older homes from the town's early decades alongside newer neighborhoods. Old supply lines, basement drains and water heater replacements are common calls; see repiping. Many houses near the factory have basements that have been finished and refinished over the years, hiding pipes behind walls.

A township town

Hershey isn't incorporated, so municipal services and permits come through Derry Township. Visitors pack the town in summer, while residents deal with the same cold winters as the rest of the valley.

Built by a chocolate maker

Milton S. Hershey built the town around his chocolate factory, and the company and amusement park still shape it. Older company-era homes often need careful plumbing updates; see fixtures and remodels. The smell of chocolate from the plant is part of daily life in town.