Furnace Repair in Kennett Township and the Longwood Area
A township that nearly doubled its homes in thirty years, wrapped around 1700s farmsteads.
Kennett Township surrounds Kennett Square and runs east to Hamorton and the Longwood Gardens gate. Most of its homes went up after 1990, so many systems are now reaching replacement age, while a handful of colonial farmsteads still need old-house heating know-how. This guide explains what fails here and how to get connected with a local heating company.
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Kennett Township heating conditions, in one table
Kennett Township is a 15.6-square-mile township of mostly newer single-family homes, with farmland, preserves and a few colonial-era buildings between them. The heating picture is dominated by systems installed during the township's growth since 1990.
| Factor | Kennett Township | What it means for heating |
|---|---|---|
| Municipality | Second-class township, Chester County; surrounds Kennett Square borough on its northwest side | Borough and township addresses mix on the same roads |
| Population | 8,289 at the 2020 census, up from 7,565 in 2010 | Steady growth, new homes added each decade |
| Housing units | 1,835 (1990), 3,151 (2010), 3,438 (2020) | Many systems from the 1990s and 2000s now due for replacement |
| Housing type | In 1990, 1,443 of 1,835 homes were detached single-family | Mostly basement or attic furnaces and heat pumps, often two systems |
| Residents 65+ | 24.9% in 2020 | No-heat calls can be health emergencies; plan ahead for winter |
| Mailing addresses | Kennett Square 19348, Chadds Ford 19317, and Mendenhall 19357 | Give your street, not just your town, when you call |
| Main roads | US 1, PA 52, PA 82 and PA 41 | Most homes are a short drive off a numbered route |
| Winter | Nearby West Chester averages about 28 inches of snow | Side-wall and roof PVC vents on newer furnaces can get blocked |
A township-wide heating fuel breakdown for Kennett Township could not be retrieved for this page. The fuel notes below are general and vary by street.
Why Kennett Township homes have the heating problems they do
Most of the township's homes were built in a few decades, and their heating systems are aging together. Add mixed fuels and high-efficiency venting, and the common calls become predictable.
A wave of same-age systems. The number of housing units nearly doubled between 1990 and 2020. A furnace or heat pump installed in the late 1990s is now 25 years old or more. Heat exchangers, blower motors, compressors and control boards tend to fail in that window, and many neighbors face the repair-or-replace question in the same few winters.
High-efficiency venting. Newer gas and propane furnaces often vent through PVC pipes on a side wall or roof. Snow, ice and blowing leaves can block them. Condensate lines can freeze or clog, and both trip the pressure switch.
Two systems in one house. Larger homes often have a basement furnace for the first floor and a second unit, usually a heat pump with an attic air handler, for the upstairs. Attic units are out of sight, so a clogged condensate drain or a frozen coil can go unnoticed until there's a ceiling stain.
Gas at some addresses, not others. PECO supplies gas in most of Chester County, but mains follow the roads where they were extended. Two subdivisions a mile apart can be on gas and on propane. That changes which parts fail and who should come out.
Heating problems seen most in Kennett Township
These are typical patterns for this housing stock, not records of specific calls.
End-of-life furnaces from the growth years
A furnace from the 1990s may still run but need more frequent repairs. Cracked heat exchangers and failed CO tests usually mean replacement. Compare options in furnace replacement.
Blocked PVC vents and frozen condensate
After snow or a deep freeze, a 95% furnace tries to start and then stops with a blinking code. Clear the pipes outside by hand. If a condensate line freezes every cold snap, ask about rerouting or heat tape.
Heat pumps that struggle in deep cold
Older heat pumps lean on electric backup strips when the temperature drops. High bills, long run times and ice buildup are common complaints. See heat pump repair.
Dual-fuel mismatches
When a new heat pump is added to an existing gas or propane furnace, the controls must decide when to switch. A poorly set changeover point can mean the furnace runs too often or the heat pump runs when it can't keep up.
Attic air handler overflows
A clogged drain pan on an attic unit can leak into the ceiling below. Many have a float switch that shuts the system off, which looks like a dead system upstairs.
Old farmstead systems
The township's colonial houses, such as the Harlan Log House from around 1715, are a different job. Thick walls, small cellars and old chimneys need someone used to old-house heating.
Kennett Township villages, roads and landmarks covered
The whole township is covered, from the Hamorton crossroads near Longwood to Mendenhall and the Delaware line. Kennett Township borders New Garden, East Marlborough and Pennsbury townships and the state of Delaware.
Villages and crossroads
- Hamorton, at US 1 and PA 52, with a National Register historic district of 75 buildings along US 1
- Mendenhall, at PA 52 and Hillendale Road, with a Mendenhall 19357 address
- The Longwood area along Greenwood Road, home to the Longwood Progressive Quaker Meeting House
- Neighborhoods surrounding Kennett Square borough on Route 82 and Baltimore Pike
Roads and landmarks
- US 1, as the Kennett-Oxford Bypass and Baltimore Pike, along the northern edge
- PA 52 (Kennett Pike and Lenape Road) across the northeast
- PA 82 (Creek Road and Union Street) in the west, PA 41 in the southwest corner
- Old Kennett Meetinghouse, Chandler Mill Bridge, Spar Hill Farm and Preserve, Barkingfield Park and the Kennett Greenway
About Longwood Gardens: the gardens use a Kennett Square address and sit right next to Hamorton, but the National Register lists the Longwood Gardens District in East Marlborough Township. Homes just north of the gardens are covered in the Unionville and East Marlborough guide.
Kennett Township history that shapes heating today
The township holds some of the oldest buildings in the region, but most homes are recent. That split is why the same company may be asked to fix a 1715 farmhouse and a 2005 heat pump in the same week.
- 1710
Old Kennett Meetinghouse
Quakers build a meetinghouse on land deeded from William Penn, on what is now US 1.
- c. 1715
Harlan Log House
A log house goes up on Fairville Road. Homes of this age were heated by open hearths.
- 1777
Battle of Brandywine begins
The first shots of the battle are fired at the meetinghouse cemetery on September 11 as British and Hessian troops march from Kennett.
- 1800s
Underground Railroad
The township is part of the Kennett area's Underground Railroad history, which the township documents today.
- 1990
Hamorton listed
The Hamorton Historic District joins the National Register. The township has 1,835 housing units.
- 1990 to 2020
Rapid growth
Housing units climb to 3,438. Homes of this era are typically built with forced-air systems rather than radiators.
The result is a township where most systems are modern but aging, and a few historic buildings need careful, specialized work. Knowing which kind of house you have helps a company send the right person.
What to expect when a heating company comes out
Most homes in the township are a short drive off US 1, PA 52 or PA 82. The bigger variables are the age of the system, whether there's a second unit in the attic, and whether the right parts are on the truck.
- Getting there from Unionville. Route 82 heads south from the village as Unionville Road to the US 1 interchange, about 3.2 miles by Wikipedia's route mileposts. From there, US 1 runs east toward Hamorton, about 3 miles from Kennett Square, where it meets PA 52.
- Attic access. If you have an attic air handler, clear the access hatch or pull-down stairs and the path to it.
- Model and age. Find the data plate on the furnace or outdoor unit and photograph it. The serial number usually encodes the manufacture date.
- Fuel. Know whether you have a gas meter or a propane tank, and for propane, who your supplier is.
- Codes. Note any blinking light pattern on the furnace board before you call.
- Busy roads. Traffic near Longwood can be heavy during A Longwood Christmas, November 20, 2026 to January 10, 2027, which overlaps the coldest weeks.
Kennett Township owner checklist
For a typical 1990s or 2000s home with one or two systems. Do these in fall, before the first hard freeze.
- Find the age of each furnace and heat pump. Anything past 15 years deserves a fall check.
- Walk the outside vents. Note where the PVC pipes exit and keep them clear of mulch, leaves and snow.
- Check the attic unit. Look at the drain pan for water and make sure the float switch is in place.
- Clear the outdoor heat pump. Keep 2 feet clear around it and off the ground.
- Test CO alarms on every level and near bedrooms.
- Propane owners: confirm automatic delivery or check the gauge weekly in cold snaps.
- Plan for older relatives. With about a quarter of residents 65 or older, know who checks in when the heat goes out.
Stop and call instead if
- You smell gas or propane. Leave and call 911 from outside.
- A CO alarm sounds. Get everyone out first.
- You ran out of propane. The system needs a leak check before relighting.
- Water is dripping from the ceiling under an attic unit. Turn the system off.
Propane run-outs and relights are covered in propane furnace repair.
Gas, propane, oil and electric in Kennett Township
PECO supplies electricity and, where mains run, natural gas. Gas is more likely on streets near the borough and the US 1 corridor. Farther out, propane, oil and heat pumps are common. The only reliable answer is your own meter or tank.
Gas
Typical in some subdivisions and near the borough. Flame sensors, ignitors and pressure switches lead the repair list.
Gas furnace repairPropane
Common past the mains. Same furnace parts as gas, plus tank level, regulators and relights.
Propane furnace repairHeat pumps
Often the upstairs system or paired with a furnace. Defrost and backup heat issues dominate.
Heat pump repairWeighing a switch? The oil vs propane vs heat pump guide compares running costs and trade-offs.
Kennett Township furnace questions
My furnace is 25 years old and still works. Should I replace it?
Not automatically. If it passes a combustion and CO check and repairs are minor, many owners keep it running. Start planning, though, so you're not choosing a new system on the coldest night of the year.
Why does only my upstairs lose heat?
In two-system homes, the upstairs is often a heat pump with an attic air handler. A tripped float switch, a frozen outdoor coil or a failed backup heat strip can each stop it while the downstairs furnace keeps running.
Is Longwood Gardens in Kennett Township?
The gardens have a Kennett Square mailing address and sit beside Hamorton, but the National Register places the Longwood Gardens District in East Marlborough Township. Homes on both sides of that line are covered.
How do I know if gas is available on my street?
Ask PECO with your exact address. Gas availability in the township varies by road and subdivision, and a main nearby doesn't always mean a connection is practical.
My furnace stops after every snowstorm. Why?
Snow is probably blocking the PVC intake or exhaust pipes, which trips the pressure switch. Clear them by hand. If it keeps happening, a technician can raise or relocate the vent termination.
What's a dual-fuel system?
It pairs a heat pump with a gas or propane furnace. The heat pump runs in mild weather, and the furnace takes over when it gets very cold. Getting the switchover temperature right matters for comfort and cost.
How fast can someone come out?
This site doesn't promise response times. The township sits along US 1 and PA 52, roads local companies use daily, but timing depends on the company, demand and weather.
Is this site a heating company?
No. UnionvillePAFurnaceRepair is a free referral service. It connects you with independent local HVAC companies, which set their own prices and terms. This site doesn't perform or guarantee any work and may be paid for referrals.
Nearby areas
Kennett Square
The borough at the township's heart: older homes, twins and boilers.
Kennett Square guidePennsbury
East of Hamorton along US 1, with Fairville and many National Register farmsteads.
Pennsbury guideAll areas: service area list.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Kennett Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania (2020 population, area, roads, age, National Register sites).
- Kennett Township: About the Township (2020 housing units, neighbors, parks).
- 1990 census housing profile, Kennett Township and 2010 census DP-1, Kennett Township (Pennsylvania State Data Center).
- Wikipedia: Hamorton, Pennsylvania and Wikipedia: Mendenhall, Pennsylvania.
- Wikipedia: Old Kennett Meetinghouse.
- National Register listings in southern Chester County (Longwood Gardens District in East Marlborough; Hamorton; Harlan Log House).
- Historical Marker Database: Longwood Progressive Quaker Meeting House.
- Wikipedia: Fairville, Pennsylvania (Harlan Log House date).
- Wikipedia: Pennsylvania Route 82 (route and mileposts).
- Wikipedia: PECO Energy Company (gas service territory).
- Climate figures, Longwood Christmas dates and 25C status as summarized on the Unionville furnace guide.
Written by Lawrence. Updated October 25, 2026. Facts on this page were checked against the public sources listed above.
This is general information from a free referral service, not a heating contractor. For gas smells or carbon monoxide alarms, leave the house and call 911.
Related furnace help
Heating trouble in Kennett Township? Get connected with local help.
Tell the company your road, your fuel and the age of the system if you know it. In this township, that one detail often decides between a repair and a replacement quote.
One call to (724) 241-4851 connects you with independent local HVAC companies that serve Unionville and nearby Chester County communities. It's free, with no obligation.
Have this ready when you call
- Your town or road
- Your fuel: oil, propane, gas or electric
- What the system is doing, and any blinking light code
- Whether you smell gas or oil (if so, leave and call 911 first)
Free referral service. Not a heating contractor. Companies are independent and set their own prices.