What makes central Connecticut different
This is the largest region we cover, from Hartford, West Hartford and the Farmington Valley south through New Britain, Bristol, Southington and Meriden to New Haven and its neighbours, and west to Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley. It includes older cities, inner suburbs built in the first half of the last century, postwar neighbourhoods, and outer towns that are closer in character to the countryside.
For water heaters, the defining features are older housing, a lot of multi-family buildings, and a higher share of homes on public water and natural gas than in the eastern regions. The outer towns are the exception, with private wells and oil heat much more common.
- HousingOlder city housing, multi-family buildings, inner and outer suburbs
- Water sourceMostly public water in the cities; wells in outer towns
- FuelNatural gas common; oil and propane in outer towns
- BasementsOften older, tighter and shared with other equipment
Older city housing and multi-family buildings
Hartford, New Haven, Waterbury, New Britain, Meriden and Bristol all have substantial older housing stock, including two- and three-family houses and larger multi-family buildings. Water heaters there are usually gas-fired, often one per unit in a shared basement, frequently venting into a chimney used by other appliances. Basements can be tight, low and reached by narrow stairs, and pipes have often been rerouted over the decades. The practical questions on a call are which heater has failed, who can open the basement, and what route a replacement will take. See multi-family water heaters and gas water heater service.
Inner and outer suburbs
Suburbs such as West Hartford, Wethersfield, Newington, Rocky Hill, Hamden and North Haven have plenty of houses from the first half of the last century and the postwar decades, mostly on town water and gas, with water heaters in basements that are easier to work in than the cities' but often partly finished. Further out, in towns like Granby, Burlington, Durham, Bethany, Woodbridge, Oxford, Guilford and Madison, private wells, oil and propane become common and the work starts to look more like the eastern regions. See water heaters in private well homes.
Outer towns in this region often rely on wells.
Old chimneys and venting
With so many older gas-fired heaters sharing chimneys, venting comes up often in this region, especially when a boiler or furnace is replaced and the water heater is left venting on its own, or when a gas heater is replaced with a different type. The installer assesses the arrangement for the specific heater going in. See venting and chimney assessment.
The central shoreline
Branford, Guilford, Madison, East Haven, West Haven and Milford sit on the Sound. Along the shore there are year-round neighbourhoods and some seasonal cottages, with the salt air and seasonal shutdown questions that go with them. Guilford and Madison in particular have many homes on private wells. See seasonal shutoff and reopening.
The Naugatuck Valley and Waterbury area
West of the central corridor, Waterbury and the valley towns around it, including Naugatuck, Ansonia, Derby, Seymour and Beacon Falls, grew up around manufacturing. Their older neighbourhoods have a lot of multi-family housing on hillsides, with basements that can be reached only from outside or down steep stairs. Around them, towns such as Wolcott, Prospect, Middlebury and Oxford are more suburban and rural, and private wells and oil or propane become more common. The work in this part of the region runs from gas tanks in shared basements to well-water heaters in outer-town homes.
What helps when you call
In a region with so many multi-family buildings, the most useful details are the address and unit, who can let the technician into the basement, and whether the building owner or manager knows about the problem. For single-family homes, tell us the fuel, whether the house is on town water or a well, and anything awkward about the route down to the heater.
Towns and villages we cover here
Choose your town for local details, ZIP codes and nearby places.
Ansonia
Avon
Beacon Falls
Berlin
Bethany
Bloomfield
Branford
Bristol
Burlington
Canton
Cheshire
Cromwell
Derby
Durham
East Granby
East Haven
Farmington
Granby
Guilford
Hamden
Hartford
Madison
Meriden
Middlebury
Middletown
Milford
Naugatuck
New Britain
New Haven
Newington
North Branford
North Haven
Northford
Orange
Oxford
Plainville
Plantsville
Prospect
Rocky Hill
Seymour
Simsbury
Southington
Suffield
Unionville
Wallingford
Waterbury
West Hartford
West Haven
Wethersfield
Windsor
Windsor Locks
Wolcott
Woodbridge
Common jobs in this region
- Gas water heater service
- Multi-family water heaters
- Replacement in tight older basements
- Venting and chimney assessment
- Tankless installation where gas is available
Every job is priced before work begins.
Central Connecticut questions
Do you work in multi-family buildings in the cities?
Yes. The local installers regularly work in two- and three-family houses and larger buildings with several heaters in a shared basement. Tell us which unit is affected and who can open the basement.
Is natural gas common for water heaters here?
In the cities and inner suburbs, yes. In outer towns, oil, propane and electric heaters are common, and many homes are on private wells.
Our basement is tiny and the stairs are steep. Can a new heater get in?
Usually. The local installers plan around narrow stairs and low ceilings regularly. Describe the route when you call so they bring the right help.
Do you cover Hartford, New Haven and Waterbury?
Yes. Each has its own page on this site with more about the housing and water heaters there, along with all the other central towns listed above.
Our boiler was replaced and now the water heater vents alone. Is that a concern?
It is worth having looked at. When appliances sharing a chimney change, how the chimney works for the water heater can change too. The installer can assess it.
Can a tankless unit go in an older city home?
Often, but the gas line and venting usually need work. The installer checks both before recommending one.
Do you cover West Hartford and New Britain?
Yes. Both are on our list, along with most towns around Hartford, New Haven and Waterbury. Choose your town below, or give us the address when you call.
Can a water heater be replaced in a condominium?
Usually, though the heater is often in a closet or a small utility space. Tell us about the access and whether a building manager or association needs to be told. The installer will plan the visit around that.