What makes the Litchfield Hills different
This region covers the northwest hill towns and the old industrial towns in their valleys: Torrington, Winsted in the town of Winchester, Thomaston, Terryville in the town of Plymouth, Watertown and its village of Oakville, and rural towns such as Litchfield, Harwinton, New Hartford, Woodbury, Southbury and New Milford. The valley towns grew around mills and factories and have older, denser housing near their centres. The hill towns are rural, with farmhouses, colonial-era homes and houses on large wooded lots.
- WintersThe coldest in the state, with long heating seasons
- Water sourcePrivate wells very common outside town centres
- FuelOil and propane common; gas mainly in the larger centres
- Hot waterCoils and indirect tanks common with oil boilers
The coldest water in the state
Long, cold winters mean cold incoming water for much of the year, and well water that stays cold even in summer. Every gallon a heater makes has to be lifted further than it would be further south. Heaters that are only just big enough, and tankless units or coils sized on milder assumptions, show their limits here first. Sizing for the coldest month is essential. See our sizing guide and running out of hot water.
Private wells
Outside the town centres, most homes in this region have private wells. On a water heater that means sediment on the tank bottom, scale on elements and coils, faster anode wear, and cold inlet water year-round. Flushing at an interval that suits your well and regular anode checks are the practical answers. See water heaters in private well homes. The installers do not work on wells, pumps or treatment equipment.
Tell us about the well at the start.
Oil boilers and boiler-made hot water
Oil heat is widespread in the hill towns, and many homes make their hot water with a tankless coil or an indirect tank. A coil scaled by well water and asked to heat very cold water is a common reason showers run cold. Standalone oil-fired and propane heaters are also common. When a boiler is replaced or removed, the hot water needs its own plan.
Valley mill towns
Torrington, Winsted, Thomaston, Terryville and Oakville have older housing near their centres, including multi-family homes with shared basements. Town water and gas are more common there than in the surrounding hills. See multi-family water heaters.
Old houses, old cellars
The hill towns have many older farmhouses and colonial-era homes with fieldstone or brick cellars, low beams and steep stairs, and in some cases a bulkhead as the only practical way in. Heaters in these cellars are often tucked beside an oil boiler and an oil tank. A failed tank is usually more of a mess than a disaster in an unfinished cellar, but getting a new one in takes planning. Newer homes on larger lots have easier basements but are just as likely to be on a well. See basement water heater leaks.
When the heating changes
Some households in the hills are moving away from oil boilers, whether to a new boiler, a different fuel or another kind of heating system. When the old boiler made the hot water, that change leaves the house needing a new hot water source. The choice depends on the fuel available, the basement, and how cold the water arrives. See hot water after a heating system change. The installers handle the hot water side only.
Winter weather and country roads
Snow and ice are part of the picture in the hills. A rural address can sit at the end of a long driveway or on a steep road, and that is worth mentioning when you call. Say whether the driveway is plowed, where the heater is, and how you get to it from the door. None of this is a test; it simply helps the installer arrive with the right plan. If the heater has failed in the middle of a cold spell, tell us how cold the house is getting. Emergency calls are answered at any hour, and the person on the phone will tell you what is realistic for your address before anything is booked. If you can send a photo of the tank and the pipes around it, that often saves a lot of description.
Towns and villages we cover here
Choose your town for local details, ZIP codes and nearby places.
Common jobs in this region
- Tankless coil problems
- Oil-fired water heater service
- Sediment from a well
- Replacement in old cellars
- Propane water heaters
Every job is priced before work begins.
Litchfield Hills questions
Why does our hot water run short every winter?
Incoming water here is very cold in winter, and well water is cold all year. A heater or coil that is only just big enough will struggle when the water is at its coldest. The technician can check whether anything has failed or whether it is a sizing question.
Are most homes on wells?
Outside the town centres, yes. Well water affects how a water heater ages, so the local installers look at sediment and the anode on visits to well homes.
Do you cover Winsted and Terryville?
Yes. Winsted is the main village of the town of Winchester and Terryville is a village in the town of Plymouth. Both are on our list.
Our oil boiler makes the hot water. Can you help?
Yes, with the hot water side: coils, indirect tanks and standalone heaters. Boiler repair and heating conversions are outside this service.
Is a heat pump water heater a good idea here?
It depends on the basement. In a cold cellar it will lean on its backup elements and make the space colder. In a roomy, milder basement it can work. The installer can advise.
How far out do your installers travel?
We cover the towns and villages listed on this page. Tell us your address when you call and we will confirm who is available.
Do you cover Torrington and Thomaston?
Yes. Both are on our list, along with the villages and rural towns around them. Choose your town below, or tell us where you are when you call.
Can a heater be replaced if the only way into the cellar is a bulkhead?
In many cases, yes. Mention the bulkhead when you call, along with any steep steps or low beams, so the installer can plan how the new tank gets in and the old one gets out.