Rome, Oneida County, NY
Boiler repair in Rome, NY
Boiler repair in Rome, NY, for steam and hot water systems. Call and you will be connected with an independent heating company that serves Rome and the Utica area.
This is a referral line. When you call, you are connected with an independent local heating company.
Boilers and homes in Rome
Rome is the second city of Oneida County, northwest of Utica along the Mohawk River and the Erie Canal. It covers a large area, from the older blocks around Fort Stanwix and downtown to newer neighborhoods and rural roads at the edges of the city.
Rome housing is younger on average than Utica's. About 31% of homes in Rome were built before 1940, while about 60% were built before 1960.[source] That mix means boiler calls here range from old steam systems downtown to mid-century hot water baseboard heat.
Natural gas heats about 70% of occupied homes in Rome, electricity about 18%, and fuel oil about 5%.[source] Homes on the outskirts are more likely to use oil or propane, so mention your fuel when you call.
City services and notices are on the City of Rome (opens in a new tab) website.
Rome at a glance
| Place | Occupied homes | Utility gas | Fuel oil or kerosene | Electric | Built before 1940 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rome | 13,870 | 70% | 5% | 18% | 31% |
| Utica | 25,606 | 75% | 2% | 19% | 50% |
| Oneida County | 95,220 | 57% | 13% | 16% | 32% |
Main heating fuel is for occupied homes. Census figures are estimates with margins of error.
What boiler calls from Rome usually involve
Many Rome homes date from the 1940s and 1950s, when hot water boilers with baseboard or radiators were widely installed. See hot water boiler repair for common problems.
Since most Rome homes on a boiler burn natural gas, many calls involve ignition, flame sensors, gas valves and venting. See gas boiler repair.
Boiler services for Rome homes
- No heat in Utica
- Emergency boiler repair
- Boiler service and tune-ups
- Boiler replacement
- Steam boiler repair
Costs vary by problem and system. See the repair cost guide.
Nearby towns
Boiler repair in Oriskany, Boiler repair in Whitesboro, Boiler repair in Utica. Or see all service areas.
Getting from Utica to Rome
Rome sits about 16 miles northwest of downtown Utica in a straight line, measured between the Census Bureau's internal points for the two cities.[source] Most people drive it on NY 49, the four lane expressway that runs between Utica and Rome along the north side of the Mohawk valley, or on NY 365 and NY 69 through Oriskany. A heating company based in the Utica area may cover Rome, but the drive time matters on a winter night, so say up front that you are in Rome and give your cross street.
Rome is a big city by land area. Neighborhoods inside the city line run from the dense blocks around downtown and East Dominick Street out to farm roads in the outer districts, and the outer areas are more likely to be on oil or propane than on a gas line. If you are on a rural road with a Rome address, mention it, because some companies treat the inner and outer parts of the city differently.
Rome housing and what it means for boilers
Rome's housing is a mix of eras. Census estimates put about 31% of Rome homes as built before 1940, about 18% in the 1950s and about 11% in the 1960s, with smaller shares from every decade since.[source] That spread is wider than Utica's, where half the housing predates 1940.[source]
In practice that means three kinds of boiler calls. Older homes near downtown and the historic districts often still have steam heat with cast iron radiators. Houses from the 1950s and 1960s, which make up a large slice of the city, were commonly built with hot water boilers and baseboard or small radiators. Newer homes from the 1970s onward are more often on forced air, so if you have a boiler in a newer Rome house it may be a replacement or an add-on for radiant floor heat.
Year built, Rome city (share of housing units):
| Year built | Share of homes |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 1% |
| 2010 to 2019 | 4% |
| 2000 to 2009 | 3% |
| 1990 to 1999 | 4% |
| 1980 to 1989 | 7% |
| 1970 to 1979 | 10% |
| 1960 to 1969 | 11% |
| 1950 to 1959 | 18% |
| 1940 to 1949 | 10% |
| 1939 or earlier | 31% |
Rome history you can see in the basement
Rome grew up around Fort Stanwix, the Revolutionary War fort that the National Park Service now operates as a reconstructed monument in the middle of downtown.[source] The city later grew with the canals and with industry, and for decades the former Griffiss Air Force Base on the east side of the city shaped its housing. The base closed in the 1990s and the land is now a business park.
Housing built to serve a military population in the 1950s and 1960s tends to be modest single family homes, often with simpler hot water systems than the big steam plants in older Utica houses. Many of those original boilers have already been replaced once, so a heating company may find a newer boiler on old piping. The age of the piping, not just the boiler, often decides whether a repair is simple.
Fuel in Rome
Natural gas heats about 70% of occupied homes in Rome. Electricity is the main fuel for about 18%, fuel oil for about 5% and bottled gas such as propane for about 3%.[source] The oil share is higher than Utica's 2%, and it rises again as you leave the city.[source] Across Oneida County as a whole, fuel oil heats about 13% of homes.[source]
If your Rome boiler burns oil, check the tank gauge before calling. An empty tank and an air bound fuel line look the same as a failed burner from upstairs, and the fix is different. If it burns gas and you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 or your gas utility from outside before you call anyone else.
City contacts for Rome homeowners and tenants
The City of Rome (opens in a new tab) website lists city departments, including codes enforcement for rental housing questions. New York's Property Maintenance Code requires landlords who supply heat to keep habitable rooms at 68 degrees or warmer from September 15 to May 31.[source] If you rent and the boiler is out, notify your landlord in writing and keep a copy.
Heating help programs are run through Oneida County for Rome residents. See our heating help guide for HEAP, the Heating Equipment Repair or Replacement benefit and NYSERDA programs.
How heating fuel compares with nearby places
| Place | Gas | Electric | Fuel oil | Propane | Wood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rome | 70% | 18% | 5% | 3% | 1% |
| Oriskany | 83% | 14% | 2% | 0% | 0% |
| Oneida County | 57% | 16% | 13% | 8% | 3% |
Fuel shares are the main heating fuel for occupied homes, from Census estimates.[source]
One more common question
Who handles code questions about heat in a Rome rental? The City of Rome's codes office, listed on the City of Rome (opens in a new tab) site, is the place to ask about the building and property maintenance code in the city. Outside the city line, the town code office handles it. Keep notes of dates, indoor temperatures and your messages to the landlord, because inspectors will ask for them.Questions Rome callers usually have
Will a Utica area company come to Rome? Many do, but Rome also has its own heating companies, and the line connects you with an independent company whose service area is its own decision. Say "Rome" and your cross street in the first sentence of the call.My house is outside the inner city on oil. Anything special? Have your tank level, the name of your fuel supplier and the date of your last delivery ready. If the burner locked out right after a delivery, mention it, since sediment stirred up in the tank can clog the filter.I live in a duplex near downtown with one boiler. Tell the company that two units share the boiler and whether both are cold. For rentals, the landlord authorizes the repair, so have their contact information handy.What to have ready when you call
- Your address, so the company can tell you if you are in their area.
- Boiler type and fuel if you know it: steam or hot water, gas or oil. A sight glass with water in it usually means steam.
- What it is doing, plus any code on the display or the reading on the pressure or temperature gauge.
Not sure about any of it? Call anyway. The company will ask the right questions.
Common questions
Do you cover all of Rome?
Service areas are set by the company you reach. Give your full address when you call and they will confirm.
Is this a heating company?
No. Call Now Plumbing is a referral line operated by Get Called LLC. You are connected with an independent local heating company.
What if I smell gas?
Leave the house and call 911 or your gas utility from outside.
Boiler trouble in Rome?
Call now and talk to a local heating company.
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