Heating and Cooling in Niagara County, NY

Wikipedia describes Lake Ontario on the county’s northern edge and the Niagara River on its west, with the Niagara Escarpment running east and west and dividing the county roughly in half. Niagara Falls, with about 48,671 residents, is the largest city, followed by North Tonawanda at about 31,568 and Lockport, the county seat, at about 20,876.

City houses tend to be older, and older houses often carry boilers or aging furnaces with ductwork that was never designed for cooling. Out in the towns, the first question is fuel. A house may run on natural gas, propane or oil, and the answer to repair or replace depends on which one. Tell us on the phone and we plan from there.

The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020-2024 estimates) shows how far this county sits from Erie County next door. About 76 percent of Niagara County homes heat with utility gas, against about 87 percent in Erie County. Roughly 12 percent use electricity, about 6 percent use propane or other bottled gas, and about 4 percent burn fuel oil. Together propane and oil heat roughly 8,800 homes.

Age splits the county as well. The same survey puts the median year built at 1949 in Niagara Falls, 1941 in Lockport and 1955 in North Tonawanda, with about 49 percent of Lockport’s housing dating from 1939 or earlier. Wikipedia counts 25,471 housing units in Niagara Falls at the 2020 Census, 13.9 percent of them vacant, so a house left empty through January is a real possibility there and someone has to keep it warm enough to protect the pipes.

The New York Department of Public Service lists National Grid and NYSEG as electric utilities for Niagara County, and NYSEG and National Fuel Gas Distribution as gas utilities. Where no main runs past the house, the fuel arrives by truck instead. A propane or oil tank changes the furnace, the venting and the cost of running the system, which is why we ask what the house burns before we plan a visit.

From Orchard Park, North Tonawanda is about 35 minutes, Niagara Falls about 45 and Lockport about 50. Because of that distance, we schedule visits here ahead of time instead of dropping in. Phone us during the week, Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM, and describe the problem, the age of the equipment and the fuel.

We will say plainly if another company closer to you would serve you better. If we are a fit, you get a clear quote before work starts. Read about the cities on their own pages: Niagara Falls, North Tonawanda and Lockport.

Have these ready when you phone, because they decide whether a trip from Orchard Park is worth making:

• What the house burns: natural gas from a meter, propane from a tank, or oil.
• The age of the furnace or boiler and the model number on its nameplate.
• Any error code or flashing light, and what the system did just before it stopped.
• Whether the building is a single house, a double or a rental with tenants.