A city that grew up alongside its arsenal
The Watervliet Arsenal was founded July 14, 1813 to supply the War of 1812, on the Hudson's west bank across from Troy, and remains the oldest continuously active arsenal in the country -- a National Historic Landmark since 1966. Watervliet's residential neighborhoods largely developed around that arsenal's 19th-century growth, as it expanded from small-equipment production under Colonel Decius Wadsworth into a major cannon-manufacturing facility.
Heating a Watervliet home built up around the arsenal
Housing near the arsenal tends to date from that same 19th-century growth period, which means original coal-era heating has typically been through at least one, and often several, conversions -- to oil, then gas, sometimes to a heat pump more recently. Getting a system properly sized for a Capital District winter in one of these older Watervliet homes means accounting for that layered history rather than treating the house like new construction.
What Watervliet homeowners typically need
What to bring to the visit
Have your home's approximate age and any past heating conversions on hand. Mention whether you're on ductwork, radiators, or a mix of both.