Worried about next winter? (how much, buying, school district)

[BacktoNE]

Several years ago, we lived in a house that was built and insulated specifically for electric heat. Our Winter electric bill ran $450 - $480 a month. In the summer, it still ran $125 - $150 depending on how much we had to run the A/C.

[Maineah]

Bydand...excellent post. I have to spread it around some though my intent was to rep you for it!

[Seaglass]

Are any of you using Monitor (kerosene) heaters? We had one for years in our last house and absolutely loved it...I hear they're the most popular heating source in Alaska. I can believe it after living with ours.

[Shuffler]

I'm extremely worried about the cost of heating out there. When I'm out to visit my girlfriend, we'll be having a lot of discussion around the 'what ifs' regarding my potential move to Maine and the costs of energy and upgrading older houses to be more efficient.

It's going to require more than one source of heat, I'm guessing....some combo of wood burning, kerosene/propane/oil, and solar. Not sure how viable solar is out there. Colorado is embracing solar now, and my town just worked it into the building codes to make it relatively easy for people who want to do it.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Shuffler

I'm extremely worried about the cost of heating out there. When I'm out to visit my girlfriend, we'll be having a lot of discussion around the 'what ifs' regarding my potential move to Maine and the costs of energy and upgrading older houses to be more efficient.

It's going to require more than one source of heat, I'm guessing....some combo of wood burning, kerosene/propane/oil, and solar. Not sure how viable solar is out there. Colorado is embracing solar now, and my town just worked it into the building codes to make it relatively easy for people who want to do it.

Solar is not very practical here. The sun angle is quite low most of the year. That and the short days of winter and quite a few cloudy days make for very low solar efficiency. I have a small solar panel installed on the barn to recharge my deep cycle batteries. It works ...if you're not in a hurry!

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Shuffler

I'm extremely worried about the cost of heating out there. When I'm out to visit my girlfriend, we'll be having a lot of discussion around the 'what ifs' regarding my potential move to Maine and the costs of energy and upgrading older houses to be more efficient.

It's going to require more than one source of heat, I'm guessing....some combo of wood burning, kerosene/propane/oil, and solar. Not sure how viable solar is out there. Colorado is embracing solar now, and my town just worked it into the building codes to make it relatively easy for people who want to do it.

If you plumb your house with heated water; either baseboards or radiant flooring; then you do have multiple methods of heating that water available to you. [solar, oil, wood, peat, coal, etc]

[GregW]

A condo heated (barely) with electricity from the Seabrook Station is sounding really good right now. I am glad we never converted to oil or propane. We will still have to cut some of the parasitic loads like shutting off the freezer in the basement and really paying attention to turning off unnecessary lamps in the summer. In the winter they are just heaters you can see by.

[lovemaine]

Thanks for all the great answers, everyone! You're a helpful bunch! I think our plan of buying a smaller, less expensive house to offset heating costs will be very helpful. We just have to make sure whatever house we find is well insulated. So much to think about....but we can't wait!

[wordsmith680]

Originally Posted by Nor'Eastah

There's a family on our street that built a new house and put in FOUR different types of heating. They have an oil burner, they have a propane heater, they have a wood stove, and they also have a type of electrical heat called Hydro-Sil. The contractor let us take a peak inside before it was all finished. Being familiar with the first 3 types of heat, I came home and researched the Hydro-Sil. It seemed to get mixed reviews.

Now that we know the family, they tell us that the Hydro-Sil is the best thing to use in fall, spring, and as a supplement to wood or propane in winter (to keep costs down). They don't feel that it would be economical to heat entirely that way all winter - but they told us this before the price of oil went up!

I put Hydro Sil baseboard heat in an upstairs apartment in northern WI four years ago. The electric budget has been better than I would have expected. The installation requires running 220v power up to your local code standard. I was "gutting" and changing the floor plan so that made it easier. Thankfully this is a project completed prior to copper prices going parabolic....(put in over 1000 ft.) I would be sure to use the upgraded thermostats w/ variable power and demand "anticipater". I cannot afford to buy any oil for my personal residence because of paying for a monster gas bill for another 4-plex. Firewood is a good option for me because I own the wood. Anyone who expects to save by going out and buying all the equipment plus Gas.....and risk of injury may be disappointed. And I haven't checked lately, but delivered mixed hardwood was over $100/cord locally.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by wordsmith680

I put Hydro Sil baseboard heat in an upstairs apartment in northern WI four years ago. The electric budget has been better than I would have expected. The installation requires running 220v power up to your local code standard. I was "gutting" and changing the floor plan so that made it easier. Thankfully this is a project completed prior to copper prices going parabolic....(put in over 1000 ft.) I would be sure to use the upgraded thermostats w/ variable power and demand "anticipater". I cannot afford to buy any oil for my personal residence because of paying for a monster gas bill for another 4-plex. Firewood is a good option for me because I own the wood. Anyone who expects to save by going out and buying all the equipment plus Gas.....and risk of injury may be disappointed. And I haven't checked lately, but delivered mixed hardwood was over $100/cord locally.

Seasoned dry hardwood here is $210 a cord now and will be higher next fall.