Types of heating for home (how much, buying a home, buying)

[nrana]

I am in process of buying a home. I dont know much about heating system. I have heard about oil heating, Natural gas heating, propane heating and electric. I would like to know about the advantages and disadvantages of each heating system. And if i have to change it from one to another, how much does it cost.

Thanks

[MoorestownResident]

Don't buy anything other than natural gas. Some areas of northern NJ don't have any and must use propane. Oil and propane heating fuel is up substantially from last year, natural gas is up much less. And it is safer and more efficient.

[nic529]

I wouldn't recommend anything other than natural gas or oil. Yes, oil is up substantially from last year - but its still a good resource for heating. And the price is not much different from gas. So, the main difference between gas and oil would be personal preference.

Don't use electric - way tooooo expensive. I don't feel safe with propane.

[CuCullin]

Despite the price, oil still produces more therms/$.

Oil - just like it sounds, uses oil for heating. This means an oil tank, which you *must* get inspected. Even if it no longer uses oil (they switched to another system), ask (in writing) whether or not a tank is on the property. Underground are the most risky, but one inside the basement is a much better situation. Prices have skyrocketed, however you still generate more heat per dollar.

Propane/Natural Gas - Same system. Some areas don't have access to a gas main, so instead, propane is used. Tanks must be filled, and it costs more than natural gas. With some of the more recent heating units, you get some very high efficiency - with older units, you generally do not.

Electric - Electric heat is the most expensive. Its easy to run, easy to zone, but you need alot of electricity to generate heat.

The long and short of it is, each has an up side and a downside. Natural Gas is the middle ground. However, the rest of the heating system is equally important (forced air, baseboard, etc), so you'll need to look at that as well.

Most of these systems can be changed - I wouldn't look for a home to have natural gas or oil or electric, and skip over homes I liked based on that. Pick the home you want, and go from there.

[joe moving]

I dunno about safety. Oil does not explode or even ignite without a heck of a lot of heat or pressure. That being said I prefer gas.

Price wise, right now heating oil is nearly double the price of natural gas per 100,000 BTU.

I dunno about propane either. This is not typical in Northern NJ since we mostly all have natural gas. How much does propane cost per.. gallon ? How do they sell propane?

CU How much are you paying for oil.

I get $3.39 for 139,000 BTU = 0.0024388489208633093525179856115108 per BTU * 100,000 = $2.44 per 100k BTU
I'm paying $1.45 per therm (100k BTU) here.

Nic, natural gas is not too different from propane is it??

[Ellwood]

We have natural gas in NJ and use propane in our home in upstate NY. We pay $2.09/gal for propane. The tank is in the ground (500 gal) with a gauge which indicates how much is in the tank. When needed the propane is delivered.

[nic529]

I don't know if its that much different or not. There is just something about it that makes me feel uneasy. I would prefer to have natural gas - but I don't - we have oil heat. We have considered switching over, but our furnace is only 7 years old so it would be a big expense

[wileynj]

Ok..now we're talkin' my area of expertise!! First choice would be Natural Gas but alot of areas in North Jersey - Northwest Jersey do not have access - no supply lines installed for natural gas. My second choice would be propane (which is what I have), my third choice would be electric then, my last choice would be oil. Natural Gas and Propane are clean and efficient. Electric is actually cheaper than oil right now but I wouldn't install it - if you have it, take advantage of it for now while fuel prices are high then convert. Oil is messy and even though you may think it's cheaper now, it'll bite you in the arse down the road if you ever have a leak/spill! My company just finished up a $500,000 clean-up at residential property - a 10 year old home with a so called "top of the line" - non-corrosive tank! Plus you will pay more for your homeowner's ins with an oil tank. Converting from oil to gas can be expensive - unless the furnace is fairly new and can easily be converted - the newer ones where designed with that in mind. Average cost is about 3,500 to 5,000 depending on the home and type of heating system - forced air v. hot water baseboard.

[MoorestownResident]

Propane Prices: What Consumers Should Know

Propane prices are a lot more volatile plus you need a tank in the ground - or above ground for some people. You can't go wrong with natural gas which is metered by a utility company, no tanks to fill which is much more efficient and safe. Natural gas is the way to go - if you have a choice.

[wileynj]

Originally Posted by MoorestownResident

Propane Prices: What Consumers Should Know

Propane prices are a lot more volatile plus you need a tank in the ground - or above ground for some people. You can't go wrong with natural gas which is metered by a utility company, no tanks to fill which is much more efficient and safe. Natural gas is the way to go - if you have a choice.

If you opt for propane, make sure you buy the tank outright - if you don't, it belongs to the propane company which means you must use them! If you own the tank, you can shop around for lower rates.