What's the best heating in the winter?

[parteira]

Originally Posted by NNYGIRL

#3 the old school radiators with hot water. Also convienient when the power goes out--for short periods. It keeps the heat flowing for about 2 days.

hands down, my favorite type of heat is radiator/steam heat. i've had em all. this type of heat provides such a moist, cozy heat that protects your nose and sinuses from the dry winter air. forced air heating always makes me feel like a shriveled up raisin. i wish these systems were in wider use, and that the technology was improved upon, as the problem is they are often coal or oil driven.

[boomvang]

Originally Posted by eliu

Hi Glen NY,
As you mentioned that the wood heat is your favorite, I wonder where you collect the woods. I buy the firewoods when the weather gets cold. And a 4 dollars bundle with 7 sticks wrapped normally can burn 3-5 hours. So, it wouldn't be cheap without free woods, right?

People who heat with wood purchase it by the cord, or by the face cord. A cord of wood is a stack 8' long X 4' wide X 4' high. A face cord is 8' long X 4' high X the width of the cut wood , usually 16". Around here a face cord goes for about $50 delivered. It is a lot of work to heat with wood, but in these days of $3.00+ gal. oil it can be very rewarding. So far for the heating season we have used about 325 gal of oil and about 5 face cords of wood, and have been very comfortable in a 3200 sq. ft. circa 1843 farmhouse.

[suescanal]

Definitely wood. We have propane for our kitchen stove that costs nothing for a year's worth. We had to put in electric for code; we only use it in the kichen & bathroom, sparingly. The warmest house I've ever lived in, on all levels.