Household heating in Klamath Falls (real estate, house, heat pump)

[sue-z]

Hi everyone,
I'm researching possible move to Klamath Falls next year and have some questions about heating? Most likely we will be living in a mfg.home on acre or so in outlying area near, but not right in, KF. How do most people heat their mfg. homes in these rural areas? Propane? Assuming that natural gas availability is mostly confined to the actual city? I have seen "monitor" heating mentioned in some real estate ads, is that kerosene or? What are the pros and cons of that?
Also seems some wood-burning stoves are "certified", what exactly does that mean? Is this certification only for existing wood burning stoves that have been grandfathered in or can new stove installations qualify? What is the system that determines which days you can use your wood stove, are there a lot of days when you can't? We are currently paying nearly $200 month (level pay plan averaged out over 12 months) for heating in the state where we now live, how would this compare to monthly heating costs in KF? Thanks! sue-z

[PNW-type-gal]

In-town or wherever it's available, people usually use natural gas and electric heating. Propane heating is an option - generally you'd rather use natural gas instead of propane because it's cheaper and more BTU efficient, plus you don't have the hassle of filling a tank. There is a company named Monitor that produces kerosene heaters, and that may be what some people are using. In some areas of the area, people use geothermal heating, but that tends to be an expensive install and it's geographically limited.

New wood stoves must be DEQ certified, but existing wood stoves can be used. Depending on where you are, there will be burning restrictions certain types of the year.

My heating bill won't help you, in part because we haven't lived there a full year, and in part because we have radiant floors heated with a combination of solar-produced hot water and an electric boiler.

[Larry Caldwell]

For rural installations in Southern Oregon, I recommend a heat pump. Electricity is my only utility, which handles water pumping, water heating and house heat. My highest electric bill last winter was $119, and I pay as I go. Electric rates went up about 10% this year, so I'm expecting $130 to $135 a month. A heat pump also gives you air conditioning in the summer, which is going to be important in Jackson County.

I do have wood heat for backup, and have upgraded the insulation, doors and windows in my house. However, my heat pump is 14 years old, and was not the most efficient model when I installed it.

Winters in Southern Oregon are generally very mild. Heat pumps work great here.

[PNW-type-gal]

Since the original poster asked about Klamath Falls, a regular heat pump is probably not a good idea. Lows at night in the very coldest part of winter average around 20 and can dip below that (the record is something like -10), which is probably too much temperature differential for a heat pump - unless the heat pump is ground-sourced and isn't working off of ambient air temp.