Hills vs Beach

[NJBoy3]

Thanks Mary2014 -

Kind of put Lewes on the back burner for now but I am going to keep an eye on it. Get down when I can again.

Will check out the DEC tool this evening.

[nuts2uiam]

NJBoy3.

I just pulled my spread sheet on expenses for last year. I have a 2300 sq foot ranch and all electric. My total electric bill for the year was $2212 or about $184 per month as an average. I have a gas fireplace and propane runs $2.99 per gallon. Since I do not use a lot, I am paying for it. My garbage was $270, water $600, sewer $355 and taxes $1355, propane for fireplace was $290. It is a 100 gallon tank.

I wish I had natural gas in my community as I do hate electric stove cooktops but it is not in my area. I have been told it is expensive but have no real numbers to compare. Heat pumps are super efficient in the summer but less so in the winter.

One thing I can tell you for certain and I can't explain this intelligently. I came from oil heat. I set my thermostat at say X degrees and the house felt Warm. For some reason, that same X degrees in a heat pump heated house does not feel as warm as my oil heated house. But X degrees IS X degrees right? can't explain it but even former gas heat people noted the same thing.

Things here are relative. My oil bills in NY rang almost $2000 per year, ditto my electric. I had natural gas for cooking and my clothes dryer that ran about $120. Garbage and sewer were included in my taxes which were almost $10k. Now water here is expensive compared to water on LI. Here, Tidewater Utilities charges $67 per quarter for an administrative charge plus the water usage, so $268 before you get a drop of water. Our community sits on a well so the grounds are all watered as part of our HOA dues. Check out who pays for grounds watering as if it is Tidewater it can get pricy.

Now the above stated, I am still way, way ahead of the 8 ball living here than I was in NY.

[Pocopsonite]

Mary,
We have both a heat pump and a backup oil heater in our primary residence. I know EXACTLY what you mean about the difference in the heat that comes out of the vents.

Here's what I've been told by our HVAC service people:
A heat pump distributes air that is heated to just a few degrees above the temp you set on the thermostat. So if you've set it to 68, you may be getting 72-75 degree air. An oil burner is heating air to a much higher temperature and that's what it circulates. It explains why you can actually warm your hands in oil burner air (which is above body temp) and chill yourself in heat pump air (which is 20 degrees or more below your body temp).

I confess, one of the few things I enjoyed about this winter was that it was mostly too cold for the heat pump. So the oil burner took over, and the house always felt so cozy!

[NJBoy3]

Nuts - Many thanks for the break down. I can see where you are coming from when you run all the numbers for us.

Nuts - With HOA fees (and anything else) what do you see as the total number for running your house a year?

[Mary2014]

Originally Posted by Pocopsonite

Mary,
We have both a heat pump and a backup oil heater in our primary residence. I know EXACTLY what you mean about the difference in the heat that comes out of the vents.

Here's what I've been told by our HVAC service people:
A heat pump distributes air that is heated to just a few degrees above the temp you set on the thermostat. So if you've set it to 68, you may be getting 72-75 degree air. An oil burner is heating air to a much higher temperature and that's what it circulates. It explains why you can actually warm your hands in oil burner air (which is above body temp) and chill yourself in heat pump air (which is 20 degrees or more below your body temp).

I confess, one of the few things I enjoyed about this winter was that it was mostly too cold for the heat pump. So the oil burner took over, and the house always felt so cozy!

Pocopsonite,

I think it was nuts2uiam who commented about the difference in the feel of the heat. I actually prefer the air from a heat pump during the summer as I find that just an HVAC system I always feel chilled if I happen to be sitting near a register. During the winter however I do enjoy the extra warm feeling of the heat generated when the propane is on during the very cold weather. With the duel fuel system I had installed last December I think I have the best of both worlds as well as it being cost effective.

The condo I bought was 15 years old and priced right -so I knew going in that I had the budget to update the heating system, replace old appliances with more energy efficient ones etc. and those updates should pay off over the next 15 - 20 years in energy savings. The one thing I was not aware of at the time was how much less expensive it is to have a propane tankless water heater. That was the one thing the former owner had replaced in 2007- so no need to update. Prior to moving to DE I had lived in a home with an electric hot water heater. It was not until I moved into my condo I discovered how much less expensive it is to have propane heated hot water.

Mary2014

[NJBoy3]

Good points! - Learning a lot from this thread.

[nuts2uiam]

Originally Posted by NJBoy3

Nuts - Many thanks for the break down. I can see where you are coming from when you run all the numbers for us.

Nuts - With HOA fees (and anything else) what do you see as the total number for running your house a year?

I can give you that number but I think it would be a disservice because what is left is very arbitrary.

For example. Comcast, we are not movie people so our level of service is vastly different than many.
Our community has 2 pools, tennis court, clubhouse. The common areas are maintained but you have to do your own lawn care. Our HOA may not cover things that others do.

My home owners insurance was $820 and car insurance was $790. Ask away if you have any more questions.

[TheWiseWino]

Delaware has hills? Who knew.