Interested in Fairbanks-General Inquiry (Bethel, Nome: home, to buy, property tax)

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by IL2AK4job

RayinAK if i may ask how much on average do you pay for heating?

My , house is well insulated, and not very large. For a 1,700 sq.-foot house kept at 68 degrees inside takes around $800.00 per month November though February or so. All depends on the price per gallon of fuel, and right now it's somewhere around $3.76 per gallon. With fuel around $3.65, heating cost (average or 12 months x cost per gal.) is around $600.00 to $800.00 per month.

Winters are very long in the interior. For example, the temperature is already dropping to 18 degrees at night, then comes up to 46 or maybe 50. By next week it's supposed to get colder, however. By June one still can see ice and packed snow by the edge of some roads in the interior.

Forgot to mention that it also depends on the boiler also heating water for showers, for the kitchen, etc. In this case some fuel is used during the summer. But if you use an electric heater during the summer, then the cost of the fuel is not as much, but the cost for electricity will be greater.

I just heat the water yearlong through the boiler, since it has to run to heat the house most of the year, and because electricity is quite expensive.

[IL2AK4job]

Yea thats pretty spot on what i figured well closer to the $600 haha. Do you use any other forms of heat or is that strictly the fuel burner to heat the entire house?


EDIT: Such as wood stove during the day to give a break to the fuel cost while not at home etc..

[IL2AK4job]

Is it worth investing in space heaters to adjust individual room temps? Such as bedroom at night just before bed,living room while watching tv, etc etc... or will the main boiler/stove do fine alone?

[Mollym313]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

My , house is well insulated, and not very large. For a 1,700 sq.-foot house kept at 68 degrees inside takes around $800.00 per month November though February or so. All depends on the price per gallon of fuel, and right now it's somewhere around $3.76 per gallon. With fuel around $3.65, heating cost (average or 12 months x cost per gal.) is around $600.00 to $800.00 per month.

Winters are very long in the interior. For example, the temperature is already dropping to 18 degrees at night, then comes up to 46 or maybe 50. By next week it's supposed to get colder, however. By June one still can see ice and packed snow by the edge of some roads in the interior.

Forgot to mention that it also depends on the boiler also heating water for showers, for the kitchen, etc. In this case some fuel is used during the summer. But if you use an electric heater during the summer, then the cost of the fuel is not as much, but the cost for electricity will be greater.

I just heat the water yearlong through the boiler, since it has to run to heat the house most of the year, and because electricity is quite expensive.

$600 to $800 per month? I have heard the $200 to $300 number thrown around bout not $600 to $800.

[tigre79]

Even down here in the "banana belt" we get over $300. A wood stove and a good chainsaw pay for themselves pretty quick.

[Mollym313]

Originally Posted by tigre79

Even down here in the "banana belt" we get over $300. A wood stove and a good chainsaw pay for themselves pretty quick.

I should say so...that is great info for a newbie. Maybe they won't have a stroke when they get their first heating bill if they are forewarned and prepared.

[IL2AK4job]

Originally Posted by Mollym313

I should say so...that is great info for a newbie. Maybe they won't have a stroke when they get their first heating bill if they are forewarned and prepared.

Very much agreed! Had i not known i would have also had to invest in new underwear! Haha

You guys (and gals) are great! I really appreciate all the information!

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by Mollym313

$600 to $800 per month? I have heard the $200 to $300 number thrown around bout not $600 to $800.

Easily. Here in Anchorage our natural gas bill jumps from $50 in the summer to well over $500 a month in the winter. And I keep a cool house.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by IL2AK4job

Yea thats pretty spot on what i figured well closer to the $600 haha. Do you use any other forms of heat or is that strictly the fuel burner to heat the entire house?


EDIT: Such as wood stove during the day to give a break to the fuel cost while not at home etc..

I do use a wood stove in addition to the boiler. In relation to fuel use, keep in mind that I gave you an annual average (12 months x $600.00 or more). But lest say that you have automatic fuel deliveries to save $. In this case the fuel delivery happens every couple of months or so. By January you batter have around $1,200 or more at hand to pay for the fuel.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Mollym313

$600 to $800 per month? I have heard the $200 to $300 number thrown around bout not $600 to $800.

All depends on the cost of heating fuel per gallon. Three or four weeks ago it was around $3.87 per gallon. So lets say that by January you need 300 gallons of heating fuel to top-off the 500-gallon tank in your backyard: 300 x 3.87 = $1,161. Besides, it would be even more if you keep the thermostats inside the house higher than 67 degrees. Remember that while it's around 67 degrees inside the house, it can be -30 and colder outside

My wife and I, once we get too old, will probably retire somewhere in the lower-48, simply because retired people (or on fixed incomes) could have a difficult time living in their homes because of the added expenses. While at the age of 65 the Borough gives you a deduction that saves you some cash, the rest of the property tax must be paid, and so heating fuel, electricity, the company that pumps the septic tank every year, and so forth.
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North Pole (near Fairbanks) has a sales tax. But lets not forget that The Fairbanks North Star Borough, which includes fairbanks and vicinity (all the little towns around Fairbanks) has a very high property tax. Just look at the property foreclosure list at the Borough