Worth it to run gas lines?

[kanling]

Check your electric bills from spring and fall, then compare to winter. That will tell you how much extra electricity you use for heating. I agree that the gas company savings estimate is probably excessive, but I do expect that savings with gas would pay off the $4000 within five years. Like the other poster said, the gas option will help resale value.

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by AlexisT

Side question: I grew up with gas hot water heat (baseboards) and a separate central AC. I've never lived in a newer house with gas heat. If we go to gas forced air do we also need separate AC?

Forced hot air has duct work throughout the house. You have vents in the floor, in the walls, or in the ceiling....or a combo. Central air uses the same ducts. You would need a central air unit. They are put outside the house and piped in.

[AlexisT]

Originally Posted by bellmark

OP has been silent since posting...

But my "reading between the lines" is that the utility needs to have everyone (most) agree to this now or they arent going to do it (or not for a while). The utility wants to know residents are paying for the work before they put it in.

So the idea that several presented of waiting, is more than just "you can do it later". If too many people wait it can blow up the whole deal.

All that being said, it seems tough to get a whole street or neighborhood on board with this at the same time!

Sorry, yes, I had a very busy day. That's exactly it. If not enough people want it, they won't run lines. The main now runs down the road our development runs off, residents are trying to get UGI to put us on the list for 2015. There was no line when this neighborhood was built 35 years ago.

Our max bill last year was $400-something.

I do not know if UGI will run lines if they're not going to see a return on it from us converting, but my friend who is an engineer for another company says they likely will if we run our fireplace (propane balloons now, which are expensive enough that we rarely use it even though that fireplace is supplemental heat and not just decorative). Long term I would prefer gas appliances and heat.

[AlexisT]

Originally Posted by ss20ts

Forced hot air has duct work throughout the house. You have vents in the floor, in the walls, or in the ceiling....or a combo. Central air uses the same ducts. You would need a central air unit. They are put outside the house and piped in.

Thanks. I needed to know this to calculate costs, because obviously right now the heat pump does both.

[bellmark]

Originally Posted by AlexisT

... I do not know if UGI will run lines if they're not going to see a return on it from us converting, but my friend who is an engineer for another company says they likely will if we run our fireplace (propane balloons now, which are expensive enough that we rarely use it even though that fireplace is supplemental heat and not just decorative). Long term I would prefer gas appliances and heat.

when we converted this year: yes, I was unofficially told we needed just one gas appliance for them to run the line at no cost... but that was from the existing gas main to the house!.

Good luck!