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Old 09-10-2012, 11:31 PM
 
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Just wondering as if we move there in near future, just wanted to be ready to find ways to keep costs as low as poss. I know elec. rates were very high 10 yrs ago but now oil is worse?

Ok, not sure on this but I have heard many ideas. What is the consensus on this from you guys as you prepare for winete ahead? Thx.
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Old 09-11-2012, 04:48 AM
 
Location: Maine's garden spot
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Wood heat is the cheapest way to heat your house. Electricity is still the most expensive, but oil is catching up.
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Old 09-11-2012, 09:24 AM
 
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Coal is the cheapest per BTU.
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Old 09-11-2012, 01:19 PM
 
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Thx guys.

Of course being a healthnut, haha, coal & wood cause most indoor & outdoor pollution, no? Only elec. reduces it as even oil, I guess, is a pollutant when burned (look @ cars, etc.).

So, this ought to be fun trying to heat a house. Maybe we could run on treadmills, & take turns, & create a hydro-elec. plant/turbine. Haha, yes, I know it is weird but these are some of my idiosyncracies that I need to deal with daily.
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Old 09-11-2012, 01:43 PM
 
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The new wood stoves burn very cleanly. Mine has two burning segments, red/orange at the bottom of the firebox, and blue white at the top of the firebox where the volatiles are burned off. Last winter I burned a little bit more than 3 cords. A normal winter I should burn about 4 cords. A very cold winter should burn about 5 cords. I have five cords sitting in my yard right now.
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Old 09-11-2012, 01:44 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by movintime View Post
Maybe we could run on treadmills, & take turns, & create a hydro-elec. plant/turbine. Haha, yes, I know it is weird but these are some of my idiosyncracies that I need to deal with daily.

Most of these options will not deal with howling winds and sub zero F temperatures.
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Old 09-11-2012, 01:51 PM
 
Location: Forests of Maine
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Wood, peat, coal, or possibly solar-heat.
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Old 09-11-2012, 02:27 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slyfox2 View Post
The new wood stoves burn very cleanly. Mine has two burning segments, red/orange at the bottom of the firebox, and blue white at the top of the firebox where the volatiles are burned off. Last winter I burned a little bit more than 3 cords. A normal winter I should burn about 4 cords. A very cold winter should burn about 5 cords. I have five cords sitting in my yard right now.
Probably best advice thus far.

I realize I'm being overly cautious here & most would think I'm nuts (I am but that is another issue, hehe) so hearing from you all helps me calm my concerns to a rational line of thought (haha, if that is even poss. in my head lol).

Ok, again thx much & keep the ideas coming.
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Old 09-11-2012, 02:32 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Submariner View Post
Wood, peat, coal, or possibly solar-heat.
Here in AZ a buddy I met is trying to get his solar biz going. Out here it'll work well as ample, I mean as in far too much, sun daily. It is enough to drive you crazy, going w/out many (read any) clouds daily, on most days.

We're originally from the east coast & so not used to daily intense/brilliant sun, huge temps, etc. almost yr round . It'd be nice to have rain, clouds, a white Christmas, etc. again.
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Old 09-11-2012, 02:45 PM
 
Location: Bangor Maine
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About half of my immediate area has hooked up to natural gas as of last fall. Without exception they LOVE it. Most of them say that it cost them 50% less for the heating season than when they burned oil. We may decide to hook up. We get conflickting stories as some say they insisted that they had to reline their chimney and now my nextdoor neighbor is about to hook up this fall and they are saying they won't even be using the chimney - they will do "direct vent". I guess we'll have to talk to some "experts" lol
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