[joe moving]

you might want to compare the efficiency of a oil boiler to efficiency of propane boiler to get true dollar per BTU. they put 80% efficiency for both fuels in that PDF. I don't know what efficiency of a modern oil boiler is, but its 95% for a modern propane boiler. Plus propane do not require any maintenance really. Less maintenance than oil at least.

If you're doing the whole radiant floor heat, one of these 2 in combination with your masonry heater seem to make sense. What happens if you go away in the winter ... going to get a neighbor to load the pellet boiler? You could, I guess, drain all the pipes and leave it cold or winterize with antifreeze. But that is also a lot of work.

I guess if you're paying $4 for propane or $4 for #2, even at 80% efficiency on the oil, you're getting more energy out of oil than 95% efficiency on the propane. Dunno how much the prices end up varying between the two fuels?


my parents just put in radiant in their whole house and are very happy with it. they even put it in the concrete in the basement. I've been thinking that radiant here in concrete polished floors would be real fun and durable and easy to maintain. maybe some day

[pauldorell]

The best option, actually, is to build a passive home: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/bu...vermont&st=nyt.
They're more expensive, but really sound amazing. I'm surprised more of them aren't built in the U.S.

[joe moving]

great article. This is what I want to do essentially.
I wonder how they are made??? Looks like it's made with SIPs???

I don't care a bout LEED certification, but making a home that requires almost nothing to keep warm makes sense looking to the future I think.

[tkln]

I've spoken with several builders about the passive homes...a few in the state doing it...one was going up in Stowe actually, I think the walls were 16" thick if I recall. I would love to go that route as well but every builder I spoke with came back with some high numbers...

[vermonter16]

Originally Posted by joe moving

you might want to compare the efficiency of a oil boiler to efficiency of propane boiler to get true dollar per BTU. they put 80% efficiency for both fuels in that PDF. I don't know what efficiency of a modern oil boiler is, but its 95% for a modern propane boiler. Plus propane do not require any maintenance really. Less maintenance than oil at least.

If you're doing the whole radiant floor heat, one of these 2 in combination with your masonry heater seem to make sense. What happens if you go away in the winter ... going to get a neighbor to load the pellet boiler? You could, I guess, drain all the pipes and leave it cold or winterize with antifreeze. But that is also a lot of work.

Exactly my thoughts on the matter. What happens if we need to be gone. We have to have something as backup to keep the house warm enough to prevent the pipes from freezing.

[68vette]

If the climate experts and USDA are correct (this winter is a good example), we may be heading for warmer and warmer winters. An efficient oil burner may be the most affordable way to go. Our furnace is going to be 40 years old this year. While most of it has been replaced in that time and I'm sure the efficiency is not close to a new oil burner. We used an all time low amount of fuel oil this winter. We just filled it today. The last time it was filled (250 gallon tank) was in November. Our plan is a new furnace in the near future and we had thoughts of geothermal, but I'm not sure I would ever make up the cost of the system in the time we will be here. Our oil company has records of our oil use since we owned the home. In all the years we have owned our home, the amount we have spent in oil does not make a sizable dent in a different system. The only other conversion that could possibly come close in cost would be natural gas. That would be with a discount on installation from the gas company.

[Cambium]

Something else to think about. I re-did my entire house. Gutted out inside, roof, windows, ect. In a way I regret how air tight and newly insulated it is because you can tell how stuffy it gets and stays in Spring and Summer where the a/c is on more often to keep things cool.

This is coming from someone who needs and loves fridgid weather so it might be fine for someone else. But it does get too hot and stuff a lot.

[vermonter16]

Yeah, we won't even be using the radiant heat when we are home with the exception of the basement. I get super hot in the house and keep it at 60 in the winter. I generally keep a window open in the bedroom. In the summers here in VA we are out of luck with trying to keep things cool. Our air conditioner can't keep up and during the day it stays in the upper 70s/low 80s (depending on how hot it is outside). It's only at night when the house can finally get into the mid 70s (with the air conditioner still running . It's horrible.