What will you use for heat this Winter

[rad]

Propane. The area didn't have natural gas run near buy until after they started to build the subdivision so we have a 'community' propane system.

Coming from up north (Chicago area) with natural gas I was expecting lower heating bills moving down south (Austin). I'm paying more here then I ever did in Chicago for heating with a house that has 200sq ft less living area and no 1200 sq foot basement. My highest bill was $390, there were some folks that had bills in the $700 to $800 dollar range. For a 12 month average my propane is $124 and electric is $147, the heater is on one heck of a lot less then the A/C is here plus I have three of four computers going all the time, electric clothes dryer, oven and a bunch of DirecTV boxes that are always on. If this winter is anything like last I might consider replacing the heaters with heat pumps.

Propane company has already said they've seen their price go up 25% since last winter and that was a month ago, I can't wait to see what we'll end up with this year. I did find this gov web site that shows the trends in heating oil and propane prices, Heating Oil and Propane Update .

 

[Tom in TX]

Natural Gas here for heating (2 units), cooktop, water heaters (2), and clothes dryer.
Tom in TX

 

[navychop]

My desire is to install a geo thermal unit very soon. I am surprised that this is not discussed further with all of the ponds. I would need to have a new well so I would have some place to put the water after it is used. Is there anyone using the geo thermal for heat and air conditioning? With the water temperature coming from the well water it is more practical I believe.

When I lived in NC we had this. We had a well and lived on a little spit of water, where we dumped the water after it was used by the HVAC system. No injection well required.

It was called ground coupled, or more often, a water source heat pump. The local electric utility pushed it. We hooked it up to the hot water heater also. We got free hot water in the summer, and dirt cheap hot water in the winter. We loved the system. Air coming out of the registers felt warm. Previous air source heat pumps we had would heat the place, but the air out of the registers always felt cool and drafty.

I can't say enough good about it. Never had a lick of trouble out of it, after they early on replaced a defective valve. I'd love to get a similar system again one day.

 

[Tom in TX]

Natural Gas here for heating (2 units), cooktop, water heaters (2), and clothes dryer.
Tom in TX

And gas for the pool/spa heater!

 

[jayn_j]

To be honest, all the computers, DVRs, and HDTVs do a pretty good job of keeping the house warm...and the PS3s will keep it toasty when I start folding once again.

Hey honey, the thermometers dropping. Let's throw another Pentium online.

Seriously, most large companies generate enough heat with the computers that they seldom if ever turn on the furnace.

 

[minnow]

We have a pellet stove fireplace insert that pretty much heats the entire house. We keep doors closed to bedrooms and the upstairs. We have an oil fired hot air furnace and oil fired hot water heater. Last year we only used the furnace once or twice. Burned less than 400 gallons of fuel oil for hot water for the year. We use about 3 tons(or 150 bags) of pellets. The pellet stove is certainly not as convenient as throwing on the furnace as the stove does require constant cleaning and refilling of pellets(at the heart of the cold season, go through 2 - 3 bags a day). But it does save money. Fuel oil is already close to $3 a gallon. I figure I'll save $600 this year or more depending on on high fuel oil goes.

 

[Hall]

Seriously, most large companies generate enough heat with the computers that they seldom if ever turn on the furnace.

We run the AC almost year-round at work for the reasons you say.

 

[chefwan]

I'll Be Using Natrual Gas This Year. Gas Heats Faster Than Elec.

 

[aboz]

Electric here which is a bit odd in this area but a couple towns in this area have municipal electric companies that are owned by the towns and have greatly reduced rates. In the summer, blasting the AC I average about $50 and in the coldest winter months (upstate NY, so there are some cold ones!) about $110.

Mike,

In what area? we have RGE.

 

[KE4EST]

The amps in my Home theater--

Actually, I'm in the "Other" category because I heat primarily with solar.

I started to add solar, I wonder how many people use it across the US, I mean everybody not just satguys members.

 

[KE4EST]

Wow great response this year. Thanks to all for voting and lets keep more coming in. This is very interesting to me. This Thread/Poll is not even 24hrs old yet WOW. I am thinking about moving this to maybe the chit-chat club. Thanks to all so far.

 

[KE4EST]

Ok I made the jump and moved this thread to the chit chat club, lets see how many more replys/votes we get.

 

[Foxbat]

We have Natural Gas for heat (got a 94.9 furnace last year and my wife, the Tax CPA, tells me we needed .1 more to get the tax credit ). Last winter was "warmer" than usual, so it's hard to say whether the lower gas bill was due to the weather or the new furnace.

This year, the bedroom gets heated with Folding leftovers. Do you think my wife will buy the "but honey, the PS3 is multi-functional: It plays BlueRay HD movies and DVDs, it can play games, and best of all, we can keep the bedroom toasty all winter while it Folds proteins!"

 

[Ramy]

When I built my house 3 1/2 years ago, I wanted to be able to burn wood so I installed a zero clearance wood burning fireplace. I also have two 90+ efficient natural gas furnaces in three zones (4400 SF). I used the gas furnaces for the past few winters only because I did not have time to cut the wood. Presplit wood costs about $250 for soft and $350-$400 for hard for a full cord (128CF). I found a wood cutting company in the Lake Tahoe area who sold me cut pine/fir rounds for $75 a cord. All I have to do is pick them up in his yard and split them. My dump trailer holds about 1-1/2 cords and he only charged me the $75 a trailer so I paid more like $50/cord. It's the best exercise I've had in years. Since the big Angora Fire this year, the TRPA finally lifted some of the defensible space rules and allowed people to remove trees. I have about 5 chords for under $300 (including the fuel to drive the 45 miles to pick it up). Before this year, natural gas was cheaper and easier per month than hard wood. Now that I have the source for wood, I'm thinking about do this every year. The lows right now are in the low 20's and highs in the 60's. In December to February, it is lows in the teens/highs in the 30's on average.

I hope your setup is setup for high heat. Those pine logs burn really hot and can cause chimney fires if your not careful.

 

[mike1973]

Mike,

In what area? we have RGE.

Fairport has its own electric and so does Spencerport.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Natural gas here in Michigan. Really praying for a mild winter, it gets cold here. We spent last February pretty much around zero, and my heating bill for that month alone was $375. 2000 sq. ft. house, insulated well, thermostat never goes above 69 degrees downstairs, 67 degrees upstairs. I need to move south.

 

[aboz]

Fairport has its own electric and so does Spencerport.

Mike,

Wow I never knew that!

Thanks

 

[thecristman]

I have two fireplaces and a great abundance of free firewood. I live next to a large State park and I get all the fallen timber I need. other than cutting and splitting, it is free and I have enough now to last me about 3 years.

 

[drdroo]

I have two fireplaces and a great abundance of free firewood. I live next to a large State park and I get all the fallen timber I need. other than cutting and splitting, it is free and I have enough now to last me about 3 years.

That's the way to do it right there. It's how people do it up here too..

 

[riffjim4069]

Fairport has its own electric and so does Spencerport.

I will never forget the last time I was in the area ,visiting a friend in Churchville, and was scolded by a disgruntled gas station attendant in North Chili. Apparently, she didn't like the way I pronounced the word Chili (chil-ee). Over the years, I have forgotten some of the good times we had fishing on the river (Black River?), but I will never forget the sour old lady telling me how to pronounce Chili.