heidiiiii Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 We heat with oil and I just found out that crude is at $100 a barrel and oil is now $3.10 a gal!! When I bought this house 9 yrs ago it was 75c a gal. The guy on the news said that people need to stop complaining and find alternative ways to heat their homes. I cant have gas heat because the lines never went to our side of the street..it would cost wayyy too much. So what do you all have? I know I will have to save for a couple years to do this but I think it is time to ditch the oil furnace and go to something else. *wood stove not an option...allergies* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 I have a heat pump (electric). It may not be as warm as gas or oil but the prices are easier to live with in the long run. I tried a wood stove many years ago but finding wood got to be such a chore that it was easier to change. That and I threatened to start sleeping on the sofa in the living room. That was the only room in the house that was warm and I had to really bundle up to go to bed. Thermals, socks, a gown, and an electric blanket. DH saw the reason in my demand (it was not a request) and complied. Power rates haven't risen like the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichelleG Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Heidi, My mom built an apartment for me and to keep heating costs down, she bought a propane gas heater. It looks just like a little wood stove with the firelogs. It heats up my 2 bedroom apt. Very toasty. We have two barrels outside with piping into the house. I'm not good at math, but the last bill I got was for 28.6 gallons.. came to $102.00. About $3.64 a gal. I"m not sure how much the tanks hold. But.. these two tanks will last me all winter. We are out of the house all day long. Keep the heat way down during the day. I'm guestimating that it'll cost about $100 a month, if that, for heat. I'm very good at conserving. I hang out my clothes to dry, even thought I have an electric dryer. (I've been called cheap, I consider myself frugal). The brand of the Stove is Tucson.. Gas-fired B-vent Room Heater. They make all sizes and styles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshines_minis Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 We heat with oil and I just found out that crude is at $100 a barrel and oil is now $3.10 a gal!! When I bought this house 9 yrs ago it was 75c a gal. The guy on the news said that people need to stop complaining and find alternative ways to heat their homes. I cant have gas heat because the lines never went to our side of the street..it would cost wayyy too much. So what do you all have? I know I will have to save for a couple years to do this but I think it is time to ditch the oil furnace and go to something else. *wood stove not an option...allergies* Call anywhere that does oil changes. They have to pay for the oil to be hauled off. Se if you can get a drum of used oil. My husband installed base board heaters. electric with the gas as a back up. My husband says heat if there are no regulations where live about it ground source heat pump is the best. He is a draftsman. They stay up to date on these things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichelleG Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Also, I think all states have a Fuel assistance program. Massachusettes does. With the price of heating now a days.. sheeshhh!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hallowell Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Oil here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenannediva Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 We are all electric here. But we did put a pellet stove insert in the fireplace 3 years ago and just love it. No mess or ash like with wood, nor does it stink up the air outside like wood does. You do have to store the 40 pound bags of pellets. It runs on a thermostat and does a good job heating the whole house, but then we do not have the severe winters here in California like much of the rest of the country. When it gets into the 40's here we are freezing to death. Last year here in California we had a shortage of the pellets, people were lining up in their cars for hours once a store had them available and they were being rationed, as they were all being sent to the east due to colder weather. This year I think most of us will be prepared as many of us have purchased our winter supply of pellets in July and August. Valerie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missymew Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 I live much farther north than many of you. We have gas heating. It's relatively cheap though. Our provincial government kicks in over the winter if the price rises, so we pay $81/month no matter what the price. What I like about the gas heating is that the whole house is kept nice and toasty warm. There are no cold rooms. -Susanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uppitycats Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 We heat with propane gas. I "pre-buy" -- contract with the gas company in August, and pay for the whole winter. We have a large house, essentially 2 stories, and also use propane for hot water and the clothes dryer. We spend about $185 / month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 Ah, that's interesting! Haven't used oil for heating since I lived in Massacusetts! Our house is all propane and electricity. Our furnace is propane. Our little "Mr. Stove" in the living room which looks just like a little wood stove with logs and all - is propane. Our water tank is propane. Our cook stove is propane. My dryer is propane. We like our house a little cooler than the norm. We set it at 65 degrees night and day. Saves fuel and is more energy efficient. No more raising and lowering the heat forcing the furnace to work harder. My dad loved to keep our house at 68 which was way too warm for me, but he was right - it is more efficient. We know people who heat with wood here, everything. hot water heater, furnace, fireplace, cook stove, etc. But we prefer the cleanliness of propane! Wolfie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missymew Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 Our hot water heater also runs off the gas line. This is an interesting topic. Thanks for starting it, Heidi. -Susanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petite Crafter Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 We use to have a natural gas central heater system, but about 18 years ago, we had an electric central heat pump / air conditioner installed, and I love it. It is cost effective to operate, and with a service call about every other year, it is still running great after 18 years. Around here, alot of people have gas heaters, but I think they are dangerous, and the price of that gas just keeps spiraling up, and up. I know people think electric operated appliances are expensive to operate, but compared to others in my family that use gas, ours' is very reasonable. We are all electric, and it is very quiet, effecient and clean compared to alot of the alternatives. Our light bill, for year round, averages about $110/month - that's cooking, heating, air conditioning, and running alot of freezers, fridges, tv's, computer 24/7, and an awful lot of tools quite a bit. The only thing not on that bill is the telephone! I'm also going to start building even more mini houses, cause it is getting to darn expensive to drive anywhere to do anything else, and I can have them delivered!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SallyG Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 We have a large oil drum outside, a furnace in the laundry room, and radiators. The radiators do a great job and keep it toasty if we turn up the heat, but that uses oil. We keep the thermostat on about 68. We also have a fireplace that was designed to heat (house is a 1930's bungalow style house) so we burn that a lot if the weather is really cold. It puts out a lot of heat. The bedroom is off the kitchen and seems to be the coolest room, so I turn on the electric blanket at about 9pm and by the time we go to bed, the bed is nice and warm. So the combination of radiators, fireplace, and electric blankets, plus sweatpants and sweatshirts and footies keeps us pretty warm during the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 We use to heat with gas but a few yrs ago it got out of hand and we went to electric space heaters...last yr he installed a wood stove in the kitchen and it does a pretty good job keeping the chill out of the house....but we will be getting a pellet stove next yr...less work on DH and myself and burns cleaner...the in-laws have one and they LOVE it! I think its wise for everyone to be thinking alternative methods of heating... we also use electric blankets....well I dont but the kids have them. I was very thankful for the wood stove last yr when we had powere outages in MO due to the ice storms stay warm yall! nutti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 We have a heat pump that'll hold the house at 50 when we get the rare cold spell of sub-freezing weather. We used to use our wood-burning iron Franklin stove to heat the house (in addition to all the trees around the house & in the yard we have nearly an acre of fairly dense woods behind the house, so firewood's never an issue) but we had a small chimney fire in our old stack hot enough to blow the cap off and send sparks everywhere several years ago. We live in an all-wood house with a wooden sauna farily close and all sorts of trees, mostly pines, and several feet of compressed leaf/ pine needle/ pinecone litter and several years of drought going on, so I don't expect we'll use it again any time soon, but that rascal certainly puts out the heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted November 8, 2007 Author Share Posted November 8, 2007 How energy efficient are the space heaters Nutti? I am thinking I will fill the oil tank tomorrow and keep the temp down low. I am fortunate that I have heat in the basement so it will keep the pipes from freezing. We have 4 zones so we can turn on and off in different areas of the house. Electric blankets are being bought tommorrow (Walmart has them at $30-60 twin-king) and I was toying with the idea of using electric heater for supplemental heat. I just remember my dad freaking out in the 70s when the space heater made the electric bill go thru the roof. I know they are better now just have that in my brain. When the girls are grown and out of the house Dh and I have been actually thinking of moving somewhere else...He is voting for Washington State or Oregon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 Charlotte has natural gas heat, Maiden has a heat pump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted November 8, 2007 Author Share Posted November 8, 2007 I ordered 150 gallons to be delivered tomorrow.... $2.99 a gal.. Grand total...$449.85! Yeeeouch! I had to change oil co. because the one we have had for a few years was less then what I expected from them. Because of the oil forcast it was basically very difficult to get a capped price this fall. They are talking that alot of oil co. might go under this winter because of the price of oil now. It is going to be an interesting...and frugal winter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet2Dawn Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 We have oil, and for the past 5 years have bought ahead in bulk, and only just last year actually over bought. We still think bulk purchase is the way to go for us. We keep our 3 zones set at 62-64 unless it is really windy and colder then we raise it till we are toasty then turn it back down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellee Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 We have a furnace, I believe it is electric but dont quote me on that.. will have to ask Hubby. The previos owners took the wood burner that was in the basement. I have been trying to get hold of a wood burner but cant find one in our price range.. . and I am scared of a used burner.! We have a bi-level home. Living, dining, Kitchen & Bedrooms are all upstairs. My Mothers room, family room and laundry area are all downstairs so it is colder down there. I got an electric heater over the summer that we turn on down there sometimes and I have a dehumidifeir down there that takes alot of the chill out. We keep ours about 65 and just layer our clothing. Cant afford the bills right now.! Kellee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJEP Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 We have oil and our hot water is off our heat. We also have zones but DH likes to keep them at least at 62 in case pipes freeze. We have an in-law apartment that has the guest room and storage so I don't see why we heat it over 55, but he insists. He may change it this year though. I have heard mixed things. Earlier in the fall they said it was not a good idea to lock in a price for oil, because it was thought that the price could go down. Now it doesn't look that way, but who knows. I grew up wearing sweaters and using many blankets, but my DH did not so he tends to turn the heat much higher than I'm use to. Yet, I'm always cold and he is the one who is usually warm--who knows. Be careful with the electric heaters and blankets. They can cause fires. Plus my DH would tell you to be careful with the amount of electricity you use. He is an electrical engineer for the power company and says our country's usage is beyond help by conservation now. He claims we are going to need more ways to generate it and more plants to generate it to keep us going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggiemae Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 We have natural gas for heat here Electric in Israel but I don't think we use heat more that once or twice all year. We have on demand hot water there and it is a big money saver. Our first USA house had heated floors, which was awesome especially in the bathroom and kitchen. Coils of hot water under the floors. It was Geothermal (hotspring feed), low month costs and very green. If it got too warm we just opened the windows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jokelly Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 I ordered 150 gallons to be delivered tomorrow.... $2.99 a gal.. We heat by oil. I live out in the country and there are no natural gas lines out here. I got oil about two or three weeks ago and it was $2.55/gallon. This week it's $3.09 and expected to reach over $4.00 by the end of the year. We have the electric space heater periodically running (I'm extremely cautious about it) and the electric blankets on at night and sweaters handly. It's ridiculous. Living in PA, like all the Northeast, we have to run our furnace into May if it's a cold Spring. We'll probably have to spend about $2,000 to heat this winter and spring. It's very depressing thought. The only thing that keeps me out of a deep funk is that I have no natural gas or water bills. My trick for electric blankets...I heat up my bed before I go to sleep, turn off the blanket and cover it with a comforter and it usually stays toasty warm into the morning without having to run it at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallhouset Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 We use oil also. We got our's back in Sept for 2.23 a gallon, we buy in bulk with a group of neighbors, so we get a reduced rate. This year it took 3 trucks to bring the oil to the neighborehood. It cost $500.00 for the oil and it should last until March since we didn't have to turn the furnace on until last week. We also have a wood burner down stairs, (we cut and split our own wood) and DH cut holes in the bedroom, diningroom, and livingroom floors covered them with duck work grates, so the look just like regular ones from the furnace, to let the heat go up stairs. We keep the furnace set at 70, he hates to be cold, and keep the fire going most of the time. If the temps fall really low we light a keroscene heater for a while, it usually takes the upstairs to about 85, and put it outside when we go to bed, it keeps the furnace from running most of the night and we wear shorts and t-shirts around the house because it get so hot. I expect to buy about a hundred more gallons if the winter drags on longer than usual and it will be a start for next fall, so my winter heating bill should be about $700 - $800 for the winter. Everything else in the house is electric. I have neighbors who got rid of their oil furnaces for gas and now they have $300 to $400 month gas bills. Around here oil is much cheaper. I won't use an electric blanket, I had one short out one night and it started to blink like a christmas tree, so we use flannel sheets, they keep the chill out of the bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymakesstuff2 Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 Feed hubby beans and run for cover....just kidding...we bundle up and use the heater a s little as possible! :yikes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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