Oil Heat!!?? Next Winter?

Phillips said:
:bump: Anyone?
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I have not been around here much. I know what you mean and I am going install woodstove sometime soon. I almost have everything ready to install.

Speaking of outdoor furnace. They are GREAT! Some has option of oil fired. The problem is it is not cheap. You just mention $4k that is the lowest model. Whats nice thing about this is that you can use it to heat the house PLUS your water! I have seen it, and friend of mine has this one, he just load 3-4 logs in 3-4 foot lengths twice a day (AM and PM) and it does heat up and has the ability to heat up to 6 homes.

Since I am in city, outdooor furnace isn't practical.

Other option is install wood burning furnace $1k to $2k and have the internal fan push hot air around. I understand that you do not have duct work. If you do, it can be connected to existing ducts.
 
Please do not think about electric heating, it is far worse than oil heating. Friend have this one and is costing them dearly. Mind you, it was November and her electric bill for just one month alone cost them $2,000. I saw the bill, no wonder why my friend passed out.



Phillips said:
Well, My home's foundation size is almost 2000 ft sq addition first and half second floors! Probably, about 4500 totals ft sq! I will end up enormous electric heat bill! :shock:
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That is right.

radioman said:
red is off road diesel. a little red dye goes a long way. green or no color is taxed road diesel. yellow or clear is heating oil.heating oil companies use red for heating oil as they use the same tankers to deliver fuel for farms/agriculture and just tax it accordingly.

Just dont get caught with red fuel in your car/truck as there is HUGE fines!!
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Phillips said:
Yes I live in West Massachusetts..
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My family is in the Stockbridge and Berkshires area. They use natural gas heater.

For me to heat my 2500sqft house I have paid only $348 since November. (I know this because I finally paid the bill two weeks ago.)

It helps that I have a high efficiency central heat and AC. (oh and the AC came on last month... :shock: )

The system cost about $4000 to install.
 
I agree with you about energy content for oil. That is why I am driving diesel.

Here is hard truth, there is almost no difference in cost between oil and Propane.

Want cheapest fuel for heating? Its Natural gas because it is domestic.

radioman said:
I grew up on oil heat. It is still the best btu per gallon for heat. unfortunately thee oil cats are still greedy. My parents installed a woodstove during the oil crisis of 70's. They thought about outdoor boiler, but decided against it. You need to have radaitors and raidant floor heating installed along with boiler installed. Also you have to feed the beast 2 times a day 7 days a week no matter what the weather is. Also you will need to buy a chainsaw, woodsplitter, tractor, feul etc. It doesnt end. I currently have a woodstove, and my folks still use thiers so cutting wood is a chore EVERY year for both of us. We go through about 30-50 cords a year. An outdoor boiler will take more. Granted it can take a bigger chunks of wood, but it still a chore.

If you cannot get natural gas where you are, I suggest getting propane. It will be much easier to switch over by replacing the current oil furance and use propane furance instead.

Can you get biodiesel? prices are supposed to be more stable with biostuff. heating oil and diesel and biodiesel are all the same stuff did you know that?? I run home heating oil and off road and on road diesel in my tractor. You can tell by looking at my avatar.
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You know I have propane tank outside (near the new heat pump that I purchase 2 years ago) which I use for fireplace and we use it almost every night...so my average spending bill for propane is like about between $25 to $35 per month and seriously consider to use it for my stove. Right now I have electric stove but I love gas stove. Since I'm a cook and cook most of my life. So, if I brought gas stove it may pick up to maybe $50 per month.

When I brought new heat pump to replace the cheap one with 19 seer, which cost $11,000 (not including tax credit and BGE credit) for my 4500 sq ft house. it significally save my electric bills along with well insulated home.
 
I just got a gas bill today.. you'll get a better idea how much it cost.. of course it been little warmer month and now I have to pay $23.42. but still use it a lot.
 

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Outdoor heater is AWESOME! Only if you can afford it! I would if I live in country....I can throw any junk/personal mails in there and let it burn it instead of shred it. We just got wood stove, and will hook it up this summer before winter arrives. :)

Good luck what you decide on!

Phillips said:
Yes we will buying new wood stove! But...

Wonder if anyone here have boiler outdoor? Pro or Con??

Here..
Central Boiler - Outdoor Wood Furnace for Home Heating :hmm:
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radioman said:
I grew up on oil heat. It is still the best btu per gallon for heat. unfortunately thee oil cats are still greedy. My parents installed a woodstove during the oil crisis of 70's. They thought about outdoor boiler, but decided against it. You need to have radaitors and raidant floor heating installed along with boiler installed. Also you have to feed the beast 2 times a day 7 days a week no matter what the weather is. Also you will need to buy a chainsaw, woodsplitter, tractor, feul etc. It doesnt end. I currently have a woodstove, and my folks still use thiers so cutting wood is a chore EVERY year for both of us. We go through about 30-50 cords a year. An outdoor boiler will take more. Granted it can take a bigger chunks of wood, but it still a chore.

If you cannot get natural gas where you are, I suggest getting propane. It will be much easier to switch over by replacing the current oil furance and use propane furance instead.

Can you get biodiesel? prices are supposed to be more stable with biostuff. heating oil and diesel and biodiesel are all the same stuff did you know that?? I run home heating oil and off road and on road diesel in my tractor. You can tell by looking at my avatar.
Click to expand...

Biodiesel is great idea and cheap but not friendly for winter. It will become unstable at around 20F.
 
for just 5 gallon of propane? This is not enough to heat 2,000 SF homes during winter time. If it were for Phillips house, she may need around 500 gallons (Maybe more) of propane, which could cost her $2,500 dollars

SneakerNet said:
I just got a gas bill today.. you'll get a better idea how much it cost.. of course it been little warmer month and now I have to pay $23.42. but still use it a lot.
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The Highlander said:
Biodiesel is great idea and cheap but not friendly for winter. It will become unstable at around 20F.
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just add white bottle of power service or howes to prevent gelling. Most oil furnaces have tanks inside home so its not an issue how cold it is outside.

OR you can add kerosene 50/50 ratio to the diesel to lower thee gelling issues. (old time trick still being used today)

On the side note if you have a oil tank outside, the oil delivery guy will pump in number 1 fuel oil which is kerosene distillate. Number 2 has more btu's which is what most cars/trucks/tractors/heating oil uses but needs to be in warmer environment or gelling treatment added.
 
LakeTahoe said:
Outdoor heater is AWESOME! Only if you can afford it! I would if I live in country....I can throw any junk/personal mails in there and let it burn it instead of shred it. We just got wood stove, and will hook it up this summer before winter arrives. :)

Good luck what you decide on!
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have fun installing stove! I love mine even though it has a huge appetite for wood.
 
diehardbiker said:
I agree with you about energy content for oil. That is why I am driving diesel.

Here is hard truth, there is almost no difference in cost between oil and Propane.

Want cheapest fuel for heating? Its Natural gas because it is domestic.
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have fun with 5 bucks or so a gallon this summer. but then you would be driving your bike instead right ?
 
diehardbiker said:
for just 5 gallon of propane? This is not enough to heat 2,000 SF homes during winter time. If it were for Phillips house, she may need around 500 gallons (Maybe more) of propane, which could cost her $2,500 dollars
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oh for my 4500 sq ft home, we use the fireplace almost every night.. but this fireplace produce a blasting heat with a little flame. When I went upstairs, I can feel the heat blowing up the stairwell and it distribute to second floors. So normally I set the thermostat at 72 degrees and when using the fireplace, in half hour, the temp jumped to 74 degrees on second floor. So, running the fireplace downstair for about hour and it got too hot..
So, the highest I ever paid for gas is about $41 if I remember correctly and I don't remember how many gallon we use at that time.
 
That would explain why, and why not try without fireplace? You may not like the bill on propane in the end.

SneakerNet said:
oh for my 4500 sq ft home, we use the fireplace almost every night.. but this fireplace produce a blasting heat with a little flame. When I went upstairs, I can feel the heat blowing up the stairwell and it distribute to second floors. So normally I set the thermostat at 72 degrees and when using the fireplace, in half hour, the temp jumped to 74 degrees on second floor. So, running the fireplace downstair for about hour and it got too hot..
So, the highest I ever paid for gas is about $41 if I remember correctly and I don't remember how many gallon we use at that time.
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I have not had chance to fix my bike. Hopefully soon as I have the parts needed on my hand. Of course, I may use bike and I really doubt that diesel will hit 5 dollars/gal but it is a possible.

radioman said:
have fun with 5 bucks or so a gallon this summer. but then you would be driving your bike instead right ?
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I wouldn't recommend doing this on 2007 or later models as EPA has enforced this. By messing up with kerosene it will damage to engine. I am not sure what kind of damage but it said intensive.

2006 or earlier, this won't be problem. I avoided 2007 or later model and got 2006. So I won't have to worry.

radioman said:
OR you can add kerosene 50/50 ratio to the diesel to lower thee gelling issues. (old time trick still being used today)

On the side note if you have a oil tank outside, the oil delivery guy will pump in number 1 fuel oil which is kerosene distillate. Number 2 has more btu's which is what most cars/trucks/tractors/heating oil uses but needs to be in warmer environment or gelling treatment added.
Click to expand...
 
You will cry when you get the bill if using propane as only source of heat for your house. Seriously, it will be in "Thousands of dollars" for the winter season.

SneakerNet said:
Do you mean, not using the fireplace at all and the propane bill at the end will be zero balance?
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There's always the option of a woodstove (whether wood/logs or wood pellets). They don't cost more than a few thousand. But accessibility to wood or pellets would be a must. Put it on the lower (not necessarily the lowest if lowest is only storage/unused basement) but lower level that is used, and let heat rise. The cost savings of not running a furnace can be phenomenal. (I say "can be" because I still buy wood pellets so I still shell out the cost for that, but if I had access to free wood if I had a wood stove rather than wood pellets, I would save so many hundreds of dollars a winter.) As it is, I still save quite a bit over running a furnace all the time.
 
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