Ok, I'm starting to panic

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

If gas goes through the roof this year, we are sunk. The cost of fuel oil is the same price, of course. We have an old oil burner furnace with radiator heat.

 

We were recently told that to convert to a heat pump with all the duct work and electrical work, it would cost us $10,00. We can't do that.

 

The oil tank is 500 gallons, we would need to fill it twice during the winter. If gas should reach $10 a gallon, that would be 10,000 dollars to heat our house. We can't do that.

 

We can not remove the boiler because apparently the 50 year old addition was built around it, and to remove it we would have to knock down walls.

 

We have one small fire place in the living room.

 

How do people in Northern Europe heat their homes?

[Tracy in Ky]

Can you put a wood stove insert into your fireplace? Those generate a lot of heat.

[Quiver0f10]

What about a pellet stove?

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

We looked into it years ago. The fireplace is too small and doesn't have enough fire-proof clearance (brick or stone) around it.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

What is a pellet stove?

[Kelli in TN]

I don't worry so much about heating costs. I can stand it pretty cold in the house and so last winter we were pretty much just running the heat sporadically.

 

 

But without air conditioning I just melt into a puddle. What if utilities get so high that I can't afford to turn on my air conditioning? That terrifies me.

[Mom2legomaniacs]

I don't worry so much about heating costs. I can stand it pretty cold in the house and so last winter we were pretty much just running the heat sporadically.

 

 

But without air conditioning I just melt into a puddle. What if utilities get so high that I can't afford to turn on my air conditioning? That terrifies me.

 

Oh boy! I would go naked and stop driving first, I think! GAH! (And for the record I do not drive naked:tongue_smilie:.)

[CookieMonster]

What is a pellet stove?

 

This is just one brand. Harman Stove Company I would google search: pellet stove.

 

Some relatives I have swear their pellet stove saves them a ton over their central heating unit. I'm not so persuaded that they are doing their math right. In any case, it might possibly be a solution for you.

 

I know you can buy rebuilt/used pellet stoves much cheaper than new.

[wagnfun]

I don't worry so much about heating costs. I can stand it pretty cold in the house and so last winter we were pretty much just running the heat sporadically.

 

 

But without air conditioning I just melt into a puddle. What if utilities get so high that I can't afford to turn on my air conditioning? That terrifies me.

 

:iagree:!!!! When its cold out, I dont' turn the heat on- I'm pulling sweatshirts, blankets and hot chocolate to keep me warm. I love the cold...but when the temps heat up-- I absolutely have to have the air on or I physically or mentally can't do a thing. Unfortunantely I'm in So Cal, its hardley ever cold and HOT seems to be the temps more days then not...

[In The Great White North]

What about a free standing wood or pellet stove? It doesn't have to go in a fireplace, just need access to a wall or the roof for a chimney.

 

The other option is a new boiler right next to the old one. You don't actually have to remove it. I've seen many houses with the hulking piece of cast iron still down there and a bright, shiny, small gas burner right next to it.

 

If you're house is large or spread out and divided, a wood stove in one room won't help that much anyway.

 

We run the stove exclusively when it is from about 45 down to maybe 15 at night. It's actually a masonry heater, also known as a kachelofen. http://www.mha-net.org/docs/SNEWS01.PDF They were invented in Northern Europe during the "mini-Ice Age" a few hundred years ago. You use a small amont of wood, a couple of times a day and it oozes heat all day. We bought it used, took it apart and moved it to our house and rebuilt it. They're so expensive to have put in professionally, that people usually design the house around them when they're building. I didn't think it was all that difficult to rebuild, but you would have to use the right materials if you started from scratch and I have no idea where to find them. Some practice laying bricks would have helped.

 

I know the wood stove won't keep the pipes from freezing and we like to sleep cold so we block off the upstairs and the downstairs is warm. When there's a remote chance of freezing pipes, I turn on the heater.

 

One of our local oil companies recommended baking a lot as a way to cut your oil bill!

[Kari C in SC]

but when the temps heat up-- I absolutely have to have the air on or I physically or mentally can't do a thing.

 

This would be me. I tried to go without AC yesterday. It wasn't that hot out, just a bit humid. I find that I can't get any housework done or function. I have also found that heat or humidity really changes my 3 year old's attitude.

[starlashine]

but I baked a lot this past winter to cut down on heater usage. Is also less costly to just turn it down than turn it off and on all the time. Roast chicken, meatloaf, lots of biscuits and homemade bread. You could keep your oven running all day under the pretext of cooking if you set your mind to it.

[Nestof3]

Dawn,

 

We live in Tidewater, VA too, but winter heating costs don't scare me as much as summer electric costs. ;)

 

Honestly, it just doesn't get that cold around here. We have a small house, which is a blessing when it comes to heating and cooling -- but I notice the biggest difference in heating. I can leave the house for 8 hours and keep the heat off all day, come home, turn it on, and in 5-10 minutes, the house it comfortable again.

 

One of the reasons I DON'T want to ever move to a larger house is because I see my parent's utility bill. Of course, they roast me out of there during the winter. :tongue_smilie:

 

When we are home, I keep the thermostat set low. It's easy when you're hanging around the house to put an extra top on, or cover with a blanket (which we do when we do our couchtime during school).

 

We keep it down at night too because we can always pile a couple of blankets on. It's usually pretty cold when we wake up, but it only takes a couple of minutes to get it comfortable again.

 

Also, make sure you're not losing too much heat through leaky windows. My husband put up some insulating clear plastic on our large front window, and it helped tremendously.

 

Now, I go hog-wild on the air conditioning. I hate being hot, and I despise humidity. I can only take so much clothing off.

[Nestof3]

I don't worry so much about heating costs. I can stand it pretty cold in the house and so last winter we were pretty much just running the heat sporadically.

 

 

But without air conditioning I just melt into a puddle. What if utilities get so high that I can't afford to turn on my air conditioning? That terrifies me.

 

:iagree:

[Brigitte]

Oh boy! I would go naked and stop driving first, I think! GAH! (And for the record I do not drive naked:tongue_smilie:.)

 

Now that would get the neighbors talking! :lol:

[Brigitte]

Check with your local utility company and see if they offer free energy audits. They might be able to give you some inexpensive tips for cutting energy loss in your home.

[Sara R]

It's scary, isn't it?

 

There's a shortage of pellets now, so the pellet stove might not be the best thing. Sawdust creation has gone down with the housing bubble's burst. A wood stove would be better because you can supply that fuel locally.

 

We also looked into geothermal heat pumps. That's probably wouldn't work for you either. It's a big up-front expense, and it may also require ducting. It was too expensive for us, but it's something to look at for the long term.

[NHDeb]

You might shop around all the area oil companies and see if there is one with a lock-in/pre-buy or cap program.

 

Last winter my parents paid a cap-fee and their oil never went above the price set last fall - even though the market rate was consistently much higher through the winter. I think it cost them around $125 to lock it - but with 4-5 deliveries that the market rate was so high, it more than saved them over the winter.

 

We use propane and our company does a pre-buy program. I just pre-purchased enough propane (720 gallons) for our heat & hw for next winter. They deliver monthly from Sept to April and draw off what I paid for in advance. The price I locked in for the pre-buy is over a quarter cheaper than today's market rate for the same product.

 

We live in NH, so heating season can run from Sept to May here depending on the weather. We try to keep from turning on the heat until late Oct. and try to shut it off for good in early April. This year we had 120+/- inches of snow, but not the below zero temps we've had in prior years.

 

We only use window ac units for about a month or so in the heavy summer humidity.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Dawn,

 

We live in Tidewater, VA too, but winter heating costs don't scare me as much as summer electric costs. ;)

 

Honestly, it just doesn't get that cold around here. We have a small house, which is a blessing when it comes to heating and cooling -- but I notice the biggest difference in heating. I can leave the house for 8 hours and keep the heat off all day, come home, turn it on, and in 5-10 minutes, the house it comfortable again.

 

One of the reasons I DON'T want to ever move to a larger house is because I see my parent's utility bill. Of course, they roast me out of there during the winter. :tongue_smilie:

 

When we are home, I keep the thermostat set low. It's easy when you're hanging around the house to put an extra top on, or cover with a blanket (which we do when we do our couchtime during school).

 

We keep it down at night too because we can always pile a couple of blankets on. It's usually pretty cold when we wake up, but it only takes a couple of minutes to get it comfortable again.

 

Also, make sure you're not losing too much heat through leaky windows. My husband put up some insulating clear plastic on our large front window, and it helped tremendously.

 

Now, I go hog-wild on the air conditioning. I hate being hot, and I despise humidity. I can only take so much clothing off.

 

We actually spend very little to cool our house in the summer. We have 4 window units and our electric bill is never over 180 a month.

 

Winter is another story. My husband plugged holes and weatherstripped, etc. We do not have any other source of home wide heat besides the radiators which uses hot water heated by an OIL furnace that is 90 years old.

 

So it doesn't get below freezing often, but there are long stretches of 30's and 40's. Even were I to keep the heat at 65 all winter, the cost of oil just to heat in the coldest part of the year , mid-Jan. to mid-March, would be thousands of dollars *at the price oil is now*. I don't see how that would not be something to worry about.

 

I can understand keeping the thermostat down, but I don't think my family will be very pleasant if we all have to huddle around the fireplace all winter.

 

Maybe you don't realize exactly how much heat you actually do you use, even in this area. What temp. do you keep your thermostat set at?

 

ETA:In the coldest part of the year, the temp. in the house can drop to almost outside temp in 3 hours, when the heat is off.

[Nestof3]

Dawn,

 

We have natural gas heat. We spent $100 on heat and the hot water during January. It runs in the $30's in the summer (so heat costs an extra $70)

 

Our electric bill was $170 in August -- we run the A/C almost nonstop, though (it's in the $90's without air conditioning, so air conditioning costs an extra 80).

 

So, each month it averages $200 with electric and natural gas combined.

 

But, we only have an 1,100 square foot house. I guess there are advantages to living in a sardine can. :lol:

 

I just realized I didn't answer a couple of questions.

 

Oh, our heat is set to 69 in the winter (it would be lower if my hubby weren't so cold natured) and A/C to 71 in the summer.

 

We housechurch in Suffolk, which is an hour and 30 minutes round trip. We leave at 9:00 am and return at 4:00 PM quite often. I have had my heat turned off the entire time and it only took 10 minutes to get comfortable again.

 

Oh, it also helps to insulate your walls with books/bookshelves. LOL

[RoughCollie]

Make sure your doors, windows, and attic are insulated properly.

 

http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic=11170

 

If your windows leak a lot of cold air into the house, you can cover them with this plastic wrap looking stuff from the inside or from the outside. I do that and it works well.

 

I find that the metal strip for insulating doors works better than anything. It is easy to attach with tiny nails.

 

http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11390

 

Here's a site with some more info (there are tons of them & I just picked one):

 

http://www.eartheasy.com/live_cheapheat.htm

[Andie]

Is blowing insulation into the walls an option? (Or having it done?) It cut the heating and cooling bills in this house quite a bit when the previous owners did it. (70+ yo 1.5 story) Our heating bills were a bit more than half what theirs were the winter before it was done, and we keep the thermostat higher than they did.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Dawn,

 

We have natural gas heat. We spent $100 on heat and the hot water during January. It runs in the $30's in the summer (so heat costs an extra $70)

 

Our electric bill was $170 in August -- we run the A/C almost nonstop, though (it's in the $90's without air conditioning, so air conditioning costs an extra 80).

 

So, each month it averages $200 with electric and natural gas combined.

 

But, we only have an 1,100 square foot house. I guess there are advantages to living in a sardine can. :lol:

 

 

It cost us about $400 dollars worth of oil to heat our house and water last January. $75 electric. If the price of oil goes to just $6 dollars a gallon, it will cost us at least $800 dollars to heat the house for the same time period. That is just one month.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Insulation is on the top of the list. We need to insulate under the floor too.

[Brigitte]

We actually spend very little to cool our house in the summer. We have 4 window units and our electric bill is never over 180 a month.

 

Winter is another story. We live in a 2,000 sq. ft., 70yo, wooden house over a crawl space. We have 10 foot ceilings down stairs. My husband has plugged holes and weatherstripped, etc. We also live in an area far enough away from the water so that we are an average of 5 degrees cooler than areas closer. We do not have any other source of home wide heat besides the radiators which uses hot water heated by an OIL furnace that is 90 years old.

 

So it doesn't get below freezing often, but there are long stretches of 30's and 40's. Even were I to keep the heat at 65 all winter, the cost of oil just to heat in the coldest part of the year , mid-Jan. to mid-March, would be thousands of dollars *at the price oil is now*. I don't see how that would not be something to worry about.

 

I can understand keeping the thermostat down, but I don't think my family will be very pleasant if we all have to huddle around the fireplace all winter.

 

Maybe you don't realize exactly how much heat you actually do you use, even in this area. What temp. do you keep your thermostat set at?

 

ETA:In the coldest part of the year, the temp. in the house can drop to almost outside temp in 3 hours, when the heat is off.

 

Have you checked with your oil company to see if they will let you lock in a rate to fill your tank in the fall or prepay for that tankful now. Can you fill it now rather than wait until winter when it will be much more expensive?

[MJN]

woodstoves. We had one in our 1000 sq. ft. house with a small one and it ran us out of the house. I *think* you might be able to use your fireplace chimney, but if not, you could do a stovepipe up through the roof. I have missed that woodstove ALOT. In fact, I'm trying to figure out how we can get one for our house now. It would save us a lot of money. We have oil heat also. We had them bring us $600 in April because I was scared the price would go up. We use it more for supplemental heat so I think that tank will last us til next spring. We use a kerosene heater for the most part as they put out a lot of heat for the money. We feel like it's worth the money for kerosene vs. the oil as it's so warm. We don't burn it all day, maybe four hours in the morning til lunch and then late afternoon. We're in NC so our winters are harsh. I'll cut the oven on in the mornings when we get up, cut the oil heat on and it's HOT in here in about ten minutes. I shut off the oil heat, then cut on the kerosene heater about 10-10:30 for a few hours. I close the rooms we are not in. OK, I'll hush now, but wanted to tell you what has worked for us in the past. I know how you are feeling. I also realize that kerosene isn't cheap. We just feel like we get more "bang for our buck", so to speak.

 

HTH and hugs,

 

Molly