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What is your PRIMARY fuel source for home heat? (updated)
- Thread starter bonnie
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- Energy Environment Policy
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
I'm in the Bay Area and use natural gas too. My other place is passive, or at most uses a small space heater if it's really cold at night. It seems natural gas is a very common option (maybe number one or two vs electricity), so it should be included as an option.
And it's actually a very efficient way of generating heat.
And for electricity, heat pump vs a resistive heater makes a huge difference in efficiency, so I think that should be mentioned too.
And it's actually a very efficient way of generating heat.
And for electricity, heat pump vs a resistive heater makes a huge difference in efficiency, so I think that should be mentioned too.
araxara
X-LR M3AWD, MYLR
Wood, most of which comes from trees on my property or nearby removals that I collect, store & split myself. It does, indeed keep one fit. In the middle of summer, during the prep work, I'll say, "look honey, I'm heating the house!"
We have an oil burner furnace that works, although I'm not sure it's safe to use. For those who don't know (like me before we got our woodsy cabin-y little house which is actually in the city, go figure) heating oil is just diesel#2 without the road tax - but WITH a fat handling/delivery charge. When we bought our house in 1999, it was less than $1 per gallon. Now it is over $1,200 to fill the tank which, when it was our primary heat source, lasted 2 months max. Ouch. Now a tank lasts 2 years as supplemental.
Funny you you should ask about coal, Bonnie - I still do need to go BUY some firewood, usually about this time of year -feb/mar- & the most recent place I went had a big heap of coal in the middle of the yard. I was quite surprised when they said,"yeah, people heat their houses with it." I thought I was primitive.
We have an oil burner furnace that works, although I'm not sure it's safe to use. For those who don't know (like me before we got our woodsy cabin-y little house which is actually in the city, go figure) heating oil is just diesel#2 without the road tax - but WITH a fat handling/delivery charge. When we bought our house in 1999, it was less than $1 per gallon. Now it is over $1,200 to fill the tank which, when it was our primary heat source, lasted 2 months max. Ouch. Now a tank lasts 2 years as supplemental.
Funny you you should ask about coal, Bonnie - I still do need to go BUY some firewood, usually about this time of year -feb/mar- & the most recent place I went had a big heap of coal in the middle of the yard. I was quite surprised when they said,"yeah, people heat their houses with it." I thought I was primitive.
Blaze
Member
While my home has a natural gas unit and two electric units, it has been so warm in Southern California, I have not used it lately. Actually used air conditioning, not heat. Having a mild winter.
Natural gas to heat (freeze protect if you ask my wife) my home. And natural gas for water heating as well.
Now I do have some money set aside for a ground source heat pump (geothermal) for the day when my AC compressor dies. And going on 17-18 years it probably isn't going to last much longer.
Now I do have some money set aside for a ground source heat pump (geothermal) for the day when my AC compressor dies. And going on 17-18 years it probably isn't going to last much longer.
(Future owner of a Gen 3 in a parallel universe where Tesla hits it price targets.)
Heating oil.
Oil is the primary heating around here, although here's some propane. People also use pellets to supplement and people in rural aeeas are more likely to use wood. There is some electric heat but not much because historically prices have been relstively high.
But, the area is finally getting NG supply (up to 40,000 customers) and we're intending to switch. HVAC people do propane so skilled manpower isn't a problem. Cheap method is to replace the furnace burner, expensive but more efficient would be to replace the whole system. Our furnace is 20 years old and we need to replumb anyway so I think we'll probably do a full replacement.
Also thinking about an air source heat pump at some point (electricity not the cheapest here, but average highs never dip below 25) as it could work out as an efficient supplementary system and I'd want to make sure later integration would be OK.
While it obviously varies with weather, there is a clear downward trend in residential heating oil use in Maine. From 2007 to 2011 was a drop of 32%, and
42% in 2012's mild winter. Residential heating was the largest user of distillate, but it's now transportstion, which is static. As the availability of NG expands the fall off will continue. Commercial use is also falling, and with some big switches, like large businesses, government buildings, schools and hospitals the effect should be significant. The fuel oil companies are getting into the electricity supply market, and I think they need to because their fuel oil business will continue to shrink.
While there can be market inertia (especially in Maine's old curmudgeon market) one thing that'll cause some rapid change is an abundance of rented accommodation with heat included. Landlords should be ready to invest when they're affected so directly.
Heating oil.
Oil is the primary heating around here, although here's some propane. People also use pellets to supplement and people in rural aeeas are more likely to use wood. There is some electric heat but not much because historically prices have been relstively high.
But, the area is finally getting NG supply (up to 40,000 customers) and we're intending to switch. HVAC people do propane so skilled manpower isn't a problem. Cheap method is to replace the furnace burner, expensive but more efficient would be to replace the whole system. Our furnace is 20 years old and we need to replumb anyway so I think we'll probably do a full replacement.
Also thinking about an air source heat pump at some point (electricity not the cheapest here, but average highs never dip below 25) as it could work out as an efficient supplementary system and I'd want to make sure later integration would be OK.
While it obviously varies with weather, there is a clear downward trend in residential heating oil use in Maine. From 2007 to 2011 was a drop of 32%, and
42% in 2012's mild winter. Residential heating was the largest user of distillate, but it's now transportstion, which is static. As the availability of NG expands the fall off will continue. Commercial use is also falling, and with some big switches, like large businesses, government buildings, schools and hospitals the effect should be significant. The fuel oil companies are getting into the electricity supply market, and I think they need to because their fuel oil business will continue to shrink.
While there can be market inertia (especially in Maine's old curmudgeon market) one thing that'll cause some rapid change is an abundance of rented accommodation with heat included. Landlords should be ready to invest when they're affected so directly.
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JPP
Active Member
Natural gas firing a Munchkin high efficiency boiler to make hot water for a hydronic radiant heating system (heats the subfloor, warms the people and objects). Very efficient and comfortable. Electricity costs to run pumps etc. offset by 16kW PV solar system.
Krugerrand
Meow
We generate heat with our bodies. During colder spells it sometimes gets exhausting. :redface: So, I guess that is 'other'. I'll assume, though, that you don't want me to go into details. :wink:
reddy
Active Member
Had to select OTHER, because we use a dual fuel heat pump.
If the temperature is over 50 we use the electric heat pump, when it is under 50 it switches to natural gas.
The Nest thermostat controls the fuel choice, based on a threshold temp that we can set. If the ratio between gas cost vs electric cost changes, we can change the setpoints where we start using gas instead of electric.
If the temperature is over 50 we use the electric heat pump, when it is under 50 it switches to natural gas.
The Nest thermostat controls the fuel choice, based on a threshold temp that we can set. If the ratio between gas cost vs electric cost changes, we can change the setpoints where we start using gas instead of electric.
Owner
Active Member
I see Nigel ready to move my reply.
In attempt to stave that off, I'll limit my reply to this: "Pictures or".
Had to vote other for natural gas....
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That is pretty cool. What brand system do you have?
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That is pretty cool. What brand system do you have?
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