Curious as to how many of you heat with propane? Obviously cost varies by location, but on average how much do you spend during peak heating season? Are you happy with it? How many of you supplement it with another source (wood, electric, etc)? Thanks.
We just had a propane furnace installed so we haven't had a winter with it yet. We also use woodstoves and last year we only used about 75 gals. of fuel oil. The propane is cheaper than fuel oil and the updated furnace is much more efficient than our 35 yr old fuel oil furnace. I think the propane is one of the best decisions we made in the house remodel so far.
Propane guy here. If you have the option to put a wood furnace in on the lower level of your home, do it. It will lessen the costs from using propane. Your propane costs are also dependent on what other appliances might also be using the propane (ie. dryer, fake fireplace, etc.)
I heat with propane as a backup. I run what's called "dual fuel" where my primary heat is electric but the rate they charge is about half of what they normally charge, but they can shut the electricity to your heating system off for a max. of 8 hours a day, that's where the propane forced air kicks in and heats the house until the off peak electricity gets turned back on. My electric bill has never tipped over $200 a month (that includes heat) and I burn about 200 gallons of propane a year. I fill the tank during the summer for the best rates (I got it for $1.09 a gallon this year).
Propane since 2005. I've bought it for as little as 1.29 a gallon and as high as $3.00. We average about 900 gallons per winter. I'm thinking about getting an outdoor wood burner and telling the gas company to get bent.
We spend a lot. We live in a 135 year old farm house in flat, windbreakless central IL. When it gets cold and the wind blows the furnance rarely stops running. I keep the thermostat set at 62-64 degrees at night, 65-66 degrees during the day. We do have a newer furnance... but it still can't keep up. The kitchen is on the northwest corner of the house and is the draftiest. I have to keep the butter in the living room just to keep it from being rock hard. :D
Btw, I'd like to get a corn burner. We have enough land to grow corn.. and there's certainly no shortage of corn around here even if we didn't grow it. I just can't find anyone who has one to talk to.
Not to hijack but here's an interesting article on burning corn that I read a while back. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/13/AR2009101303789.html
A little background to my question. We bought this house lat year. It had a woodstove (amish origin from what I can tell) and electric baseboard. I've spent the better part of two weeks now trying to prep the house to be heated prinarily with the wood stove (including cutting and splitting 5 cords of oak/maple last winter). Unfortunately it's not doing the job (a combination of reasons). This will not be our home forever, so resale value is a big concern. We're thinking off adding another heat system to help the resale, and propane looked to be the best option (no NG availability). I still need to find a way to heat with wood for the time we're here, though because I have a lot of acces to wood and I like how warm it is, but we're considering an alternative for both short term and long term.
I heat totally with propane. We DO have winters up here. We got right at 200 inches of snow last year and again the year before. I set my heat to 68-70... depending on my mood. I also have a set of propane logs that use some propane when I'm in the mood. I heat my hot water with the same propane. My bachelor pad is small(1600 feet) but new and very well insulated with 6 inch walls and all that. I spent $1495 dollars on propane for the last 12 months. I love it, no mess, no fuss and responsive when you change the termostat. I also have a gas range. When I get my house warm it stays warm. When I cool it down it stays cool. It's the insulation. Latest and greatest with all the energy or green certifications and all that. They do make a difference.
When I tore my old house down and built my log home I decided to go propane as I also wanted to add central AC. The house is 28X50 with 1 1/2 stories and cathedral ceiling throughout the house. 2/3 of the space has 22' ceilings, also the front wall facing the lake is all glass and many other windows. I also heat my basement to 55 degrees and have a hot water tank that uses the same propane source. I explain this as these options aren't the most efficient for heat retention. I burn approximately 1,100 gal. per year with almost 3,000 sq.ft. heated. Remember NH is fairly cold - brrr! But we stay toasty... Consider an easy to use Rinnai direct vent heater. http://www.rinnai.us/
I heat roughly 1,000 sq ft with gas (3 year old furnace). This time last year I was paying roughly $150/mo. Come February I was paying $300/mo. This year I got an EdenPure heater. Gas was $30 this month? Electric seems to be up about $70 from what my girlfriend says. If that's the case I'm going to be a little pissed (eventhough I'm still saving). I was told the EdenPure ran much more effecient. I won't know for sure until I look at the numbers myself.
If you have a choice don't get propane unless it is unusally cheap in your area for some reason. It's the most expensive way to go. It costs me almost $2,000 a winter to heat 1,100 sqare feet and an above ground basement.
Propane guy here to. My tank is 500 gal, Im heating 2,500 sq ft home not counting basement (I leave those registers closed all year round) I use any where from a tank and a half to two tanks a year, depends on the winters. Im seriously considering one of those outside woodstoves that also heat the water. Im in Bum%^*% Egypt with no other houses very close, so a little extra smoke outside wont bother anybody :D
Christine, my pellet stove will also allow me to burn corn. Don't know what kind of questions you have, but I love mine. Haven't turned on the furnace yet this year, although I imagine I will when it gets really bitter cold this winter. I have quite a few friends that have those external stoves, and they all love them. They are very popular in PA.
