Amethyste
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2003
- Messages
- 2,201
HELLLLLO THERE! 
Currently, my home is being heated with propane which is at $2.699 a gallon.
I called the provider (which is Irving) to see what they have out there for budget planning since I don't really
want to pay a huge bill when they deliver. The lady on the phone was very nice and tried to help me eventhough
I missed the deadline to sign up for monthly billing. The only way she could help me is to go with what the previous
owners paid last year and use this as a base for my billing this year. So I said Hmmmm... ok, let's see!
Put on hold.......... (music from the 80's playing, which was the nicest part of the phone call lol )
"Hi, I am back with the information and billing plan for you. The previous Owners used 1,250 gallons of propane
last year. At the moment, Propane is $2.699/gallon. That makes a total of $3,374 (rounded up) which ends up
being $421.71 a month! Are you interested to sign up?"
Oh... HELL NO! What the heck did the other owners do?!!? heat the house with the windows open??!! They had 3 kids,
so maybe they wanted it extra warm - but to me, it is almost unthinkable that this little house which is not quite 1,500 s.f.
cape would require that much heat?! Plus, I don't want to have to follow the consumption of the previous owners. Even if I
end up using way less and be given a credit to apply towards next season - I'd like to have all the $$$ into MY own pocket
rather than in theirs.
So.......... I started to inquire about pellet stoves. They are very popular here in New England. The family owned business which
is going to come to my home and see what would work for us said that they have a very drafty antique cape with 1 layer window pane and she goes through maximum of 4-5 tons of pellets and her house is 2,800 s.f. She suggested that our consumption should be a maximum of 2-2.5 tons for the whole winter. A ton of Pellets is $289 (the ones that have a high efficiency burn rate with less ashes) so that means it would costs us less than $750 a year to heat our house! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I said "sign me up for a cost estimate" and a technician is coming next Tuesday. If we decide to go with a pellet stove, right now, there is a govermental rebate of up to $1,500 or 30% of the cost for adding a different heating source other than gas/oil base. We would still save money if we get outfitted with a Pellet Stove than if we do nothing and pay for propane. I guess it all depends how much the installation, equipment etc will end up being...
I would like to be LESS dependant on oil. Our water heater is heated with propane - but maybe I'd change it to be heated differently. My stove is electric... Perhaps, I'll have my water heater on electricity as well... Not sure. I'd still keep my Propane boiler, in the event that we leave for a week or so - we can turn down the heat and have the propane heat the house instead of the Pellet Stove since we are not there to fill the tank.
Right now i have a propane stove on the first floor - would like to have this stove put upstairs in our bedroom and the pellet stove on the first floor. In the last 3 years - we've had several days (5-6) in which we didn't have power - so having the gas stove upstairs (doesn't need electricity to start) would keep our bedroom warm!
Anyways, this is a long post!!! My question is - anyone of you have one? Do you Like it? Does it furnish decent heat? How much was your stove and how much was your installation... Anything that can prepare me metally before the man comes in.
The good thing is that my cheminey has 2 flues - cause i know they cannot use the same flue... Anyways... Enlight me please!!!
Currently, my home is being heated with propane which is at $2.699 a gallon.
I called the provider (which is Irving) to see what they have out there for budget planning since I don't really
want to pay a huge bill when they deliver. The lady on the phone was very nice and tried to help me eventhough
I missed the deadline to sign up for monthly billing. The only way she could help me is to go with what the previous
owners paid last year and use this as a base for my billing this year. So I said Hmmmm... ok, let's see!
Put on hold.......... (music from the 80's playing, which was the nicest part of the phone call lol )
"Hi, I am back with the information and billing plan for you. The previous Owners used 1,250 gallons of propane
last year. At the moment, Propane is $2.699/gallon. That makes a total of $3,374 (rounded up) which ends up
being $421.71 a month! Are you interested to sign up?"
Oh... HELL NO! What the heck did the other owners do?!!? heat the house with the windows open??!! They had 3 kids,
so maybe they wanted it extra warm - but to me, it is almost unthinkable that this little house which is not quite 1,500 s.f.
cape would require that much heat?! Plus, I don't want to have to follow the consumption of the previous owners. Even if I
end up using way less and be given a credit to apply towards next season - I'd like to have all the $$$ into MY own pocket
rather than in theirs.
So.......... I started to inquire about pellet stoves. They are very popular here in New England. The family owned business which
is going to come to my home and see what would work for us said that they have a very drafty antique cape with 1 layer window pane and she goes through maximum of 4-5 tons of pellets and her house is 2,800 s.f. She suggested that our consumption should be a maximum of 2-2.5 tons for the whole winter. A ton of Pellets is $289 (the ones that have a high efficiency burn rate with less ashes) so that means it would costs us less than $750 a year to heat our house! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I said "sign me up for a cost estimate" and a technician is coming next Tuesday. If we decide to go with a pellet stove, right now, there is a govermental rebate of up to $1,500 or 30% of the cost for adding a different heating source other than gas/oil base. We would still save money if we get outfitted with a Pellet Stove than if we do nothing and pay for propane. I guess it all depends how much the installation, equipment etc will end up being...
I would like to be LESS dependant on oil. Our water heater is heated with propane - but maybe I'd change it to be heated differently. My stove is electric... Perhaps, I'll have my water heater on electricity as well... Not sure. I'd still keep my Propane boiler, in the event that we leave for a week or so - we can turn down the heat and have the propane heat the house instead of the Pellet Stove since we are not there to fill the tank.
Right now i have a propane stove on the first floor - would like to have this stove put upstairs in our bedroom and the pellet stove on the first floor. In the last 3 years - we've had several days (5-6) in which we didn't have power - so having the gas stove upstairs (doesn't need electricity to start) would keep our bedroom warm!
Anyways, this is a long post!!! My question is - anyone of you have one? Do you Like it? Does it furnish decent heat? How much was your stove and how much was your installation... Anything that can prepare me metally before the man comes in.
The good thing is that my cheminey has 2 flues - cause i know they cannot use the same flue... Anyways... Enlight me please!!!