On the website "Efficiency Maine" a lot of sound information has been put together. I am sharing a table that you can alter with cost in your area which discusses home heating cost and related items such as hot water cost and efficiency. here:Compare Home Heating Costs I don't think folks know how affordable to buy and operate Heat pumps are, but if that is not for you, compare other fuels and burners.
It takes a lot of planning to live in Retirement in New England. The utilities are among the challenges to those on fixed incomes.
With my cost for electric here in Ma. I can't make the numbers for anything electric work. I'm not going to live long enough to make solar panels a ROI for heat. 6 or 7 years ago when so many were changing to natural gas for heat I stuck with oil and so far am glad I did.
Interesting. Nat Gas is cheap here. I'm having gas ran to the house in next couple weeks. Currently run heat pump and burn wood stove in basement. I'm a scrounger and wood is nowhere to be found around here like it was 3 years ago. 98% high effciency gas furnace to be installed along with a furnace mounted humidifier.
Until you calculate what it would cost to change over. And even then, I'll still take wood heat as I don't think it can be beat for heat in winter.
Basically for me, the only cost would be running the gas line from the street to my house (600 feetish). My cooktop came with 2 sets of valves, so I would switch those out...My generator is just a switch... and my furnace would need to be switched back to the way it came (I may have to call some one for that). Any thoughts on what it would cost to run the gas line??
My house was originally built as a retirement cabin by my grandparents. The only backup to the wood stove is electric space heaters. I'm in Arkansas, so it doesn't get super cold. Lowest it got last year was 2°, but that's not normal. It's usually in the teens at the lowest. Sent from my LML212VL using Tapatalk
I would too if I were able to handle the wood. Cindy used to help, but no more since both knees replaced and the diabetes. In fact, I have to hire someone to come 3 hrs a week to help out with the housework. Wood heat, nothing beats it in my mind. comfort +++. That being said, we are older and older and an automatic back up is important to have. Should I get sick, or hospitalized, or if I wanted to be away, I have to have something that keep the house warm. Same reason for having back up generators. Best thing there is a heat pump. Like those ductless mini splits. Nearly impossible to beat them for something to do both heating and cooling. But considering the equipment you already have, definitely go with the NG. That will be a hose, about the size of a garden hose that they will run to your building. Hook up to your other gas service and change out the valves. The NG services around here are very accommodating. My daughter and her husband are doing that next month. (new boiler) Lots of tax credits/rebates for having that done.
NG is not an option. I live three miles from BFE. There's not even water available on this side of the lake. Sent from my LML212VL using Tapatalk
1 year before we bought our home....it was completely remodeled...previous homeowner left all paper work n billings..($85,000)...they also left what they paid in fuel cost (fuel oil)for the winter of 16-17....$615.27. Even know i thought that was reasonable...the wife n i knew we were gonna burn wood for primary heat.. We had 3 chainsaws,19 ft. trailer 6 years before we bought our home just knowing what our plans were. For 2 full winters now....we average 55 gal. used. Wife gets up at 4 am for work n i like to warm it up a little if the fire has died down. Burnin wood is in my blood...keeps me active n basically...i like all the aspects of it. We'll do it as long as we can...
Expensive, those trades men talk in phone numbers any more. Call the gas supplier and see if you can run it. Rent a trencher for the day, easy job. Gas company might make the end hook ups, street and meter, you would only have to do inside your house to meter.
Since you offered up your advice, I will ask another question LOL. The gas line will cross a creek between the street and my house...will I have to go under the creek or can the line be hung off the side of the bridge? There is approx 12"-18" of concrete above the high point of the culvert.
I cut my own wood and split by hand. So cost is my time. I have pellet stove back up which would be about $1700 and Oil furnace back up fir about $2300 So it looks like I'll be staying on as a FHC member!
I d I do not know the answer but based on what I have seen in the past, I would say it would be mounted to the side of the culvert in black iron pipe. Plastic pipe underground with a riser connecting to BIP across the culvert then a riser down to plastic again. I have seen it done this way many times.
Thanks Brother, that is what I figured but did not think about switching the pipe to iron when it was out of the ground.
