Heating Oil and Wood Pellet Prices About Equal

Where do you track those numbers? I'd like to keep an eye on that as well

 

I just take screenshots from the NH Department of Energy website every once in a while, so I don't really "track" them.

I Googled for Massachusetts home heating fuel costs and found this website. Actually, it is kind of cool since it has graphs for oil and propane price trends. However, when I scrolled further down, it looks like pellet and wood prices haven't been updated since 2021 (or maybe they never updated the heading?). I did not see anywhere that they put all prices in a row for a nice comparison either.

 

I'm sure everything is more expensive in MA than in NH. Thanks, I'll look it over.

 

The website info is posted by the Mass Department of Energy Resources. I sent them an email asking them to update it. Thanks again, for pointing me in the right direction. I didn't really mean track them, but it's to know where to go to find the numbers.

 

Not necessarily. You are closer to the propane sources so I would expect that to be cheaper.

 

True. Gasoline seems to be slightly less expensive, sometimes. I don't use propane so I'm not sure about that. My son runs oil and pellets and I'm electric baseboard (ugh) NG water heated and woodstove. NH is for sure less on the life staples of alcohol and smokes.

 

Odd NG hot water but no heat option? Nothing cheaper BTUs here than NG. NG company gives interest free loan, free $, for heater don’t need chimney direct vent. Not trying to argue, but help because here anything better than regular electric resistance baseboards. Mini splits or electric price solar solutions in other threads, too many mention bogieb researches a lot, very wise woman I hold in high regard.

 

First, thanks for your info, I do appreciate it! I have given this matter lots of thought and maybe over the winter, I can take time and re-visit our options for a different manner of heat.

I'm not sure what I could run heat wise on NG? I don't have air vents for forced hot air and and I can't even imagine the nightmare trying to retro-fit hot water heat.

The house is on a slab, no chimney. Electric Baseboard for heat and originally an electric water heater. About 25 years ago the gas company brought service down our road. They ran a connection to the house as long as we hooked up a stove or water heater, whatever. They put in a direct vent NG water heater. I've looked at splits and I like them but just digging in and doing it... I just put a new EDPM roof on my family room addition, had new skylights installed and vinyl siding installed around the 30x45 addition. I also just replaced the water heater and installed a water softener so the water here will stop eating my pipes alive.

Since the house is on a slab, I have a utility room on the front corner of my house with an exterior door. All of utilities are in the 4x12 room. Gas, Water, Electric, Cable and the plumbing stack. To run a mini split I'd have to put the outdoor unit near that utility room to pick up the electricity. There is no other direct access to run electrical wiring for that unit. If it's located by the utility room all the lines to the heads can be run right up to the attic via the chase that the stack is in. Then down to the bedrooms. The utility room is also adjacent to the living room, so easy run there. The family room is a tough one. We have access to the ceiling in the kitchen via the utility room, but it comes out on the wrong wall. The only other option is to run an outside chase about 10 feet high from the utility room, across the side of the house. Aesthetically, a little hard on the eyes. I had planned on installing a whole house NG generator as well in the near future so splits would be fighting for space there as well.

Anyway, I'm committed to a new woodstove and chimney to be installed hopefully in the next couple of weeks and in the spring a bathroom remodel and a new driveway, front walkway and some landscape work in the front yard.

Our NG Supplier here is National Grid. The state has a program called MASS Save that runs all of the deals for heating and cooling... rebates loans etc. Our electricity is a different division of the same company and Mass Save also includes Mini-splits and other systems.

 

Ok Burnin Since 1991 you gave description I am better when seeing it.. BUT
Off top of my head cheap n dirty.. easy install probably cheaper than wood n chimney.. gas fireplace direct vent, it’s a space heater, same as wood stove in sense . No vents to balance heat

 

I am way better visual as well. And you have stirred my memory. Years ago we discussed doing that very thing. I will have to re-visit the DV NG stove or whatever. I have seen some that look like small woodstoves that are pretty decent looking. I will look into that some more. Thanks for the ideas. And I will start a new thread at some point and post pics to help with the visuals.

Back to our regularly scheduled thread.

 

That's a really good idea. At least some of them can be run without electricity or have a small battery pack for ignition in case of power outage. I never think of NG options since there isn't any run within 30-40 miles of my place, so it will never be an option for me.

 

Understood bogieb I have NG line at Neibhor’s farm; not a go to house line a 6” high pressure from Canada. I Been here, in house, over 20 years haven’t got NG here.. game on VTgas.. I hate propane, no just pricing policies, efficiency not reward..

Years ago, Burnin Since 1991 , ok I got 10,000 posts I don’t remember that one… Oh NO I am not perfect don’t tell my wife
A joke my brides beautiful


Woodstock soapstone in NH has 1 IIRC Gas heater looks like woodstove I am sure others do, My nephew installs them for a living

 

Thanks for that. The link is a pretty cool little unit and no electricity required is a bonus.