My net oil consumption for heat here in central CT (after removing the hot water portion) averages 650-700 gallons (with auto setback thermostats 68 downstairs, 63 in the bedroom). last year with the pellet stove going and the oil on backup for upstairs at night it was perhaps 50 gallons. 650 gallons at $1.90 a gallon is $1,235. 4 tons of pellets @ $269 is $1,076, but the house is 70 degrees downstairs 24/7. So it's getting close to a wash in terms of cost, but i'd much rather listen to the pellets dropping and the blowers than the oil monster in the basement. I think we will see some downward pressure come spring on pellet prices from the mill. besides my wife really likes the pellet stove, so even if they were giving away oil i'll run the pellet stove to avoid
-Exactly- the same here artc: wife is a happier camper w/ the Pellet stove running, much warmer in the living space. This is our first fall shoulder season - still getting some nice solar gain in the home, running the stove 10-12 hours a day is keeping the house comfortable @ 69-71 degrees. Until I can come up with a better solution to keeping the downstairs mechanicals (furnace, oil tank, pipes) in the half dirt basement / half crawl space on ledge above freezing, we will continue to burn oil as well, but any amount we can conserve for the start of the cold weather is a bonus here. Oil prices are lower, but still around 2.20 / gal for #2 Heating oil, it's cheaper to grab a bunch of 5 gal. cans and fill w/ off-road Diesel at the local fuel station here.. Trying to tame the oil monster, as much as possible, here also.
I love my pellet stove. Love the fire, the heat, the hunting, the experimenting and being able to stock up on advance. That being said if propane was close to the price of pellets I would burn propane. Except for maybe a ton for ambiance. I have two stoves now, to even the temps in the house, to pretty much what a conventional heating system would do, but it's a lot of work. Hauling six plus tons of pellets, stacking, cleaning stoves, filling hoppers. It is time consuming. But to each their own. What do I care what people want to spend their money on for heat or anything else. Now, unless propane drops from $3 a gallon to $1 or so I don't see it as a threat to my pellet piggish behavior, so don't you all worry, I will be around
That's my only option , I don't think electric is every going to be cheaper than pellets and even if it was I'd still burn 'em
Yep, what he said. In my situation, with 2 daughters in college, I have to save everything I can. I do have to say that while I love the warmth & ambiance of the pellet stoves, if I had one now along w/ the propane, I'd still have to go with the propane here. Based on both Fuel Cost Calculators I have, it's cheaper than pellets.....and throw in MUCH less work, etc. As others have said, everyone has to make choices based on their particular situation.
I asked because I find them interesting... Am I understanding you that they are significantly easier than helis? I know from guys I know, that helicopters are quite difficult for most.. This one local guy has done some absolutely beautiful work with his drone, setting the stuff to music and all.... for flight idiots like me, it's really impressive... Flight over Nubble Light, York, Maine - music by Zella Day - Compass - YouTube
With the gyros used today (6 axis) and GPS, Drones (quadcopters) are about the easiest to fly of any RC aircraft. These gyros can also be used in both airplanes and helis so they can be made more crash proof than they used to be, however, a quadcopter can correct itself much quicker than an airplane or heli so the chance of a crash is much less. Of the three, helis are by far the most impressive. I'm just an intermediate flyer but check out this video of someone who can get with the program.
The "plan" here is to use much more oil than usual and I really felt that at this time of the year I wouldnt even be lighting the stove yet. The truth is that the house is still warmer with the stove running for an hour or two in the evening, even at this time of year. I got use to warm floors and the house feels warmer upstairs with the basement heated. So I will use more oil than I have been but will also be using the stove on a regular basis along with it-luckily I still stocked up in the spring with enough LaCrete to get me through this winter. The end result this year may very well be a more even heat throughout the house by running both at moderate levels instead of one fuel source taking the bigger load. Win-win in my book !
Welcome Funflyer....love the avatar!!! Man I missed them during the sequester, We lost an airshow in this area that summer and last summer in Maine wasnt worth the drive as they had so little going on other than the Blue Angels and an F22 (although that must have been awesome!). Maybe next summer........
