Kevintripod
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|  #1 Posted on 11.1.08 0855.57 | Instant Rating: 5.00 | Found out the other day that I'm going to be needing a new furnace. I have a propane furnace at the moment, but I want to know which type of heat should I get that will save me the most money on heating bills in the long term ? The obvious choice for me would be natural gas, but we don't have that option here out in the country.
So my options are Propane, Oil or Electric heat.
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| #2 Posted on 11.1.08 1540.42 | Instant Rating: 8.81 | Electric offers you the most flexibility in the long term, and therefore offers the most price stability. BUT - Propane works when the power is out.
I would not do Oil, as I think that the long term regulations for old oil tanks are going to make this prohibitively expensive in the next 20 years. This is one of those sleeping dogs of the environmental movement...
My theory - there are more ways to make electricity than there are to make propane or oil, so if the costs go up across the board, there are more possibilities for cheaper electricity than the others.
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| #3 Posted on 14.1.08 0707.55 | Instant Rating: 6.74 | Originally posted by Guru Zim
Electric offers you the most flexibility in the long term, and therefore offers the most price stability. BUT - Propane works when the power is out.
I would not do Oil, as I think that the long term regulations for old oil tanks are going to make this prohibitively expensive in the next 20 years. This is one of those sleeping dogs of the environmental movement...
My theory - there are more ways to make electricity than there are to make propane or oil, so if the costs go up across the board, there are more possibilities for cheaper electricity than the others.
What works depends on the furnace. During our ice storms last month, the high efficiency furnaces wouldn't operate with a standard generator as he power supply is too variable. One guy burned up his furnace motor. I agree that electric is the most stable and oil is your least attractive choice. Is natural gas an option?
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| #4 Posted on 14.1.08 1835.44 | Instant Rating: 4.05 | Originally posted by Kevintripod
The obvious choice for me would be natural gas, but we don't have that option here out in the country.
So my options are Propane, Oil or Electric heat.
That would be a no, DrDirt.
Would there be a way to look at the cost of ownership on some different type of furnaces? I would advocate electric but looking at my monthly bills, I hope there is a cheaper alternative.
My furnace is 20 years old (came with the house) so I could just replace it for a more efficient model...
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