Ralph Mowery:
Raleigh.
We have been gradually improving the insulation and leakiness of the house. Its a 40 year old house, built like a fortress but there was practically no insulation when we moved in.
phil scott:
Thanks for all the info, much appreciated.
Dick Adams:
When I lived in Wilson we had a heat pump and never had a problem with it. It kept the house temperature comfortable. Although you didn't get the sudden warm up when you turned the thermostat up - temperature change was more gradual.
phil scott:
Taking into account the efficiency of the propane furnace I estimated that propane and straight electric heat break in heat produced (therms I guess) at around $2.50/G for propane. It was a couple of years ago that I calculated this, may have changed slightly. My only point of calculating was to see if using space heaters would save money.
I get the tank topped off in the summer when its cheap but the winter refills kick my butt as the price often doubles in the winter.
Then the insulation is what you really need to put in first. I lived in a 1200 sqft house built in 1965 near Charlotte with almost no insulation in it and the heating bill was very high with a natural gas furnace. While I was in the process of moving and selling the house, it was costing a large ammount with an empty house and the thermostat set as low as it would go just to keep the pipes from freezing. In a 2000 sqft house where we only use about 1300 sqft downstairs , the total bill for electricity including the heatpump is less than the nautral gas bill was. The house is well insulated.
electric space heaters have serveral serious advantages... spot heat in an otherwise cold room... and zonable to just the rooms you are using.
If I were on propane Id consider that option.
You can check the efficiency of various types of electric portables. I think the ones that look like a steam radiator but filled with oil might be a lot more efficient that the cheapo' red hot coil of wire types...but you'd have to check.
Phil scott
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