choice has to be made - opinions?

[robson]

oil fired hot water rad furnace won't see another winter. Though a woodstove supplements heat I am at an impass wether to reinstall a new furnace or remove it and go with electric baseboard. 200amp service is in, rad pipes are in wall so when removed it would be ideal for running wires. Labor is not an issue - Home is 80 yrs old, 1800 sq feet, well insulated with new pellas. I live in the north east I am a senior on a fixed income. The fluctuation in heating fuel cost is scaring the crap out of me and I need some unbiased sound advice on the way to go. At least with electric once it's in I have no worries (chimmney, maintaining, oil tank etc.)? But cost of electric will one day soon equal cost of oil heat? Don't know what to do.

Thanks

[hallerb]

in nearly all parts of the country elreectric costs more than oil, primarily since lots of oil is burned to generate electric.

your better off installing a new oil furnace or natural gas if its available.

[Colbyt]

Here at 6.6 cents per KWH it would be a no brainier. Start by calling your utility company and finding out what you KWH cost is for a total electric. Then you will be able to compare costs. You may even find that the engineering department of your local utility can convert the gallons of fuel oil to an estimated KWH usage for the prior winter. They aren't impartial but they won't lie to you either. Just remember that if they give you a figure it will be for heating only and you will need to add normal electric usage onto that amount.

Colbyt

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Just to help you discuss things better, you have a boiler, not a furnace. Boilers heat water or make steam, furnaces heat air.

In most every case, electric is very expensive. There are web sites that will allow you to do cost comparisons for different fuels.

In my case, the cost of electric (.16/kWh) would be double the cost of oil, even at $2.40 per gallon. Most older oil boilers are about 70% to 75% efficient. It may even be marked on the service ticket from the last time it was cleaned. Newer models may be better.

[Mac Cool]

Edwin Pawlowski:

Nice calculator

Maybe I should put in a woodstove. I would save almost $1500/year on heating.

[Goedjn]

Do both. Baseboard resistance heaters are cheap.

[hallerb]

baseboard heaters are realtively cheap BUT your better off getting a very high efficency bolier and insulation upgrade.

let alone whole house electric will no doubt require a new service including main panel, meter can and service head.

at least a grand if your lucky, more likey 2 thousand:(, better investment is insulation and new oil burner.