Home heating quesiton from a Southerner.

[SouthernDem2004]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to use an electric heat pump? Why do so many use gas and oil? Do they heat better?

Thanks

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Not necessarily

when it gets really cold, the heat pump can't get a house as warm as is needed for the cost of electricity. Personally, I like heating with wood, or using geothermal energy.

[ProfessorGAC]

2. Two Reasons

The capacity of a heat pump is quite low. It's fine to heat a house from the morning chill in TN, or GA, but up here in the Chicago area, it wouldn't be near enough. By the time the capacity is raised highly enough to make it heat a whole house with a delta T of 70 degrees, there are far less efficient than combustion. So, it takes more energy to heat the same number of cubic feet due to efficiency losses.

Hence, the second reason. Electric heat is notoriously expensive. There was a big move around here back in the late 50's early 60's to build "all electric" houses. Didn't last very long. People started to compare their electric bills to their neighbors' electric and gas bills, and in a flash, "all electric" was a thing of the past.

Until there is a source for electricity that requires extraordinarily low fuel costs (fusion?), the inherent efficiencies of direct combustion heating will always be less than those of electric heating.
The Professor

[kath]

10. Yes - the "all-electric" home is a nightmare in terms of utility bills.

Plus, any sort of real cook tends to HATE cooking on an electric stove.

[HereSince1628]

16. If you have a geo-assisted heat pump the cost of operation is competitive

with gas and fuel oil, and much much cheaper than base board or forced air electric, in SE Wisconsin. And that comparison to gas and oil is going to get better with elevated fossil fuel costs.

The only think I see as cheaper in operating cost for rural SE Wisconsin is burning kerneled corn.

[maine_raptor]

3. Up here in Maine

The frost line can get down as much as 6 to 10 feet. Combine that with an outside temp that goes for days on end with a high temp below 32 degrees (with several weeks below 0) and heat pumps just cannot put out enough BTU's.

Wood is good, but is very labor intense and causes interior air problems (smoke, soot, etc).

Oil and gas are better, but the costs ($)!!!!!!!

A combination of oil and wood are what is most popular up here.

[havocmom]

7. Have you been around a pellet stove as opposed to wood stove?

Lots of them showing up here in Montana. They can be fitted with a feeder to keep it going hours without tending. Works well up here.

Old wood stoves are a bit of a pain to tend.

[maine_raptor]

11. Pellet Stoves are good

Have a friend with one. But I own some land and can get the wood I need (4 cords per year) off it cheaper than buying pellets.

The other type of heating unit now replacing wood stoves and oil burners up here is the Monitor Kerosene Heater. But currently the price per gallon of kerosene is hight than #2 heating oil.

[merbex]

12. I stacked 3 cord of wood yesterday -it took me 6 hours

my reward was I got to see Joe Wilson in Worcester MA last night

[havocmom]

15. Nice little reward!

Doubt he will be anywhere near my area.

We are putting in a boiler and radiator system right now. The new radiators are flat and sleek. The system will enable us to leave home in the winter if we want to... and with family & friends in the Southwest, who wouldn't want too? :D

[whatever4]

4. I think it's cost, gas is cheaper, which is changing now

With the cost now, it sounds silly to say, but the houses and businesses were built that way because the gas or oil was more economical than electric heat. It was one of the considerations we had in buying this house, gas heat. Editing to say, here in the midwest.

Of course, now it looks like that has changed, permanently, the cheaper oil or gas. The homes and businesses can't change over to electric overnight, so, it's going to be a big problem, but I know, you already knew that.

It was just cheaper.

[kath]

It's much cheaper to produce heat via natural gas, rather than via

electricity (or at least it has been). MUCH cheaper to run a gas furnace rather than electric (or heat pump, except perhaps in mild climates), also gas water heaters & dryers (and probably stoves and ovens) are cheaper to run than the electric version.

[SmokingJacket]

5. For a long time electricity was WAY more expensive than gas.

Now, I'm not so sure, but it's too late to change systems.

[trogdor]

6. Until recently, gas heat was WAY cheaper.

Not anymore. I'll bet you see LOTS of ads for heat pumps down there before long. They work fine down south where a "cold" winter day is a 20 degree overnight low from what I've heard, but their efficiency drops like a rock as it gets colder. That's why we use oil up here in the Northeast. The price is usually pretty stable compared to gas, and you can store a lot of BTU's in a tank in the basement. But I digress.

The other kewl thing about a heat pump is that it simplifies your HVAC system by combining heat and AC. Builders like 'em because they're easier and cheaper to set up. Look at the SEER rating when buying a heat pump, just like you would an air conditioner.

[Skidmore]

8. Electricity is supposed to go up by 40%, next year or so we've

been told in this area. It really is not much cheaper now. Lots of people bought natural gas systems because it was cheaper than electricity and cleaner than oil or coal.

Right now, no options are good, if you don't have money. I'd love to install geothermal, but can't afford it now. And I'm unwilling to take on a large loan right now as well.

It can get pretty cold up here. We've had real temperatures stay in the -25F range for days, with windchills of -70F. Had a coworker who moved up from the south once who told me one frigid winter morning, "They told me it would be cold here, but they never told me that the snot would freeze in your nose."

Insulate and caulk your house. Put rugs at the bottom of the door. Weatherproof, weatherproof, weatherproof. Wear layers and use plenty of blankets at night. Get a programmable thermostat and set the temps down when you are gone or sleeping. If you would like a little extra heat while you are home, slow cook a roast or bake bread. It'll take the edge off of chill.

[kath]

14. Down comforters and lowering the thermostat is our plan to get through

the winter without a $400-$500 heating bill. That, plus dressing warmly during the day.

A down comforter is SOOO warm and comfy. Found some on clearance at Tuesday Morning and TJMaxx - they don't necessarily need to cost big bucks.

[Loonman]

9. Gas and oil used to always be cheaper than electric

Not anymore....

[npincus]

13. had a heat pump once: EXPENSIVE.