Another Oil Heat Obituary?

Ken D.

Read this article from Levittown, Pa. Jan. 26th. Phillyburbs.com . Click on News then Courier Times and then Costs Spur Search For Heating Options article. Snake oil or what?

Steve Garson_2

This is total b.s.

Ken Field

It's amazing

what a lack of accurate information can do to perpetuate an argument. The job probably includes an Amish fireplace for those extra cold nights.

Michael Wilson

$$$

"I had priced out a new oil burner and above ground tank, but that would have been $16,000, and I paid $14,000 for this system."


WOW!! For a Levittown Home? I know we don't talk price here... but what kind of boiler and tank do you suspect he was quoted on?



Mike

k_2

re

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times/courier_times_news_details/article/28/2009/january/26/costs-spur-search-for-heating-options.htmlre

Michael Wilson

did u mean this one?








http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/the_intelligencer/the_intelligencer_news_details/article/27/2009/january/26/a-green-alternative-to-oil-heat.html

Perry_5

Hmmm... its possible..

First: I quite believe that this person could have been quoted that kind of $$$ for a new underground storage tank and heating system. The article indicates that this person has had a number of tanks leak - which means that you move up to a more exotic tank that will not leak. They cost $$$$$. You just can't keep installing plan carbon steel tanks that leak in a few years.

Second: Electric heat has its place; and depending on how the Utility has things set up it may even be the most economical option.

Back in the early 90's I did all the wiring for an electric heat retrofit on an old farmhouse that used off peak electricity at greatly reduced pricing (part of the deal of my living cheap in the place).

The system had its own meter (on a timer). Its own 200 Amp panel (that the utility locked), and about 1/2 dozen brick filled registers that took hundreds of feet of 8 guage wiring. Each register also had a 120 V thermostat that controlled a blower.

At night the bricks would get heated up, and their was enough thermal mass to heat the house all day - even on the coldest day.

It was a very simple system. The Electric rates were about 1/2 of the normal rates on the other meter.

The Utility donated the cost of running a heavier utility service to the house. That utility converted about 10% of their customer base to offpeak electric heat over a 15 year period. Then they stopped offering it as they had brought up their night loads to an appropriate level (there is a minimum amount you can back off most power plants.... which is why eclectic utilities also push street lighting as it is almost always an off peak load).

I am sure that it was no more expensive to install (and perhaps a lot cheaper) than a new boiler - especially with my "donated" labor on the wiring.

Quite honestly, I did inquire with my local utility if they had an off peak electric power deal for home heating when I was looking at my house. I figured an electric boiler with a huge storage tank would have done the job well. But, no deal.

Perry

Michael Wilson

off peak hours

I'm calling the electric company tomorrow.



Mother says it never hurts to ask!

bb_10

Not an obit,

but an opportunity for a good business man to find another solution to offer their customers. The utility is dropping the rate to 7.5 cents per Kw which is not bad. However, once the rate freezes stop I am sure the rates are going to go up quite a bit.

There are always choices, and it's good to learn about the pros and cons of each.

bb

Steamhead (in transit)

Kind of like

those "introductory" interest rates on credit cards, eh?

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Robert O'Connor_12

93 yr. old freezes to death @ home

How about this one!

Is the utility to blame? Interesting........

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090126/ap_on_re_us/frozen_indoors


Robert O'Connor/NJ

bb_10

Oil

at $3 + per gallon. Natural Gas up 12% over last year.

What are the introductory prices of using fossil fuels?

food for thought.

bb