On May 29, 10:39*am, (---MIKE---) wrote:
15 years ago oil was about $.80 a gallon so it was more cost effective
than electric heat. *Now, with oil over $4.00 a gallon it would seem
that electric heat (electricity *hasn't gone up all that much) would
make sense. *I am thinking of buying several portable electric heaters
to supplement my furnace next winter. *

* * * * * * * * * ---MIKE---In the White Mountains of New Hampshire

* (44° 15' *N - Elevation 1580')


I'd start by investigating the cost of the windmill part of the
equation. There was an article in the local paper about windmill
sizes, height, etc. As I recall, a modest size generator producing
around 6KW, needed about a 25+ ft diameter blade and was typicall
mounted on a 100 ft tower. That doesn't sound too practical to me.
But I'm sure you can find cost and other info online. And find out
about how much money you can get by selling power back to your
utility. Then you can estimate the economics of the generation part
of the equation.

On the furnace side, I'd say you'd want to put an electrically heated
boiler in parallel with the existing furnace. That way, when the wind
isn't blowing, you could use oil. Putting simple electric heaters in
the basement and hoping that heat will rise is a non-starter. Most
of the heat will be lost in the basement.