wrote in message
...
I'm no engineer but here's my question;
we have a log home, approx 3,500 sq ft in PA, we have a great location
for a windmill and I'm seriously considering installing a windmill
that can augment and hopefully replace most of my oil usage.
the oil burner feeds a hot water baseboard system with 7 zones. We
use the zones to heat only what we need but it's still getting
expensive.
I'm not looking to necessarily come out ahead, breaking even on the
installation of a windmill over 10 to 15 years and sending less $$ to
the Middle East would be very satisfying to me.

Are there ways to convert the oil burner to electric, from some of the
other postings that does not look feasible.
Would it be better to put some large electric heater in the basement
with heat rising throughout the house to reduce oil usage?
Installing all electric baseboard is probably not feasible in a log
home, wiring would be difficult and I don't think I have the capacity
in the existing electric panel.

Any advice is appreciated.
Keith Wolf
Northeast PA
If you do not have the capacity for electric baseboard heat in your panel,
you do not have the capacity for any kind of electrical heat except possibly
a heat pump. Baseboard heat is very efficient since all of the electricity
is converted to heat and it is directly in the rooms where needed. A heat
pump is more efficient unless the outside temperature is very low.

It is very unlikely that you can install and maintain a windmill system
large enough to generate adequate power for home heating. If available, the
electric utility is nearly always the cheapest source for large amounts of
power.

Don Young