"Dimitrios Paskoudniakis" wrote in message
. ..
My 3000+ sq ft (incl basement) house has two-zone heating/cooling, with
an oil furnace and air conditioner for the basement and first floor, and a
heat pump for the upstairs.

I bought the house three years ago, when oil was less than $2.00 per
gallon.

Due to the high cost of oil, I called the oil company about budget billing
(same price every month), and was told they are using $4.50 per gallon as
a planning number for next heating season, and said I use about 280
gallons per heating season.

Also, I live in Maryland where the local utility company was deregulated
and for the first time in 15 years, was able to raise rates last year.
They claimed it was a 50% increase. I don't see how a jump from about
$150 to $300 per month is 50%. That's 100%. With oil heat on the first
floor, my annual monthly average use is about 2400 kWh per month.

Where I live there is no natural gas available.

I'm sure this has been discussed here before, but is it worth an
investment for me to switch from oil and a/c for the basement and first
floor to a second heat pump or other energy source? If so, what other
factors need to be considered, for example will my electric panel be able
to handle two heat pumps? I have neighbors with two heat pumps rather
than one plus oil/ a/c - that's what the builder installed for them.

What about a propane tank?

Finally, my oil tank is full. Would I be better to deplete it over the
next winter, then convert?

What is a typical cost to convert? Will a HVAC company dispose of the oil
tank? Any other issues to consider? If this is a viable investment, how
long will it take to realize a positive return on the investment?


Is it warm enough in Maryland to get much efficency out of a heat pump ?
Being in an area where it does not get much below 30 deg, many days out of
most years a heat pump seems to be the way to go.
I have one and on some days when it gets in the 20's I will sometimes start
up a wood stove in the basement. I do not usually burn it too much, but do
have it for emergency heat if the power goes out for a long period of time.
That has not hapened to me in the 4 years I have lived here. In another
house it was out for about 3 days (2 nights) and an unvented natural gas
heater I had installed in a single carport that had been enclosed saved us
from being cold.
I usually only burn a stack of wood about 4 feet high and 6 feet long and
about 18 inches wide. The basement is not heated as a rule, but I do have
one room about 12 x 20 that has a dropped cealing and heat it with an
electric bathroom type heater if I plan on being in that room for a while.