On May 31, 6:54�am, ransley wrote:
On May 30, 11:24�pm, "Dimitrios Paskoudniakis"





wrote:
"ransley" wrote in message

...
On May 30, 7:48 pm, "Dimitrios Paskoudniakis"
wrote:

"ransley" wrote in message

....
On May 30, 5:20 pm, "Dimitrios Paskoudniakis"
wrote:

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?

What is the Kwh cost you now pay, that will determine if a heat pump
will save you money.

_______________

I mentioned I average $300 at 2400 kWh per month. That's about $0.125 per
kWh, when including taxes and fees loaded onto the utility's per unit
cost/kWh.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

.125c is fairly cheap, probably cheaper per btu than fuel oil but you
have to calculate the btu of each, boiler efficency and heat pump
output. And when is your utility co alowed another increase.

_______________

.125c is 100 times cheaper than 12.5c.

Your exercise is what I asked for. �I want to know if someone in the group
knows which is cheaper (per BTU) - oil at $4.50 per gallon, or heat pump at
$0.125/kWh, and by how much, as well as the cost to convert, so I can
compute the duration to recoup the investment. �The utility is now
deregulated, so assume they can charge whatever they want, whenever they
want. �Just like oil.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Wake up man 12.5c is Twelve Dollars 50 cents a KWH, put the decimal in
the right place. And until you know your duct efficency, house
efficency, HP and oil units efficency you wont know anything. Poor
ducts can easily loose you 20% But I will say you likely pay double
over a well insulated home.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

many utilities use oil or natural gas to generate electricity.......

so power companies will raise rates, all energy is kinda chined
together.

how well insulated is your home? added insulation, air blower test,
looking at home with a infrared camera.

those upgrades can save big bucks forever no mtter the heat source.

incidently a ground source hat pump is likely the lowest cost central
heat today.

sadly the upfront costs are a killer, payback might take 10 years.

incidently our average winter gas bill in pittsburgh is now over 300
bucks per month

getting a new furnace this summer. our furnace is older than my wife,
a 1965 model that runs fine but no doubt a energy piggie