RE: [UC] Oil vs. Gas Heat

[Mario Giorno]

Title: Message

Marianne,       That's been my usual plan of attack. However, I more interested in finding non-fossil fuel alternatives for generating heat energy. Solar cells and basement batteries are another long-term avenue I'm looking into. I've also found solar-powered attic fans. Another thing the oncoming winter has me thinking of is better insulation such as replacement windows, window shrink-wrap insulation ala Scotch or 3M, better insulation of electrical wall sockets and floor plates, heavy drapes, etc.       I think if I were Naomi (Hi, Naomi!!!) I'd just go with the gas heater for now, because it's the cleaner fossil fuel and requires no delvery guy coming over. The smell of oil is a small issue with me, but getting the tank in and out can be a pain in the ass, if you ever want to switch to gas later on. My parents originally had oil heating in their house, when it was built in 1958. They switched over to gas heating in the early 80's but had to leave the tank in the basement, because it was too wide to carry up the stairs and out the door. The only solution was to eventually chop it up.     Stay warm everyone.   Mario "You're Friendly Neighborhood Mario" Giorno -----Original Message----- From: Marianne Das [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 4:07 AM To: Mario Giorno; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; 'Naomi' Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [UC] Oil vs. Gas Heat All-electric homes are quite common in the suburbs, but they are quite expensive. One solution to cutting the cost of heating is to turn down the thermostat in the house and use an electric space heater in the room or rooms you use most.   Marianne Das [EMAIL PROTECTED]  ----- Original Message ----- From: Mario Giorno To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' ; 'Naomi' Cc: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 2:39 PM Subject: RE: [UC] Oil vs. Gas Heat Does anyone on the list know if there is an all-electric heating system for homes? Mario Giorno -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 12:51 PM To: Naomi Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [UC] Oil vs. Gas Heat I suggest you go to: www.heatinghelp.com and click on "the wall" where you can post your question. This site is frequented by some very bright heating experts. I have gotten some priceless advice from them re: my old steam system. Wes LaBlanc -------------- Original message from Naomi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: -------------- I am in the process of purchasing a UC house that needs the 50 year-old gas heater replaced. We are considering switching to oil - or some other way to heat that does not rely on a monopoly like PGW - and wanted to solicit opinions. (Has anyone done this recently? Any success or horror stories?) We have a few factors that we are basing our decision on: The Environment - Which has more of an impact? (Our initial thought was that gas was cleaner but I'm guessing that gas and oil come from the same base ingredient and I have no idea what is involved on the back end to turn it into gas.) Are there any other realistic alternatives? Cost - We're not wealthy. And the house needs a lot of additional work right away. Both the conversion/upgrade and the long term use need to be competitively priced. Convenience & Ease of use - Is it relatively easy to maintain? When there is a problem, will people actually come to fix it?   Any and all opinions appreciated. (And if I missed any big factors, feel free to let me know what I haven't considered yet.) Thanks. Naomi White Dog Cafe                   3420 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19104                 http://www.whitedog.com          (215) 386-9224 x105                The Black Cat Gift Shop 3426 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 http://www.blackcatshop.com ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.