Title: Re: [UC] Oil vs. Gas Heat
If you haven’t already found this resource, Real Goods - http://www.realgoods.com/ - has really good eco-alternatives to many household things. (Composting toilets, anyone!) They also have good books on greening your home. Plus they have solar panels and personal use wind turbines. They also have smaller green products. I was looking at their catalog this morning and was thinking about how else we could heat our new house to be. (They also had the fryer-oil heaters but they looked really messy and I’ve been around them before. Everything smells like French Fries. Which isn’t awful. But then the Pavlovian response kicks in and I get a fried foods craving. And I just can’t live in a house that is going to make me crave bad fast food all the time!

Naomi


on 11/12/04 4:30 PM, Mario Giorno at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

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 <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>  
 
To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' ; 'Naomi' <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>  
 
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 <http://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



 

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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

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