Input needed! Propane vs electricity

[I-6DZL]

Which is cheaper to use ? I'm talking as far as clothes dryer, oven/stove.



This is my first house by myself, i'm paying a small electric bill each month, but my propane bill kills me. I currently have the oven/stove, the furnace (new last year), clothes dryer, and hot water.

I'm in the market for a new washer and dryer, and a new oven/stove.



Plz help me decide which way to go!



Thanks

Curtis

 

[mikel]

We went propane for the simple reason that if the electricity goes out then I can fire up my small generator and have heat and hot water. I don't think many of us would want to buy the size generator it would take to do that with electric heat.



I think that at the moment elecrticity may be cheaper for the heater but I have never been a fan of electric heat so when we had to replace our unit just 3 months ago we didn't even look at any electric units.



The hot water heater, stove and dryer will use so little propane that you'll only fill the tank once a year or even less (assuming a decent sized tank) if those are the only things that run on propane.



Unfortunately if you switch units then you'll just switch from giving your money to the propane people to giving it to the electric people. The only real way to solve the issue, as my wife and I have learned the hard way, is to have additional insulation installed in your house and replace any inefficient single-paine windows with higher quality double-paine ones.



Sorry man, I feel your pain but I don't think that going to electric appliances if going to cut your overall energy expenses. You are chasing the symptoms of the problem and not looking at the actual problem.



Good luck,

Mike

 

[crabman]

I-6DZL,

I agree with mikel on upgrading on insulation, windows, etc.

Also check around for another propane supplier, the prices do vary from dealer to dealer. Some suppliers have a early buying program where you can to prebuy propane in June, July at WAY cheaper prices and then use it in the winter months.

I bought propane for $0. 65/gal (had to buy min. of 600gals) in June and in the winter the price was $1. 30/gal. I purchased 1200 gals @ the $0. 65/gal price and was very happy I did.

It is called supply and demand.

crabman

 

[PRyker]

As others have said I believe insulation the best way to go as well.



I will say this though... I believe the most "cost effective" route for heating is having a modern electric heat system supplemented by a modern wood stove heat. I have 2 electric Central Air / Heating system in my house. The first one is a large trane unit that heats or cools approx 80 % of the house. The other is a smaller system that heats and cools just the master bedroom and bathroom.



In winter a woodstove in the basement (heat rises) will create enough heat that the large Trane electric heater will never even come on. I plan to put a smaller wood stove in the master nedroom next fall so I can do the same in there.



If I had my way...



1. Wood stoves for heat

1. Electricity for AC/supplemental Heat

3. Propane for water heater, stove and dryer.



I believe this would be the cheapest setup for me. Wood is plentiful and can get really cheap if you look around. Heck, I have been able to get a few cords free from time to time with some work of course. The cool thing about having propane is that you have a supply for heating a workshop, running a propane powered genset off or even your BBQ grill.



PLUS... I absolutely LOVE wood heat. The warmth, small of burning wood outside and yes, even keeping firewood stacked.



Just my . 02 cents.



Phil

 

[justinp20012500]

I don't have LPG in my area, but gas is the only way to go for cost and efficiency.



I am going to change my clothes dyer and oven over to natural gas when the time comes. (I was lucky enough to have both options plumbed)



Electric ovens cook uneven and it takes longer to heat, plus costs more.



Typically gas ran appliances last two to three times longer then electric.





Justin

 

[mberry]

Around here, electricity is by far the cheapest way to go for most appliances. I hate electric heat too.



Consider an electric "instant on" water heater and get rid of the propane/NG water heater. Think about it, you use propane to heat your water 24 hours a day but how often do you actually use hot water? 1-2 hours a day on average? When I get my next house, that's what I am going to do.



Electric dryer.

Gas heat.

Gas stove.



That's my opinion for what it's worth.

 

[I-6DZL]

Thanks guys!!!!

guys i really appreciate all the input. I do have a woodstove in the basement that i do use when it's really cold outside. The only problem is that i have to refill the damn thing every 2 to 3 hrs. Having to run downstairs and stoke the fire back up gets to be a pain in the arse. I do have a source for all the wood i could ever ask for, so that's no problem.



The biggest problem i have is the house is just over 3K sq. ft. It is over 100 yrs old. It has old tar shingle siding. The windows have never been touched.

I priced windows and the cheap windows are exactly that..... CHEAP, so i would be ******* money down the drain. The expensive windows are exactly that..... EXPENSIVE. Way tooo much for me to put towards windows, right now.



Now another question for you guys. Have you ever heard of Preservation windows ? I had a quote from them to put in windows. For Temepered glass on every single bottom sash in the house (new state law, diff. topic) I would have to fork over close to 40k for triple pane, and close to 30 for double pane. The house has 22 windows that need replaced.

I know anything you do to a house or land is an investment, but i just can't see putting 30k windows in a house.



Thanks guys

Curtis

 

[PRyker]

Modern wood stoves require much less "stoking" and burn a long time on a few logs. My house is 2900 sq foot and if I fill the fire at 9:30 PM it is still warm in the house when I get up at 7:00 AM.



BUT... I do have very good insulation which helps a lot.



Sorry... cannot help with windows. I would say that 2 pane glass is worth it but beyond that it gets expensive and payback is much further out.



Phil

 

[I-6DZL]

Looks like i need to upgrade to more effecient wood stove... .



The house has blown in insulation. not sure how good that is... .



Curtis

 

[mikel]

Another thing that comes to mind is do you really need to heat 3k sqft?



Maybe just heat a smaller part of the house that you actually use regularly? You could upgrade the windows and insulation on the smaller (more often used) part and then as money allows finish the rest of the house?







Mike

 

[I-6DZL]

I am currently only heating the lower level of the house. The upstairs heat ducts are all closed. I have thought about upgrading the windows in the lower level of the house but we want to move upstairs within 1 year (or when i get our bathroom done up there)



Curtis