First Gas Bill Since Burning Coal

 
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DennisH
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Posts: 336
Joined: Mon. Feb. 21, 2011 8:35 am
Location: Escanaba, MI
Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Yukon-Eagle Klondike IV
Other Heating: Propane

Post by DennisH » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 7:53 am

If I were using propane as my primary heat source in winter (we use if for dryer, hot water, stove, heat only on cool days in spring or fall) it would set me back, at a minimum, of $500 per month, and our propane is relatively "cheap" at $1.92 per gallon. And that would be keeping the thermostat set at 65degF. For me to use coal is still half that, and I keep the house at 72degF, so it's a great deal! :D I'd hate to think what it would cost me to keep house @ 72 with propane. :shock:


 
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Formulabruce
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Posts: 288
Joined: Sat. Feb. 02, 2013 8:02 pm
Location: in the "Shire" ( New Hamp -shire)
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harmon Mark 1 Goldenfire
Coal Size/Type: BLASHAK Nut and Stove size
Other Heating: Blower from a gas furnace if I need to move air, no heat

Post by Formulabruce » Tue. Dec. 09, 2014 11:16 am

cabinover wrote:
Formulabruce wrote: And my Propane 95% eff. condensate furnace, running on natural gas, just Sucks, and blows Warm air at best. The cycles are way longer. Nat gas is WEAK for a forced hot air system, and I only would use in future on a wall style unit or emergency.
I don't think your problem is with Nat Gas. LP would heat the exact same way in that furnace. They are no longer hot air furnaces but warm air furnaces. In obtaining that 95% efficiency they scrub the exhaust for more scavenged heat before it goes out the chimney. That's why you can hold your hand in the exhaust at full bore and get nothing but a wet hand.

Try that with my older LP furnace and you get a burn. You also don't get 95% efficiency with it.

The upside to longer cycles is that your whole house (and it's contents) get warm, not just scorched air and then immediately back to brrrrrrr....
I have run LP And Nat gas in the Rheem. I run the correct size gas pipe. Natural gas, and at less than 1/10th the pressure, is a weaker fuel than LP. The Furnace BTU Input/hr is LOWER with Nat gas. When using Propane I used to leave my furnace OFF during the day in the winter, then turn it back on at 530 pm. At 6pm the house was warm. Yes the air coming out was HOT. Now its "warm" at best and cycle is over 1 hour to do "almost" the same job. Got plenty of humidity too.
More electricity with the natural gas
Less heat
Longer to get "warm"
Natural gas is for a wall heater, ceramic, room style IMHO, not an old house
Of course this is My Opinion, however I could line up plenty who "feeL" luke warm at best
The Rheem ( Blower motor) now does a good job blowing around the REAL coal heat ! :D

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