The Horrors of Using Expensive Heating Fuel

 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Wed. Feb. 18, 2015 8:09 pm

My neighbors are new. They just moved in last summer. Nice couple around 30 years old, they have a little boy around 8-9 years old. I helped the man of the house get a job sellin bread where I work, his name is Mike.

They have been getting whaled with high heating bills using fuel oil. Mike's wife told me that they spent $1100 since Jan 1st this year and their house is only 1200 sq feet. They are excited to install a coal appliance over the summer after seeing what I have done and how much I'm spending to heat with. I'm looking forward to helping them out. :)

Anyone else have horror stories to share about neighbors or acquaintances getting railed with high bills? What about pellet shortages?

Share your story.. :)


 
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davidmcbeth3
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Post by davidmcbeth3 » Wed. Feb. 18, 2015 8:13 pm

Just me before I put in the stove .. and all my neighbors and guys all around.

:D :D

$1100/mo ? Wow.

 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Wed. Feb. 18, 2015 8:20 pm

I don't know what my oil burning neighbors are spending, but before coal I averaged 2000 gal a year. If I'd have been burning oil this year that's about $8000.00. When the base heater is hooked up, with the two stoves I figure I'll be using 9-10 ton of coal, or about $2500.00 to do the same.

The other horror story is that I had to have the pro-pain tank filled this summer. We only use it for the gas kitchen stove and clothes dryer in summer. Usually that's the cheapest time of year to buy pro-pain, but last summer it was $4.29 a gallon. :shock:

Paul

 
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Post by McGiever » Wed. Feb. 18, 2015 8:53 pm

Wasn't heating oil over $4.00 a gallon some years back?
Heating oil has been lower for this season than for any recent years.

Hold on to your hats for rising natural gas prices...it's the calm before the storm, as they say.

And those 96% efficency gas heaters are the repairman's bread and butter, vacations, college tuition and retirement all wrapped up in one. :)

 
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Doby
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Post by Doby » Wed. Feb. 18, 2015 9:40 pm

I read a post a week or two back where a couple in the ashland Pa area could not afford heating oil and the house was down to 45F, one of our oustanding members here with the help of his church group were buying up and installing used stoves to help them and others in the same boat.

Really touched me

 
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michaelanthony
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Post by michaelanthony » Wed. Feb. 18, 2015 10:04 pm

Doby wrote:I read a post a week or two back where a couple in the ashland Pa area could not afford heating oil and the house was down to 45F, one of our oustanding members here with the help of his church group were buying up and installing used stoves to help them and others in the same boat.

Really touched me
I second that Doby, the real horror of winter.

 
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windyhill4.2
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Post by windyhill4.2 » Wed. Feb. 18, 2015 10:29 pm

We know a couple who "warm" their house to mid-50's & huddle in blankets. Winter like last yr & this year are hard enough to get thru with a sane mind when one can warm up in the house, but to live in a cold house :eek2:


 
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Post by Snotzalot » Wed. Feb. 18, 2015 10:47 pm

ung.jpg
.JPG | 265.7KB | ung.jpg
McGiever wrote: Hold on to your hats for rising natural gas prices...it's the calm before the storm, as they say.
The US now produces more Nat gas than we can use. Nat Gas prices are going down and it will be years before it turns up. Image is nat gas pricing.

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 5:52 am

Lightning, you neighbors need to spend some time to see where the heat is going. Drafts around cellar windows, the foundation, attic doors, etc, they really add up to a lot of heat loss. They should also make sure the oil burner is tuned properly and that the boiler is clean. Something doesn't seem right if they are burning over 200 gallons per month in a 1200 sq. ft home.

Did you see the KAA-2 boiler that Oliver posted from the Rochester Craigslist?
Sunny Boy wrote:The other horror story is that I had to have the pro-pain tank filled this summer. We only use it for the gas kitchen stove and clothes dryer in summer. Usually that's the cheapest time of year to buy pro-pain, but last summer it was $4.29 a gallon. :shock:
When you are cooking customer you are pretty much paying for the service, the tank rental and delivery cost is spread out over fewer gallons, so they jack up the price. I have a tank through Amerigas, and if I use less than 1/2 tank of propane in a year there is a $70 fee for the tank rental. Every delivery has a fuel surcharge and some kind of hazmat fee...so if it only took 10 gallons or something the adjusted cost per gallon would be pretty high.

 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 6:21 am

Rob R. wrote:Lightning, you neighbors need to spend some time to see where the heat is going. Drafts around cellar windows, the foundation, attic doors, etc, they really add up to a lot of heat loss. They should also make sure the oil burner is tuned properly and that the boiler is clean. Something doesn't seem right if they are burning over 200 gallons per month in a 1200 sq. ft home.

Did you see the KAA-2 boiler that Oliver posted from the Rochester Craigslist?
Sunny Boy wrote:The other horror story is that I had to have the pro-pain tank filled this summer. We only use it for the gas kitchen stove and clothes dryer in summer. Usually that's the cheapest time of year to buy pro-pain, but last summer it was $4.29 a gallon. :shock:
When you are cooking customer you are pretty much paying for the service, the tank rental and delivery cost is spread out over fewer gallons, so they jack up the price. I have a tank through Amerigas, and if I use less than 1/2 tank of propane in a year there is a $70 fee for the tank rental. Every delivery has a fuel surcharge and some kind of hazmat fee...so if it only took 10 gallons or something the adjusted cost per gallon would be pretty high.
That was the stated price per gallon on the bill - no surcharge.

NY had far higher Pro-pain prices than all the surrounding states. I think it's the gas industries pay-back for our governor having a moratorium on new gas well drilling for the past few years, that turned into a ban on any more gas drilling in NYS. Liberal energy conservation policy - drive up the price so no one can use it ! :mad:

Paul

 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 9:59 am

Snotzalot wrote:
ung.jpg
McGiever wrote: Hold on to your hats for rising natural gas prices...it's the calm before the storm, as they say.
The US now produces more Nat gas than we can use. Nat Gas prices are going down and it will be years before it turns up.
Energy prices are Politically and Globally driven...having an abundant and local Supply is no longer a big factor in priceing. Whenever it is deemed to be raised there is no logic to the obivious.

There are bigger markets out there than our little ole houses. :(

 
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Post by franpipeman » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 5:12 pm

if you don't own your propane tank you will always pay higher costs. Propane if owned your own tank in central pa this summer was 1.51 if you got more than300 gallons

 
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mozz
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Post by mozz » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 5:50 pm

A natural gas company is asking some of its customers to turn down the heat.
UGI is asking customers these communities to help conserve gas because of the predicted cold weather:

http://wnep.com/2015/02/19/gas-company-turn-down-the-heat/

 
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Post by windyhill4.2 » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 6:21 pm

That article warms me so much that I want to get hooked up to natural gas tomorrow ! :roll: :wacko: :yearight: Last yr they could.nt meet the demand in some areas,now they want folks to turn the heat down when it is the coldest outside !!!???? I just turned the heat UP in our house to 76*,been outside too much today & I am sick & tired of the cold & figured I will be WARM inside !!!! :D Oh,we burn COAL .

 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Thu. Feb. 19, 2015 6:33 pm

Rob R. wrote:Lightning, you neighbors need to spend some time to see where the heat is going. Drafts around cellar windows, the foundation, attic doors, etc, they really add up to a lot of heat loss. They should also make sure the oil burner is tuned properly and that the boiler is clean. Something doesn't seem right if they are burning over 200 gallons per month in a 1200 sq. ft home.

Did you see the KAA-2 boiler that Oliver posted from the Rochester Craigslist?
I whole heartedly agree. I've been in their house. It's drafty and they run it pretty warm. A lot of maintenance on cold air infiltration and insulation is needed along with some window attention.. And I doubt the oil burner has been tuned lately or in the last decade.

They currently have forced air so, I'll be advising a stoker furnace for them..

Thank you for everyone's input.. :)


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