Winter is coming

[bjl584]

It's getting chilly in Pittsburgh. I spent most of yesterday getting my coal stoker ready for heating season. Got everything cleaned out. I also added some insulation wrap to my outlet pipe and installed a supplemental inline booster fan. And, I picked up a half ton of coal for free from a friend.

It got me thinking. How is everyone heating for the winter? Is anyone doing anything to save on heating costs? I installed a coal stoker last winter to save on heating costs. I have an oil furnace, and prices have been steadily creeping up the past few years. I can heat with coal all winter for about 2/3 the cost of oil.

[james.hendrickson]

How did you get free coal?

[bjl584]

How did you get free coal?

A guy that I know has a coal stoker but stopped using it several years ago. He got a hold of me the other day and asked if I wanted what he had left. He had 30 bags in his basement that he just wanted rid off. Retail is $180 on that much, but he said that I could have it if I came and picked it up.

[disneysteve]

How is everyone heating for the winter?

We have gas heat.

[Snydley]

We just ordered a 2nd pellet stove for the other side of our house. We love pellet stoves! We don't have the option of gas though, only oil heat.

[Budget Kitty]

We have gas heat.

Gas here too.

[Jluke]

Gas heat - natural gas or propane?

I now have propane, unfortunately.

[disneysteve]

Natural gas for us.

[Thrif-t]

Natural gas for us too and it's pretty cheap, I think around 3 bucks whatever the unit of measure is(mcf?).

My monthly budget bill is $58 for a 2400 sq ft home. Of course the heat doesn't go much above 65 around here, we like it cool.

[kork13]

We use natural gas forced air, but will supplement with small electric space heaters as needed. We try to keep the house temperature a bit low (62°-65°), then bundle up or use space heaters for small areas as needed. Gas bill in the winter averages around $80/mo.

[james.hendrickson]

Electric heat here - we're planning on doing some spot insulation around a couple of our drafty exterior doors to save money. Our electric bill gets a good 40% higher in the peak of the winter and the summer.

[bjl584]

Gas heat - natural gas or propane?

I now have propane, unfortunately.

I feel for you. Propane is an expensive route to heat with.

[bjl584]

We just ordered a 2nd pellet stove for the other side of our house. We love pellet stoves! We don't have the option of gas though, only oil heat.

Pellet stoves are nice. My Dad has one at his camp. Nice and clean and easy to use. We'll fill up the hopper and are good for the weekend. I'm thinking about getting one for home once I enclose my front porch in. It will serve as a nice supplemental heat source out there. And, you get the beauty of the flames to look at.

[MooseBucks]

We use natural gas but our in-laws use wood. Their stove can handle coal...have you compared the cost of wood vs coal?

[bjl584]

We use natural gas but our in-laws use wood. Their stove can handle coal...have you compared the cost of wood vs coal?

My stove is a stoker. It only burns anthracite. It costs $300 a ton bagged and $250 a ton bulk. Wood would be free if I could find it, but my stove won't burn it. Also, I would need a trailer to haul it, saws, a log splitter, ropes, pulleys, and all the other equipment needed to deal with it. Plus, I would need a dry place to store it. And, you have to burn it before it rots or bugs and rodents get in it. I like the anthracite. It burns as clean as natural gas. No dust. No odor. Most hand fired coal stoves burn soft coal. That is the type that burns dirty with lots of smoke and ash.