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  • From: "Lynda" <lurine AT softcom.net>
  • To: <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Propane versus electric
  • Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2006 12:16:37 -0700

I was only addressing refrigeration and not advocating getting rid of all propane.

That said, I agree on heating things.

For cooking, however, when I have saved a few more dollars, the propane stove is going in the paper to be sold! Electric, induction if I can scare up enough money, is coming in! We're buying a really old stove that has 4 electric burners and two wood burners. Electric is far more efficient than propane AND cleaner! Of course, I realise that cooking with electric is a HUGE learning curve for some folks but I've been using it since I was old enough to stand on a chair to reach the pots and pans on the stove. And I like being able to cut the heat down to a true simmer and not having to worry about a draft or gust of wind through an open window blowing out a really low flame.

For water heaters, we are in the process of converting to solar and area of use on-demand water heaters for those occasions when solar isn't a good option. In one of the bathrooms it will be electric and in one it will be propane to cover all bases.

We heat the house with wood which out here all we have to do is go out and pick it up off the ground and split it, so that is cost effective <g>

With the price of electric vs. the price of propane in this area (the county owns its own power plant), it pays to use electric and to have a generator for the once in a blue moon power outages that would necessitate doing more than gritting your teeth until the power comes back on. And there hasn't been one of those in over 10 years.

Lynda
----- Original Message ----- From: "Gene GeRue" <genegerue AT ruralize.com>

All good advice. Let us not swing the brush too wide, however.
Propane is a better choice than electric for heating appliances.
Plus, if your propane tank is large enough you are immune to electric outages.

I have long wanted a large propane tank. Got one last fall; it holds
a thousand gallons. I will now refill it once per year at the time
that propane is least expensive. Electric outages will not affect my
ability to heat water, cook, heat the house. I have an RV fridge that
is three-way, twelve volt, 120 volt, and propane. It is small but a
good backup for when big storms knock out the electric. We were once
without electricity for six or seven days.

If I relied on electric for anything I would either have redundancy
or a good generator.


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