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  • From: Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Woodstove, Propane or Other
  • Date: Sun, 01 Oct 2006 19:46:16 -0500

Lisa, you wrote, "Hubby learned in this last year that he has carpal tunnel in his left wrist/arm (not good news for a performing guitar player) and this will get worse until he has surgery at some point. He'd rather his wood chopping and stacking days were behind him."

Wood chopping and stacking is not fun work for many. If hubby has an open mind about the subject make sure the negative connection is for real. Seems to me like different muscles and tendons are used for the two performances, guitar and woodstove. Perhaps, even, woodstove work might help strengthen guitar-embattled wrists. The usual disclaimer: consult your doctor.

Propane isn't perfect, it costs a fair amount to fill the tank, but the ease
of having a fire on a cold morning and then turning it off as the day warms
up sounds very appealing, as does having an even consistency of heat.

I have no regrets about our propane heat. If the sky begins to fall I can return to wood heat, but propane on a thermostat is efficient, high adjustable with puny effort, responds immediately on or off if the weather dictates. The cost balance is mostly dollars versus time and effort.

Last fall I finally did something I thought about for many years. I bought a thousand-gallon propane tank. No more worrying about when the driveway will be snowed or iced such that a big truck must not descend. With no obligation to buy from a company that owns the tank I can shop prices among several propane companies within delivery range. With that much capacity I can choose when I will buy. I chose to buy nothing this summer season--the best price was about $1.52-- because I think prices will be lower next year. The tank cost $1,800. The rental tank leased for about $50 per year, so based ownly on ownership payback it will almost certainly take longer than my remaining lifetime to pay for itself that way. But by allowing me to buy when the price is best, I believe I will beat the dollar war.

How about some advantages or disadvantages we're not thinking of or other heating choices we might consider other than options that are out of the question (a big dollar heat pump or expensive outdoor wood furnace).

For convenience it's no contest. For aesthetics, I like a wood fire. Someday I intend to have both. In addition to hubby's body, your immediate decision likely depends on available dollars and longevity of the considered appliance. Earth-tempered heat pumps are highly efficient but cost much. They don't work if electricity is off due to playful squirrels or falling trees. Resist the typical tendency to decide based on cash on hand. Do the full math for the expected duration.

You did not say if your house is tight and well insulated. I don't know the precise balance but suspect that an expensive but highly energy efficient system is more cost effective in an energy-efficient house.





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