Re: Re: Re: OT: high efficiency furnaces, would li

Posted by jdemaris on January 11, 2004 at 18:35:42 from (209.23.30.27):

In Reply to: Re: Re: OT: high efficiency furnaces, would like o posted by buickanddeere on January 11, 2004 at 11:39:03:

We're paying a little over 12 cents per KWH with the Niagra Mohwwk Power Company which is a little below the average State price. There are some areas a few miles from me that get cheaper power thanks to the REA which is kind of a joke - anachronism. I think most States in the US have Websites that post average prices for utilities. New York's is at: http://www.nyserda.org/prices.htm
As far as calculating - I didn't do the calulating - that's why I posted the link to the Website that did. When you refer to electric heat as 100% efficient, I hope you mean only in regard to it's transfer from line-current to heat. Start to finish, it's not particularly efficient since most of it in the Northeast is made from buring coal, old tires, and oil. But, just looking at for its ability to utilize the rapid movement of electrons and heat a house, 25% either way doesn't make much of a difference. I've converted houses ad naseum from electric heat to one of the cheaper alternatives; usually the heat cost is cut to a third or a quarter.
If natural gas was available, it would be the best buy at today's prices, but we can't get it in my area. Down-side to gas is you can't buy it when prices are down and save it for the later heating season, like can be done with oil or propane. I usully buy 1500 gallons when it hits a low in Spring, and use it for heat and tractor fuel.
Wood heat is still, by far, the best energy source if a person has access to it. If you buy it all, split and delivered, it's not so cheap. On my 90 acres, I hardly ever have to cut a good tree. Get all I need just from dead and/or down trees - but even so it's labor intensive.
As far as your comments about low fire temp, unburned gasses, etc. with wood. Yeah it happens, usually when a stove is too big for the area it's heating. Load it full in hopes of burning all night, then turn the damper way down, and it smolders - and a lot of energy is wasted up the chimney or clings to it as creosote. Put up with a smaller stove, burn it hot, and it's fine. There was some experimentation with catylitic stoves to raise efficiency and meet Federal emmision standards, but it kind of went over like a "fart in church." Most new stoves today can meet the standards with other methods - but either way it's a modest improvement.
On the subject of a smoldering fire, people have run their cars and tractors on that principle with trash or firewood. Called a "collector" system. I'd like to build one sometime.

Follow Ups:

• Re: Re: Re: Re: OT: high efficiency furnaces, woul buickanddeere 20:44:46 01/11/04 (1)
  • Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: OT: high efficiency furnaces, jdemaris 05:10:01 01/12/04 (0)

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