# supplement my propane



## varminthunter (Dec 19, 2005)

Any suggestions or recomendations? I dont want to spend so much on propane this year. I will still use propane but would like another heat scource to keep propane costs down. I have a basement and a two place chiminey. Im thinking about getting a woodstove or corn/pellet burner. There is a spot in my basement next to the furnace where there was a wood stove but the original owners must have taken the stove etc. Insurance says $100 more a year now im left with decision of which way to go here. Theres a big plus for pellet stove because pellets are cheap and i wouldnt have to cut wood. Opinons?


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## wally-eye (Oct 27, 2004)

Figure out how much a stove and installation plus a years worth of fuel will cost............then figure out how many years you'd have to use it to break even compared to propane..............

If you have free access to a wood supply you can make one pay for itself pretty quick.....but if you have to buy fuel, stove and installation it'll take a lot longer...........


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

Also need to be sure that your chimney will meet the needs of a new stove. I would favor straight wood because I would not want to rely on supplies from a store. Stainless liners (for either) for the chimney can be a little pricey too. 


Posted from my iPhone.


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

First off, how well is your home insulated? Are the windows energy efficient? Door seals in good shape? Is the furnace an energy efficient one to begin with?
If the answer is yes to all these questions, then look into a supplimental heating source.
No sense in burning more of anything if the heat is just escaping in the first place.


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## bucko12pt (Dec 9, 2004)

If you do'nt have AC, might want to look into an air to air 
heat pump. You will get AC plus supplemental heat down to 
25 - 30 degrees. They generally pay off over time if you are 
burning propane and you get AC as a bonus.


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## Topshelf (May 24, 2005)

I have a pellet stove to off set my propane bills. Works great and keeps the house pretty toasty in the winter. Down side is the up front costs. The stove and the piping are not cheap. Count on spending 1,000 minimum setting one up. If you have any thoughts of selling in the next 2-3 years you may want to look at a better more cost effective alternative. I've had mine for about 3 years now and I figure my break even pointis maybe 5 years. 

Pellet costs vary. Right now I see they are 200 a ton at TSC. I have seen them at close to 300 my first year. I go through 1 bag a day in the winter. Sometimes if its real cold its 1.5 - 2 bags per day. A bag will run you 4 bucks a bag at 200 a ton. 50 bags per ton. 4 bucks a day x 30 gives 120 bucks a month average. If your propane is close to that per month on average, your not really saving anything. Now add the cost of the stove and piping..... 

My stove is a dual fuel model. I can burn corn, cherry pits and lots of other stuff. 2 years ago corn was half the price of pellets. :chillin: Now its gone through the roof. :rant: Factors you need to weigh before plunking down cash.


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## freshmeat (Aug 2, 2010)

You could do away with propane altogether if your yard has the room for a geothermal heat pump. Initial investment is high, but there's no maintenance and you'd be free from your dependance on LP.


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## mi duckdown (Jul 1, 2006)

got to do your homework. price cost over how many years.


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## Largemouth (Feb 23, 2011)

bucko12pt said:


> If you do'nt have AC, might want to look into an air to air
> heat pump. You will get AC plus supplemental heat down to
> 25 - 30 degrees. They generally pay off over time if you are
> burning propane and you get AC as a bonus.


 That's what we got last year and LOVE it! Much cheaper than propane, and with the humidity control, the heat is produces it much more comfortable than wood or other type stoves. We use it alone down to about 20 degrees, then the efficiency starts to drop off. Then we use it in combo with propane until it gets down to 10 degrees, then straight propane below 10. We guesstimate that it will save us about $200/ year in propane. Pay-off in less than 2 years.

And it has the A/C function also for the summer!


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## stickem (Oct 31, 2007)

i have a pellet stove, love it . i was paying $280.00 a month for 10 months=$2800.00!!!! a year for lp..now i use 250 gallons a year maybe 500 sometimes..but then i go threw 4-5 tons a winter..so a rounded number 5x$200.00=$1000.00, i got the stove off craigs list for $600.00 with pipe..insurance cost me $50 more per year soo..
with lp=$2800.00=+ 
pellet stove 600.00 (already paid for first 2 years)
pellets 1000.00
lp 600.00 (rounded)
insurance 50
= -------------
$1650.00 a year about..it dont look like alot of saving but over time it will show!!! im buying uncle jeds this year and they are $250.00 a ton but they burn so much hotter and slower worth the extra 50 bucks IMO


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## machina (Nov 30, 2011)

Large numbers of people rely on using propane to heat their homes, very few try to switch to another source of energy. Even I too prefer to rely upon using propane. It will be good idea to switch for another source of energy with propane, but before considering other source you have to first of all take into consideration questions mentioned by Big Reds, because supplement heating source are largely interrelated to above mention questions, along with this question you should also take into consideration price difference. After going through all this factors you can select best alternative among them.


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