This winter will be cold at my place.

[WTA]

We haven't been able to afford propane to heat constantly with for two years now so most of my older trees got cut and burned in the stove. We paid 3 bucks a gallon last time I filled up the 500 gallon propane tank last winter and that meant not eating much for a while. It was 1.15 a gallon when i bought this house 5 years ago and my income hasn't gone up anywhere near as fast as the fuel prices. I don't think many people have.

This year we are going mostly electric with the propane as backup. Elec is cheaper here. I am installing a condensing unit to supply the already installed evaporator in one of our furnaces so we will have ac finaly. The other furnace is being replaced next week with an electric unit. The stove will always stay on too in the living room. Wood only costs me some labor and diesel to go to Arkansas to go get it on our other farm and i can haul enough in one trip to go all winter here.

Hopefully for the next trip we will have enough used cooking oil saved up that i can make enough diesel for the whole trip too!

[RollTideRam]

Our electric company decided to get in on the action. TVA announced a 20% rate increase starting next month. JC

[firefighter9208]

Originally Posted by RollTideRam

Our electric company decided to get in on the action. TVA announced a 20% rate increase starting next month. JC

Yea, Alabama power went up 10% in the spring. Wonder when the next rate hike will take place. At least they are regulated by the Public Service Commission.

Chris

[LBrown59]

Originally Posted by firefighter9208

At least they are regulated by the Public Service Commission.

Chris

Which is basically a figure head of the power company that's controlled by the utilities?

[firefighter9208]

Yea, that's what I was getting at. Odd how they always seem to approve the rate hikes.

Chris

[rox]

Originally Posted by Highbeam

Boo. Electric is not the most expensive to heat with everywhere. Especially if you step into modern times and use electric to run a heat pump and extract energy from the air or ground for your heat.

Or better yet, get your axe. My heat is earned....

Highbeam, I covet your woodpile. That woodpile is reveals a lot about you.

[rox]

Originally Posted by ToadHill

I just got a notice from the company I get propane from that I can lock in the new price for this coming year at only $2.70 per gal. Thats up 72 cents from last year or about 35% more.
For the last few years I've set the heat at the farm at 50 when I'm not there to keep the pipes from freezing, and it has still cost me over $1200 to heat the place over the winter. It looks like this winter I may not heat it at all, just drain the pipes, put RV antifreeze in the drains and toilets and not go out there again until spring.

After filling the propane tank one time and being shocked at the bill (I can't remember exactly I think it was 1,500 or 2,000 Euros) for the last 2 years we heat with wood. If it is real real cold we will turn on an electric heater in our bedroom. It does freeze here in our area in the winter at night many times. My mom made us the most amazingly warm quilt and I have learned to love sleeping in a cold to cool room with warm blankets and of course my hubby to keep me warm. In the daytime it rarely freezes and we have a lot of sun so a quick fire in the monring warms us right up. Of course it is a lot fo work cleaning out the ashes etc. but I would rather do that then pay that huge propane bill. My husband and I have really changed a lot since becoming full time farmers. Now I actually covet a nice woodpile like Highbeams.

[ToadHill]

I agree with many of you that wood is the way to go. As a matter of fact we burn almost 3 cords of it each year at our house in the city. I've been cleaning the Beech out of 60 acres of woods for many years now. I cut and split it at the farm and truck it home.

We only get to the farm about 2 or 3 days a month in Dec to Feb, I have no way to heat with wood when we are there so seldom. I've been keeping the furnace going to keep the water pipes from freezing and that gives us water when we go out. This year I'll drain the pipes and take water for a couple days when I go out. I'll fire up the furnace when I'm out but not the rest of the time.

[mjarrels]

I think it is just a matter of time until burning wood for fuel in this county will be outlawed just like in the SF bay area. Too many special interest groups working to ban wood stoves!

mark

[Flatheadyoungin]

they won't stop until all humans are dead or we're legislated right off of the face of the earth.......

Originally Posted by mjarrels

I think it is just a matter of time until burning wood for fuel in this county will be outlawed just like in the SF bay area. Too many special interest groups working to ban wood stoves!

mark