FUEL OIL BILL

I never burned a lot of oil compared to many folks with similar sized homes -- I think it averaged around 600 gallons . . . however, for me that was 600 gallons too much . . . especially when they were talking $4 a gallon for heating oil last year.

I think last year we used 50-60 gallons of oil . . . and that's with our philosophy (my wife and I) of using the woodstove whenever possible, but not killing ourselves to make sure it is running 100% of the time. In other words, we went away for a week and the oil boiler was called into service . . . on some very cold mornings the oil boiler would kick on when temps inside reached 60 degrees or less.

I kind of think I ended up with the best of both worlds . . . I don't feel tied to the woodstove and yet prefer using the woodstove for the cheaper heat and so I use it the majority of the time . . . besides it's so much prettier to look at compared to my Pensotti oil boiler.

My brother-in-law is here visiting from Mass. and says he just last week paid $2.80 for oil. He tells the story of someone near him whose delivery guy put the hose in the wrong pipe and dumped 400 gal. oil into his basement, on the floor. He didn't know how much of a nightmare the clean-up is, but I can imagine.

SteveKG said:

My brother-in-law is here visiting from Mass. and says he just last week paid $2.80 for oil. He tells the story of someone near him whose delivery guy put the hose in the wrong pipe and dumped 400 gal. oil into his basement, on the floor. He didn't know how much of a nightmare the clean-up is, but I can imagine.

Click to expand...

Funny I just went to a Hazmat call for the same thing last night. Had to set up a decon tent too because three people decided it would be wise to jump in and find where it was coming from.

mikepinto65 said:

SteveKG said:

My brother-in-law is here visiting from Mass. and says he just last week paid $2.80 for oil. He tells the story of someone near him whose delivery guy put the hose in the wrong pipe and dumped 400 gal. oil into his basement, on the floor. He didn't know how much of a nightmare the clean-up is, but I can imagine.

Click to expand...

Funny I just went to a Hazmat call for the same thing last night. Had to set up a decon tent too because three people decided it would be wise to jump in and find where it was coming from.

Click to expand...

I've never understood how this sort of thing happens yet it seems to happen quite often. I bet the cleanup bill is VERY expensive and it probably takes years of lawyers arguing to decide who pays. I'm sure there is all sorts of finger pointing that happens and in the end nobody is going to walk away happy. I can't imagine the smell ever really leaves the basement either.

I've taken just under 200 gallons since October, 99 delivered yesterday. Before the stove, I used 1200 gallons in a year. Hot water is oil fired. Starting to wonder if I should upgrade the hot water heating, not so much the oil furnace.

wow I did not realize heating oil was that expensive I don't know how you couldn't afford not to run a stove

I completely agree with the above comment, the internet is with a doubt growing into the most important medium of communication across the globe and its due to
sites like this that ideas are spreading so quickly.

Keep in mind that home heating oil is pretty much the same thing as diesel fuel - in fact other than regulatory issues you can interchange them. Well, that was true until "BioHeat" came out - now the new mix isn't quite the same and I don't know if it would work for a diesel engine or not. But as to the cost/gallon the refining is about the same. Odd thing is that at times the cost at the pump for diesel can actually be lower than home heating oil - which shouldn't happen given that the pump price includes taxes that home heating oil is exempt from. Go figure.

And the fat cats keep getting fatter. With oil companies posting record profit numbers, I have always wondered how do they determine oil prices...All i ever hear is "oil is going up" and occasionally the justification "tensions in the middle east are rising resulting in higher fuel prices..."

Keeping my utilities down was a major factor in my installing my stove, but I never realized the cost that some have in heating their homes with oil.

I pre-bought my propane at the beginning of the season for $1.49 a gallon. I prebought 900 gallons. At this point in time I still do not have a wood stove. Come spring I start my wood shed having a couple of cords ready to put in it. possibly by next winter I will have a stove in the basement. As I educate myself about all of the new fangled stoves it seems my thoughts of having a stove like the one I had 30 years ago is a thing of the past.
( I had an Earth Stove)

Redhawk said:

Fuel oil company delivered wednesday :wow: $647.00. wife is finally on board for a woodstove! now the fun begins, shopping! and alot of research. thanks to the guys and gals on this site i'm well on my way. thanks
kevin

Click to expand...

Switching to wood heat is switching to a different way of life. My advice is to try to design or aquire a system which is capable of meeting 100% of your heating needs, hopefully including your hot water. This may mean using a larger stove than you would have thought of. Those who save the most money burning wood are those who use no other fuel, except for travel purposes.

Also, research whether pine or other softwoods are available free in your area. Here, I can have stovelength pine delivered to my yard for free. In order to make the best use of pine, (overnight burns during the coldest part of the winter), a large firebox is required, since pine burns so much faster than hardwoods. As an example, I have a 5 cubic foot firebox, and with can achieve overnight burns with pine.

A great thing to consider is an outdoor burner since they use hot water to transfer the heat to the house, heating domestic hot water is much simpler.

One of the best things for me is NEVER buying oil, part of the chains of modern lifes economic slavery are undone, plus, not sending money to terrorist supporting countries.
I have an oil burner and a full tank of oil, and never turn it on. If I need to travel or have an emergency, it is there.

Equaly as important as the above is making sure your insulation and weather stripping are up to par. Wood burning is work, don't wast your efforts. When I increased my attic insulation to R-30 my wood use declined and comfort increased, year round. My next project is a solar water heater, so I am not paying for hot water even when I am not burning wood.

My oil company made its annual delivery today and all there was room in the tank for was 290 litres 221.37 . Wood has saved me about 3200 litres of oil a year . 6 cords is well worth the work

Before stove - 900 gallons/yr for heat and hot water - 2 zone FHW baseboard heat and wife/kids were always cold.

With stove - 300 to 350 gallons/yr for hot water. On really cold mornings (10 degree's and less), oil heat will cycle on upstairs. Wife and kids love the warmth.

stejus said:

Before stove - 900 gallons/yr for heat and hot water - 2 zone FHW baseboard heat and wife/kids were always cold.

With stove - 300 to 350 gallons/yr for hot water. On really cold mornings (10 degree's and less), oil heat will cycle on upstairs. Wife and kids love the warmth.

Click to expand...

3 zones/ Baseboard.
Before stove: 1250-1500 gallons with the house kept at 50 during the day and 65 during the evening/weekends.

Last year we were below 400 gallons.

This year should be sub-100 gallons.

Oil company just called today and asked why we canceled our service.

[quote author="ashpanannie" date="1262430873"]Seasoned wood around here means the tree was cut last season and split to your measurement yesterday. Tell them you want DRY wood, not seasoned wood....lol.[/quote Thats the way they do it in the Northern part of the state also. Thats why I started doing my own.