Having second thoughts....

We put a 2k deposit on our st croix. They are scheduled to install end of July but i am having second thoughts. We have NG in the house and am thinking maybe that is the way to go.. Switch from OIL forced hot air furnace to gas one... i was told it would probably be about 3k to do this.. Will cost me 4k for stove and install and 2tons pellets... Help me decide.... I grew up with burning wood. We had fireplace then wood stove. I love the fact of having that toasty warm stove on those winter day's and nights in new england... but don;t want to make a mistake money wise...


Debi

Here's a thought - Natural gas is flip the switch and you are warm. Pellet stove takes routine maintenance and cleaning plus the work of moving/storing the pellets. I have a pellet stove and love it, so don't think I am talking them down. But, the extra work involved might help you make your decision.

I don't know the "futures" on NG, but understand it, hasn't and may not go up like oil has. That said, if you have just enough $$ to get converted to NG or install a pellet stove, I'd vote for the NG. Still, I'd like to have a wood stove on the side.

If you can afford it get both. You can always either burn more pellets or NG depending on the current market price.

The more options you have the better.

FG.

Well, can't afford both this year... I grew up burning wood. First fireplace and then wood stove so i know about the extra work.. I love the look of my stove and the thought of having that toasty warm fire in the new england winters. Love the thought of my kids coming in after a long playtime in the snow to warm up in front of the stove but.... money is the option right now.. so should we go pellet and next year convert or convert this year and get pellet next year???

Debi

I understand the initial cost for installing a pellet stove plus buying pellets vs. NG. Maybe you need to look long term....is burning pellets actually cheaper per BTU, and if so, how long will it take to recoup the extra initial cost. Here's a fuel calculator...just input the known values.

www.pelletheat.org/3/residential/compareFuel.cfm

Do I read correctly, you currently have a wood stove, no new $$ needed? That being the case why are you talking about pellets? I say this admitting what is in my signature, I just had a new wood insert installed in my fireplace. I have a geothermal heat pump, so that is my most economical heat, but I, like you, love that warm spot a wood (or pellet) fire can bring to a room. Then I run the HP to provide a less warm background heat. In truth the cost of a BTU from the HP and from the wood insert from hard wood is close, still the insert lets us run one room warmer than we'd be willing to buy for the whole house.

Sounds like she is considering getting rid of the wood stove in place of either pellets or NG. Me personally, I'm doing the same thing...I'm tired of stacking wood, splinters, bugs in the house, loading the stove every few hours, etc.

Myself, I wouldn't be too concerned about calculating to the dollar which route would recoup my investment the quickest.

I'd be more concerned in setting up the best configuration for the long haul. So that means if you're planning on moving in the next few years don't do anything. Just wait it out and sell.

But itf you're planning on staying put for a considerable time diversify ( sp?) as much as possible.

In the long run you'll get your investment back and at the same time you'll have plenty of piece of mind knowng you have some control/choice in the matter of picking the type of heat you want ( the cheapest! ).

Piece of mind is worth it to me.

FG.

Get the NG furnace first. You need a good cheap and dependable primary heater for the sake of resale as well as when something breaks on the pstove or you are away from home or run out pellets, etc.

I wish I had NG available.

It sounds like it's solely about saving money so I'd say go with
the NG if it's cheaper.

My neighbor informed me the other day that he received his NG budget from the gas company for the coming season and it has doubled from last year.
It kinda out a damper on my interest in switching immediately. Still, if gas was available on my street , I`d probably go with a new gas fired boiler just to get off the oil and do my part to wean off oil but the gas company won`t extend their line to me. It`s just 4 houses away.
I do find it very strange that Kerry, Kennedy, the Gov. and all the other politicians who are all democrats (liberals) that entirely control Massachusetts have not put any pressure or introduced legislation to increase gas usage in New England , thereby reducing our dependacy on oil.
They insist on pushing for oil subsidies only instead of a double sworded approach to the coming heating season situation.
John

Obviously you have to make the ultimate decision yourself, but if I was in the
position that I had to pick one over the other, I would probably convert the furnace
to NG first just to get off the oil. That would be a big savings come winter.
Then save up and get the stove next year.

I'd be tempted to stick with what you're doing right now, attempting to put a big dent in the oil bill.
We might have a mild Winter and oil might now be as bad as they predict. (how have the last few hurricane season predictions gone ? )

I dis-like hearing that heater fan turning whether it is gas or oil.

Course, I don't believe it's gonna be hard to find pellets this year.



How are Natural Gas conversions going ? Could you even get one done this year ?

Bill,
Yes, I could get it done. The price would be a little less than the price of the stove and install.. I think we are gonna stay with the stove if we have a place to put it. They are coming tomorrow to check out my house and see what exactly they need to install and where the best place is for it.. I love the idea of coming in on a cold day to a fire. It's soooo cozy!! I was just worried about pellets. Not so much this year but in the next few years... I have 2 tons sitting at the dealer waiting for me to either pick up or they will be delivered after my stove is in.. I also ordered 3 more ton from South shore Wood pellets and they will be delivered in August...i think we will pay off the stove and when we break even we will look into converting to NG to be completely off oil! Thanks so much everyone for all your advice! I think we will stick with what we decided at the beginning...

Debi