Considering a Propane Supplemental Heating Unit

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JotulOwner

Feeling the Heat
Oct 29, 2007
360
Long Island, New York
Hi Everyone.

I have been on Hearth.com for many years, but as a wood burner (which I still am). My girlfriend has a home that has an oil fired furnace, but the unit is very old and very inefficient. In addition, the house needs better insulation and other upgrades.

Facts : All of those upgrades are not going to happen. A wood burning stove isn't going to happen either. Her nephew who stayed one Winter affectionately called her home "the frozen tundra".

My question is whether she should consider a propane- fired (natural gas isn't available) vented appliance as a supplemental heating source to help reduce the cost of oil whenever possible.

Some other considerations are that the heater would be in the living room area (as is the thermostat for the entire home - one zone). Therefore, the supplemental heater should only be operated when temperatures aren't below freezing for a long period of time as there are water pipes in locations that could potentially freeze and break. Fortunately, we do have many cold weather season days that are still above freezing.

Finally, there is the beloved family cat that happiest when her feet don't get burned.

Any suggestions, recommendations, guidance, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Art