time to prepare for winter! already???
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Wintry thoughts in July ... heating costs
Winter time seems a long way off but it won't be long til the weather changes. Heating systems are often a topic of discussion here at alpine. When we moved here five years ago, people asked 2 questions.
Are you retired??!!
And what kind of heat does your house have?
The answer to the first question is a loud 'NO'. The second question seemed odd in late July. A few months later, actually the day after Thanksgiving it started to snow. And it snowed and snowed and snowed! We went to the Mother's Day Lunch at the lodge that following year in a light snowfall. The importance of that heating question was obvious.
Propane costs in '03 was about $1 a gallon. This year it may be three or four times higher. To make matters worse, our propane company may not be able to offer locked in prices. The notion of 'lock in pricing' was brand new to me... simply put, you pay in advance for how much fuel you expect to use. Articles on the web talk of high costs of heating oil and propane. Firewood may become more difficult to buy as more people use it. Pellet stoves are harder to find, though pellets are plentiful.
We will be sure to get our heating fuels prices locked in, if possible. The firewood stack is high already. Our pellet stove is cleaned and ready to go... and the pellets will be ordered shortly. Last year, we had a heat pump w/furnace backup installed that is quite efficient (and provides AC). From that first winter a half decade ago, we have come a long way!
But until then... enjoy the summer months!
But until then... enjoy the summer months!
Our propane company changed the cut off date for prepay from end of Aug to mid June this year.
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Anyone interested in purchasing seasoned firewood which is already cut into 20 inch lengths should contact me. We have one covered section of wood which is approximately 9' (w) X 5' (h) X 4' (d) and another that is probably 8' (w) X 2' (h) X 4' (d). Your best offer and you haul away.
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You should hear the story about us fighting with our propane provider.
Thank goodness for pellet stoves. I only have to clean it once every 5 days and one bag of pellets last 24 hours. If I can manage to cram 2 bags into the hopper. I don't have to bother with it for 2 days! HA! The lazy mans heating source.
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Matt ~ we love our pellet stove also!! As long as you can haul 40 pound bags of pellets, a pellet stove provides a wonderful source of heat at a reasonable cost. This will be our 3rd winter with it.
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