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Weather Report:  Heat Sources?  |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 11 2008 : 07:55:43 AM
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Hey, I just wondered what type of heat does everyone use? What's your favorite heat?
Does anyone have a wind mill-turbine? Solar powered?
My husband wanted me to look into the wind turbine. I don't think there are any in this area. Not enuf wind here, I guess.
Just wondering. Kris |
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Suzan
True Blue Farmgirl
659 Posts
suzanne
duncannon
pa
USA
659 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2008 : 12:49:05 PM
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| Wood, with electric as backup...we've used wood for 30 years. I love the warmth it gives. |
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MaryP
True Blue Farmgirl
58 Posts
Mary
Coeur d'Alene
Idaho
USA
58 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2008 : 1:05:46 PM
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Previously a wood burning stove was my best friend. Our new house doesn't have a fire place :*( I don't know how I'm going to survive this winter!
We have a new energy star gas furnace. It's pretty amazing, the blower is only 40 watts. It's a lot less work than the stove, and more eco friendly, but not nearly as cozy.
We're going to invest in a fireplace and wood burning stove eventually, and probably a heat pump as well.
I used to live in an RV and had some solar panels on that. No way would they generate enough power run a heater, but I did have an electric hot water heater which it supplied. |
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lacisne88
True Blue Farmgirl
1181 Posts
Chelsey
Lake Stevens
Washington
USA
1181 Posts |
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dkelewae
True Blue Farmgirl
1310 Posts
Diana
Saint Peters
MO
USA
1310 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2008 : 2:14:25 PM
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We have a heat pump here, but we try not to run it often. We usually will light our woodburning fireplace and that heats up most of the house except for our bedroom. At night I use a heated mattress pad which keeps the bed toasty warm.
Diana
Farmgirl Sister #272
St. Peters MO
Country Girl trapped in the city!
http://farmgirldreams.blogspot.com/ |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - Oct 20 2008 : 05:51:09 AM
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We have 2 wood stoves because the house is L-shaped and one won't heat the whole house when it drops below 20 outside. We have an electric furnace, but never use it as it's just too expensive. The only other alternative would be if we had propane put in, but with the price of fuel, that wouldn't be any better than the electric heat. I like the wood stoves. Yes, it gets a bit messy with wood chips/slivers on the floor and ash to remove, but it's nice to come in from the cold and stand next to one.
I don't think that ANY solar system can support a heating system. You have to have a fairly steady wind all the time for a windmill to work for you which we don't have here in town. The mountains block most of the wind. The latest thing I've heard about is using thermo heat from underground. I realize that the ground below frost level is warmer, but I wonder if it's really warm enough the heat your home with? Now those folks who have a warm/hot spring on their property can use that water to heat their homes very nicely.
What is a heat pump?
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4745 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4745 Posts |
Posted - Oct 20 2008 : 06:38:55 AM
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My husband and I are going to start looking at solar heat. We have a gas furnace here and NICOR, our gas company, said the costs will increase 200% for this winter. They were sky high last year! We haven't turned the heat on yet here, we just bundle up until it warms up during the day.
Dawn in IL |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Oct 20 2008 : 06:56:55 AM
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That sounds interesting about the thermo heat. We are in a valley here and don't get much wind, either. So I think that would rule out the wind turbine. I think there is a spring out back.
We have a heat pump. If I had known that's what they put in, I would not have gotten it. Last winter was the first time we used it. It kept freezing up. I took pictures of the unit outside like a block of ice. They kept trying to tell me that was normal for a heat pump. Not. They finally came out and it needed the defroster part. It was bad. Brand new and already had to have it fixed. He told me the units freeze up when it gets below 20 degrees. It wasn't that cold here.
I have not turned it on yet. I just dress in layers til I have to turn it on. I hate paying that big electric bill.
We also have gas logs and a half filled tank from last year. I need to call gas co. to come turn it on and I'll use it first. |
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rhondacate
True Blue Farmgirl
234 Posts
Rhonda
Janesville
CA
USA
234 Posts |
Posted - Oct 20 2008 : 6:25:16 PM
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We currently have a wood burning stove, which I like, but I have not yet learned the tricks to this woodstove.
When we build our house my husband dreams of radiant heated floors.
~Rhonda |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2008 : 03:24:42 AM
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We have a water stove. It's like a wood stove, only its outside and connected to our domestic water. It heats the water year 'round and provides forced air heat kind of lik a car radiator in the winter.
It's a pain keeping a collection of wood all the time, but we have an endless supply. That and we burn everything that can be safely burned,,,used as fire starter. Makes a difference when you don't have city garbage collection and have to time runs to the dump. |
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sleepless reader
True Blue Farmgirl
1022 Posts
CA
USA
1022 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2008 : 09:05:01 AM
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Wood stove. My parents (in Washington) just put in a pellet stoce and are loving it. At 81, it was time to stop chopping wood!
Sharon
Farmgirl Sister #74
Life is messy. Wear your apron! |
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La Patite Ferme
True Blue Farmgirl
623 Posts
Jenn
CA
USA
623 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2008 : 10:04:14 AM
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| We have forced air heat (gas) which I hate hate hate because it drys out your skin, nose, and throat. I try not to turn it on until absolutely necessary. We also have a fireplace, but that dosen't heat the bedrooms. I'd love to have solar or wind power, but a little pricey for me right now. And, I don't think our town allows wind-turbines. Such a shame really, so many possiblities for alt energy here in So Cal, but to many people afraid it will adversely affect their home price. Which is sad. If we had all new commercial contruction install solar we could run public areas in the whole damn town on free power. Penny wise pound foolish I think. |
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wild daisy
True Blue Farmgirl
503 Posts
Madelynne
Billings
Montana
USA
503 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2008 : 11:23:12 AM
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I'm renting right know. We have a gas furnace but my favorite is the wood burning stove. I love to hear the crackle and pop and feel the warmth of the fire. (Maybe that's why I like to go camping and have a campfire).
Madelynne |
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chickabella
True Blue Farmgirl
177 Posts
D. A.
Austin... ish,
Texas
177 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 06:01:13 AM
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We've got propane heat, and passive solar from big south-west facing windows. We've also a fireplace that looks like it was previously wood-burning, but is now propane as well. I'd like to harness more solar, and turn the propane fireplace back into a wood-burning if it's not too expensive. Or, put in a wood-burning, masonry-style insert.
Farm blog: http://farmnatters.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dasparky
Heart of Texas Farmgirls Chapter; Farmgirl Sisterhood Member #275
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levisgrammy
True Blue Farmgirl
9409 Posts
Denise
Beavercreek
Ohio
USA
9409 Posts |
Posted - Nov 12 2008 : 3:42:08 PM
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Woodstove and fireplace with propane for backup. I prefer the woddstove. Fireplace burns it to quickly.
Denise
farmgirl sister #43
"Take a lesson from the teakettle, though up to its
neck in hot water...it sings!"
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
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MsCwick
True Blue Farmgirl
775 Posts
Cristine
Farmville
Virginia
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - Nov 13 2008 : 07:24:57 AM
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The Last time we bought oil was in 2006, and there is a new oil furnace under our house(new from 2004 before we moved in)I know we used all the oil up last year.
This year we are only using wood. Our wonderful neighbor marks the dying trees for us throughout the year and in aug/sep we cut several truck loads. No that the a/c is off, electric bill is dropping :o |
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Weather Report: Heat Sources? |
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Heat Sources?
