Change propane to electric?
kats_meow
14 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (15)
Ron Natalie
14 years agojoed
14 years agoRelated Discussions
Heat: Propane vs. Electric - Thoughts?
Comments (21)You don't need a geothermal system to have reasonable heating & cooling bills. There were 2 options that i looked at and both were about the same cost and would have provided about the same efficiency. For both options, I selected high efficiency windows with e glass and argon gas as well as doors that have 3 point locks and tight seals all the way around. The first option was the geothermal system with blown cellulose insultation in the walls & attic. For the attic, I specified R38 insultation (about 11 inches of cellulose) - the minumum code in our area is R30. The second option was a spray foam insulation package and high efficiency heat pumps. In this option, the foam in the attic would have been sprayed onto the inner side of the roof so that all space inside the house would be insulated space, and the foam does the best job at blocking air from entering or leaving the home. With this option, an air exchanger system would be needed on the HVAC to bring in a fresh supply of conditioned air inside the house periodically. The spray foam cost is a lot more than the cellulose, but the heat pump HVAC system is a lot less than a geothermal heat pump system (mainly due to the extra cost of digging the pit or wells for the geothermal pipes). In the end, both of these approaches would have cost about the same. I chose GT because that is what I always wanted for my dream home, it was as simple as that. I know a heat pump system can work in a temperature zone like the Blue Ridge Mountains in the mid-atlantic region where I live, provided that the house is insulated AND air infiltration is minimized - well beyond minimum code requirements. You might look at buying a heat pump that has propane as the auxilairy heat (I believe they make these now). As mentioned above, if you live in a really harsh climate zone like Wisconsin - then a heat pump might not be the best choice. Spend extra money on the insulation package, put in the very best windows & doors, caulk the interior of the house - every nook and cranny, insulate under the foundation slab - do all the things you can to insulate and minimize air infiltration and then you can keep your heating and cooling bills down. I suggest looking at how new homes in Canada are built (check out Holmes on Homes) and build to their standards - the Canadians seem far ahead of the U.S. in building codes for energy efficient homes. Have you selected a builder yet? If not - make sure that you pick one who really knows how to build energy efficient homes. Don't ask them open ended questions - let them tell you all the steps they take and extra things they do to make the house as energy efficient as it can be. If you only insulate to minimum code and don't take the extra steps to minimize air infiltration - your monthly bills will be high no matter what HVAC power plant you use. These extra steps I mention cost money. But it is a pay me now or pay me later proposition. If you plan on living in the house for a long time, then it would be wise to make the investment now, when it is most cost effective to do so....See MoreGeneral Propane vs Electric and Heat Pump?
Comments (1)There are cost calculators out there to help you with HP vs Propane. Look around. 1. yes, the electric heat strips/coils are much less efficient in producing heat than a HP. But that varies with temperature. With a decent HP (15 SEER or greater), the HP might be 3 times as efficient at 50F. The 1 to 1 point might be in the upper 20s. There are, of course, variations. 2. Doing temperature setbacks, then slowly increasing the temp for recovery is not a silly waste of time, though once again it depends on the amount of the setback and the outdoor temperature when recovery starts. A newer electronic HP thermostat can take care of this for you automagically. Some have an outdoor temp sensor attachment that helps even more. 3. yes, conventional electric heat is heat strips. About the most expensive you can buy. People in your situation who have both HP and propane think real hard and have success with 'dual fuel' installations. The cost savings depends on the cost difference between electricity and propane. You use the HP down to the point where either comfort or cost requires you to switch over to propane. This is handled by that smart thermostat with the outdoor temp sensor....See MoreHW heater-propane vs electric, tank vs tankless
Comments (5)Full disclosure - I own a Tankless gas water heater and love it. I had a 50gal tanked gas water heater before. Due to space constraints, it could not be replaced. It was in the doorway of the utility room. Here is what I learned when looking at Tankless water heaters. Just like when you want to go solar, you have to get more efficient with your appliances. The things I did to change my plumbing fixtures were intrinsic. All these things below were done as part of replacing aging fixtures and were not related to the tankless decision but made the decision and experience with tankless flawless. Replaced all but one bathroom shower valve with a Thermostatic valve. The last one will be replaced this winter. Replace all shower heads with units that used no more than 2.5gal/min Replaced all bathroom and kitchen faucets with units that used less than 2.5gal/min My dishwashers and washers already heated their own water and all but one of my Washers can use all cold water as input. The dishwasher and washers were energy efficient and used small amounts of water. There is a large bathtub in the house and the tankless water heater is wonderful for this. We take a bath maybe twice a week. I am getting a separate temperature controller for the tub bathroom so that the filling can happen without interfering with other activities. Currently, showers take priority. My house hold has 3 adults in it and we always seem to be in the shower at the same time (3 full bathrooms). With the tankless water heater, this is no longer an issue. I like in Maryland where we get really cold in the winter:-). I have a recirculator with my tankless water heater and that is on a timer. It runs for a few hours in the morning and a few hours in the evening. When the recirculator is not running, it takes about 1minute to get hot water to the farthest location in the house. I may add the point of use tankless heater to the bathroom faucets just because it wastes time to wait for hot water. This issue with hot water at the farthest location was always a problem. I purchased the largest residential tankless water heater which with a 30degree rise, will get you 9.6gpms. This would theoretically allow me to run 3 showers and a faucet at the same time. My unit is programmed to 110F degrees and the showers are set to about 105F degrees. The thermostat for the tankless is in an easy to reach location in the hallway and I can easily increase or decrease the water temperature. I originally started at 140F which is the max temp. I changed it the first day when I could barely wash my hands without burning them. My temperature rise in the summer is about 35F degrees and 50F degrees in the winter. When I went with tankless, I had heard all the horror stories of cold water sandwiches, huge volume drops due to cold incoming water and flow rate to get started at the sink. I have not experienced any of this. I think the thermostatic valves in the shower contribute to this quite a bit. I am able to get hot water at the sink in under 10 seconds except for the farthest unit. When the recirculator is running, the water is hot within 2 seconds. Just enough time to flush the water from the steel part of the faucet. Propane would be my choice in your situation. Electric tanked or tankless water heaters would leave you in a lurch when the power went out. Propane tankless water heaters don't perform as efficiently as the natural gas units but that is true of all propane appliances. I have my tankless water heater hooked up to an uninterruptable power supply in the event of a power failure which we have quite often. I also have a small gasoline back up generator and the tankless unit works fine when connected. I have a Rinnai RUR98i. This unit has a built in recirculator pump. You can also purchase a separate recirculator with the tankless or tanked unit of your choice. I purchased it from build.com and my plumber installed it. I also installed the scale water filter before the unit and this keeps the unit operational without a lot of build up. The unit is just over a year old and I performed a maintenance in the summer. There was very little build up. I am also installing a whole house filter for sediment and chlorine due to some work the water company is doing in my neighborhood for the next year. I have not selected a solution yet for the whole house filter. Good luck with your decision....See MoreElectric vs Propane range
Comments (9)In 2002 I put in a 6 burner Wolf dual fuel range with propane top and electric oven with propane broiler. I used this range for 15 years and was very happy with it. VERY! Because everything else in my home was electric, it did not make sense to have a large propane tank installed. Instead, I used 2 smallish (2 ft tall x 1 ft diameter), refillable, propane tanks secured to the outside of my home near my range. I then ran a gas line from the tank to a gas connection on the wall by my range. The tanks I used were the size often used on motorhomes; 33 lbs. These are a size larger than the typical BBQ propane tanks used in North America. My spouse, my kids, and inlaws are foodies that cook. A lot. So we used the propone range top everyday. I would typically get 18 to 22 weeks of use from one tank. When my burners started to sputter I would go outside and switch the hookup to the other tank. Then, when time permitted I would take the empty tank into my local propane retailer to be filled, then bring it home, attach it back to its spot against the wall, and wait for it to be needed in a few months time. This worked really well and was very cost effective. Propane is not as hot as natural gas, but it was still fine to work with, even with my cast iron wok and vintage iron fry pans. In my experience, the pros/cons of propane are the same as that with natural gas: there is visual confirmation of heat source and a sense of "instant" on (though compared to induction this is less true). The cons are that gas is a fossil fuel and not part of a future "climate smart" kitchen design. And then there is the indoor air quality aspects which are resolved with proper venting (CFM/MUA variables). And there is this: IF in 2002 I had the option to purchase the induction and oven units available today, I would have gone with an induction cooktop and 2 wall ovens ( combi steam oven / convection oven) over a duel fuel propane/electric range....See MoreUser
14 years agohrajotte
14 years agoRon Natalie
14 years agoDavidR
14 years agoweedmeister
14 years agokats_meow
14 years agoRon Natalie
14 years agojoed
14 years agokats_meow
14 years agoionized_gw
14 years agoHU-297062135
3 years agoHU-85702021
2 years ago
Related Stories
BATHROOM DESIGNLight-Happy Changes Upgrade a Small Bathroom
Glass block windows, Starphire glass shower panes and bright white and blue tile make for a bright new bathroom design
Full StoryLIFEStop the Toy Takeover by Changing the Way You Think
Make over your approach and get gift givers onboard with your decluttering efforts by providing meaningful toy alternatives
Full StoryLIFEWhen Design Tastes Change: A Guide for Couples
Learn how to thoughtfully handle conflicting opinions about new furniture, paint colors and more when you're ready to redo
Full StoryHOUZZ TOURSHouzz Tour: Major Changes Open Up a Seattle Waterfront Home
Taken down to the shell, this Tudor-Craftsman blend now maximizes island views, flow and outdoor connections
Full StoryRANCH HOMESHouzz Tour: Ranch House Changes Yield Big Results
An architect helps homeowners add features, including a new kitchen, that make their Minnesota home feel just right
Full StoryMIDCENTURY HOMESHouzz Tour: Small Changes Earn a Top Green Rating
Remodeling for energy efficiency and sustainability within a quaint town's codes wins LEED platinum certification for a midcentury home
Full StoryLIGHTINGChange Up Your Bedroom’s Look With Pendant Lamps
When table lamps seem snoozy or you want to save space, bedside pendant lights are a bright idea
Full StoryDIY PROJECTSMake an Upholstered Headboard You Can Change on a Whim
Classic stripes today, hot pink tomorrow. You can swap the fabric on this DIY headboard to match your room or your mood
Full StoryMOST POPULAR11 Modern Farmhouses That Could Make You Want to Change Your Life
Simple forms, cutting-edge materials and casual yet refined good looks characterize homes in this timeless style
Full StoryFURNITUREMeet the Quick-Change Artists of Interior Design
Are you missing a great little stool, ottoman or bench? Just look at the ways they can adapt to what you need now
Full Story
joed