brit_usa2014

What kind of heating if most efficient?

Ideally, would like gas- but none of the homes we are seeing has gas- either propane or electric heating..

If no gas heating is there, how easy is it to actually install a gas connection/gas line and what costs would we be looking at?

Hotscot

If there's no nearby gas supply pipe you won't be able to get it.

That's probably why you see the propane tanks.

We have propane, it's fine for heating and cooking.

rpjs

It will all depend on how far the house is from the nearest gas main of course. It's unlikely to be viable if there's not already a main to the street, and if there is it'll probably be a fair whack. Our house was originally oil-fueled but converted to mains gas at some point in the past, and one of our neighbours told us he converted from oil to gas a few years back, so it is doable if there is a supply to the street.

petitefrancaise

Depends where you are.

In Austin, it wouldn't make sense for us to have gas heating since we don't use it that much. We have electric HVAC, propane to heat the pool/spa. Our cooling costs in summer were eye-watering but can't see a way round that one unless we can get some solar panels up.

sir_eccles

If there is a gas line in the street, contact the local gas company. They probably have schemes in place for converting people over to gas and would be able to tell you a number, I'd expect somewhere in the range of 5k.

Pulaski

If there's already a line in the street past the house I'd expect somewhere in the region of $1k-$2k. .... The gas companies make money from selling gas, not from charging fees to connect to the pipe in the street.

scrubbedexpat099

Passive solar would be most efficient.

If you are looking at using energy then geo thermal if your location is suitable.

S Folinsky

Take a look at the DOE website. It strikes me that "efficiency" is more a factor of heat loss -- and it goes to the furnace or boiler. Is it forced air, gravity, radiant heat? Is the home insulated and weather tight? The newer units are much more efficient than those of a few years ago.

Bob

Propane isn't all that bad, bit ugly, but you can hide the tank.

What's most economical will probably depend on location. Some places, wood would be the cheapest option, others, it would be pretty expensive. Some places, you probably won't have much choice.

Oil will be horridly expensive, electric will generally be pretty shit and expensive too.

Depending on where you are, the state might offer a free energy audit, where they check the place out and give you a bunch of stuff like those energy efficient bulbs and shower heads and then get low/interest free options for replacing windows and putting in insulation around the place. Which down my way, can make quite a difference.

Pulaski

That's what I was thinking, that the biggest variable is the insulation, effectiveness of the doors and windows, etc.

In most places you'll be lucky to have more than a choice of electricity and one alternative method of heating, unless you're planning to spend $10k+ replacing the heating system, in which case you might be lucky enough to have a third method of heating.

Hotscot

Lotta hot air on this thread...

Pulaski

Trust you to put a damper on things.

Hotscot

C'mon...no need to get all hot under the collar....

FinnDiego

If I didn't have forced air central heating, here in coastal(ish) San Diego I'd just throw in a mini-split heat pump or two and be done with it, but somewhere with weather that might get expensive pretty quick as your primary heat source. Like others have asked, where are you based? Looking at other threads Massachusettes? Seems like electric heating would be expensive, and air-to-air heat pumps don't really work well when it's cold...

jeepster

Depends what state he's in but he should look at ground source heat pump. If he has a propane tank, nat gas probably isn't around.