Home Repair forum - Replacing Woodstove with ...

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Replacing Woodstove with ...

daniel.dekkers@yahoo.com

2007-06-29, 1:25 pm

All,

We could really use some input around the replacement of our current
primary heat source. We live in a rural area and currently rely mostly
on a woodstove as the primary heat source. We do have some electric
baseboards as well but when runnig these our electrical bill explodes.
We live in BC , Canada and our electricl rate is 0.06 CAD per KW.

We have done a lot of research across the many alternative that exist
today: air-to-air heatpumps, air-to-water heatpumps, ground source
heatpumps (Geo), pellet boilers etc. We don't have natural gas
available so that is not an options. After going through all the
options I have come to the conclusion that the best replacement
(considering all things like cost, comfort, noise, environment etc) is
to put in an electrical boiler (dual energy so we can use propane as
the backup for when we loose power) in combination with hydronic
baseboards. We will likely need somewhere abour 50,000 - 60,000 BTU
and our sqft is around 2200 (two story home with split levels and
vaulted seiling, skylights etc). The house was built in 1982 and
insulation is not great (but also not terribly bad e.g. we do have
double paned windows).

Before contacting heating contractors it would be great if people in
this group could help provide some input to whether we are on the
right track, anything that we are missing etc etc.

The cost of this solution is looking at around $3,000 USD for the
basebaords and $2,000 for the dual energy boiler. Of course on top of
that we will have the installation and plumbing.

Thanks in advance,
Daniel

Edwin Pawlowski

2007-06-29, 5:25 pm

<daniel.dekkers@yahoo.com> wrote in message

> baseboards as well but when runnig these our electrical bill explodes.
> We live in BC , Canada and our electricl rate is 0.06 CAD per KW.
>
> I have come to the conclusion that the best replacement
> (considering all things like cost, comfort, noise, environment etc) is
> to put in an electrical boiler (dual energy so we can use propane as
> the backup for when we loose power) in combination with hydronic
> baseboards.
>
> The cost of this solution is looking at around $3,000 USD for the
> basebaords and $2,000 for the dual energy boiler. Of course on top of
> that we will have the installation and plumbing.
>
Firs, I'd love to have those electric rates. Here in CT we are paying 19¢.
Yes, that is 3X what you are complaining about.

I don't know that propane is a good replacement and if the payback for $5000
is worth it, but you can do a cost comparison for different fuels. Check
here
http://hearth.com/econtent/index.ph...son_calculator/

Ralph Mowery

2007-06-29, 5:25 pm

Look in to the corn stove. Fellow near me has one and likes it.

http://burncorn.cas.psu.edu/

<daniel.dekkers@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1183140745.427946.25610@n60g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> All,
>
> We could really use some input around the replacement of our current
> primary heat source. We live in a rural area and currently rely mostly
> on a woodstove as the primary heat source. We do have some electric
> baseboards as well but when runnig these our electrical bill explodes.
> We live in BC , Canada and our electricl rate is 0.06 CAD per KW.
>
> We have done a lot of research across the many alternative that exist
> today: air-to-air heatpumps, air-to-water heatpumps, ground source
> heatpumps (Geo), pellet boilers etc. We don't have natural gas
> available so that is not an options. After going through all the
> options I have come to the conclusion that the best replacement
> (considering all things like cost, comfort, noise, environment etc) is
> to put in an electrical boiler (dual energy so we can use propane as
> the backup for when we loose power) in combination with hydronic
> baseboards. We will likely need somewhere abour 50,000 - 60,000 BTU
> and our sqft is around 2200 (two story home with split levels and
> vaulted seiling, skylights etc). The house was built in 1982 and
> insulation is not great (but also not terribly bad e.g. we do have
> double paned windows).
>
> Before contacting heating contractors it would be great if people in
> this group could help provide some input to whether we are on the
> right track, anything that we are missing etc etc.
>
> The cost of this solution is looking at around $3,000 USD for the
> basebaords and $2,000 for the dual energy boiler. Of course on top of
> that we will have the installation and plumbing.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Daniel
>

Tony Hwang

2007-06-29, 5:25 pm

daniel.dekkers@yahoo.com wrote:

> All,
>
> We could really use some input around the replacement of our current
> primary heat source. We live in a rural area and currently rely mostly
> on a woodstove as the primary heat source. We do have some electric
> baseboards as well but when runnig these our electrical bill explodes.
> We live in BC , Canada and our electricl rate is 0.06 CAD per KW.
>
> We have done a lot of research across the many alternative that exist
> today: air-to-air heatpumps, air-to-water heatpumps, ground source
> heatpumps (Geo), pellet boilers etc. We don't have natural gas
> available so that is not an options. After going through all the
> options I have come to the conclusion that the best replacement
> (considering all things like cost, comfort, noise, environment etc) is
> to put in an electrical boiler (dual energy so we can use propane as
> the backup for when we loose power) in combination with hydronic
> baseboards. We will likely need somewhere abour 50,000 - 60,000 BTU
> and our sqft is around 2200 (two story home with split levels and
> vaulted seiling, skylights etc). The house was built in 1982 and
> insulation is not great (but also not terribly bad e.g. we do have
> double paned windows).
>
> Before contacting heating contractors it would be great if people in
> this group could help provide some input to whether we are on the
> right track, anything that we are missing etc etc.
>
> The cost of this solution is looking at around $3,000 USD for the
> basebaords and $2,000 for the dual energy boiler. Of course on top of
> that we will have the installation and plumbing.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Daniel
>
Hmmm,
That is very good rate for the electricity. In Calgary, I pay 0.082.
Just locked it on a deal for 5 years at 0.07 with Enmax.

Dave Bugg

2007-06-29, 5:25 pm

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
> <daniel.dekkers@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> Firs, I'd love to have those electric rates. Here in CT we are
> paying 19¢. Yes, that is 3X what you are complaining about.

Wow. Our rates are about 2.5 cents per KW. Our Public Utility District owns
two hydro dams.
--
Dave
www.davebbq.com

EXT

2007-06-29, 5:25 pm

Here in the GTA area of Ontario we pay much more than what you do. Are you
sure you are reading your bill correctly?

Here we pay $0.055 per kWh ramping up to $0.064 per kWh, plus delivery
charges, Regulatory charges and Debt retirement charges and GST. At our
consumption it works out to a total of $0.109 Canadian per kWh on our last
bill.

<daniel.dekkers@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1183140745.427946.25610@n60g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> All,
>
> We could really use some input around the replacement of our current
> primary heat source. We live in a rural area and currently rely mostly
> on a woodstove as the primary heat source. We do have some electric
> baseboards as well but when runnig these our electrical bill explodes.
> We live in BC , Canada and our electricl rate is 0.06 CAD per KW.
>
> We have done a lot of research across the many alternative that exist
> today: air-to-air heatpumps, air-to-water heatpumps, ground source
> heatpumps (Geo), pellet boilers etc. We don't have natural gas
> available so that is not an options. After going through all the
> options I have come to the conclusion that the best replacement
> (considering all things like cost, comfort, noise, environment etc) is
> to put in an electrical boiler (dual energy so we can use propane as
> the backup for when we loose power) in combination with hydronic
> baseboards. We will likely need somewhere abour 50,000 - 60,000 BTU
> and our sqft is around 2200 (two story home with split levels and
> vaulted seiling, skylights etc). The house was built in 1982 and
> insulation is not great (but also not terribly bad e.g. we do have
> double paned windows).
>
> Before contacting heating contractors it would be great if people in
> this group could help provide some input to whether we are on the
> right track, anything that we are missing etc etc.
>
> The cost of this solution is looking at around $3,000 USD for the
> basebaords and $2,000 for the dual energy boiler. Of course on top of
> that we will have the installation and plumbing.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Daniel
>

Roger Taylor

2007-06-29, 5:25 pm

I cannot answer your question, which is pretty complicated, but you might
also post this query on alt.energy.homepower - they specialize on these
kinds of heating questions.
Roger

(snip) I have come to the conclusion that the best replacement
> (considering all things like cost, comfort, noise, environment etc) is
> to put in an electrical boiler (dual energy so we can use propane as
> the backup for when we loose power) in combination with hydronic
> baseboards.
> Before contacting heating contractors it would be great if people in
> this group could help provide some input to whether we are on the
> right track, anything that we are missing etc etc.>
> The cost of this solution is looking at around $3,000 USD for the
> basebaords and $2,000 for the dual energy boiler. Of course on top of
> that we will have the installation and plumbing.

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