New to oil heat! HELP!

Blister

Blister

Active Member
That was very true 25-30 years ago. My first heat pump lasted twenty one years with absolutely no maintenance other than changing the filter monthly and cleaning the coils myself annually. My highest electric bill with the old one was last January of $350 in a very cold month with a dying heat pump. New 15 SEER heat pump this year and no bill over $200. All electric split foyer 4 bed/3 bath house, 4 occupants. I do burn about a cord of wood yearly only burning on the really cold days. I'll take it over the oil bill and the costly furnace cleaning and maintenance that most homeowners are not qualified to do. I grew up in oil heated homes, and it is comfortable, but not worth the cost. I'm sure new oil burners are more efficient, but check out Burch oil and Southern Maryland oil's websites. They both offer heat pumps and hybrid systems. Not many people going for new straight up oil heat with an additional air conditioner, the numbers just don't come close, for installation, operation and yearly upkeep.
 
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party301

i'll think of one.....
i'm with you on the oil heat being expensive, but man is it nice. i remember when i was a kid and i would put my blanket over the register in the morning to warm up, that hot air was nice. now we have three heat pumps with the main unit having a gas backup and we have a fireplace that we keep going most of the time now. this year we will probably go through about 2 cords of wood or more. the fireplace isn't nearly as effective as a wood stove, but it beats nothing.
 
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jedi2814

New Member
sam2chris said:
No need for you to be rude, like I said we're new to this.

Doesnt it burn more oil to try and heat the house up once we're home? We were keeping it at 65 but it was just so cold and took forever for it to get a little warm and that was with it constantly running. So we were thinking it burns more than leaving it a little warm. We dont know, thats why Im asking.
Click to expand...

Oil furnaces don't work like heat pumps. Heat pumps are better left at one temp rather than moved up and down a great deal since it takes them so long to recover. This is not the case with an oil furnace and with the temps you are are keeping your house at and the cold winter we've had you will burn that much oil. 73 during the day and 70 at night is pretty high if you are concerned about conserving heating oil. Making sure the furnace has been serviced since last winter is worthwhile.
 
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