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Old 08-07-2008, 02:49 PM   #16
DickR
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Quote:
Originally Posted by no-engine View Post
Thanks for that thought!
I had similar thoughts, and finally I was told warm air systems are best.
My house is over 100, and has existing hot water baseboards. If I were building new, I consider geothermal exchangers and use heating tubes in the flooring - radiant!

so, I am "forced" to use another oil & tank or new propane boiler.

Thanks
The first investment to make for an old house is not on something to use a cheaper fuel, but to reduce the heat leaks that require the large heating load in the first place. Tighten up the house (get a blower door test done to locate the biggest leaks), add insulation. Then think about how to provide the much reduced heating demand.

Ground source heat pumps (not really "geothermal" - we don't have hot subterranean water in NH) can be a very good way to provide the heat. It's like heating with electric resistance heating, but at one fourth the electric power cost. But reduce the heat demand first, as that determines the size, and thus cost, of the heat pump/ground connection (horizontal fields of coils or vertical wells).
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