[legarrec]

I am house searching and I've found the perfect property.
*But* there is electric heat.
I am in Massachusetts, and our heating season is just much too long to go through several months on electric heat($$)
I was wondering... what do I do?
I am interested in a corn stove, but I worry if we ever have a storm here, I'll have no source of heat if the electricity goes out. (I worry about this with just plain electric, obviously, but worry to put 5k into another electric heating possibility when maybe I could have spent a few thousand more for gas?)
What are my options?
I have a bit of money to throw down on this. I would go for geothermal heat pump in a heartbeat if I didn't live in the city.. My backyard is like 12x12.
Do the ductwork for natural gas? How much is this?

What could I do to supplement the electric heat even?
Does anyone have any advice as to what I should do?
Those not familiar with Boston, it can get to negative 10 or so here. It is brutal.
thanks :)

[Fr_Chuck]

There is many options, you have some wonderful gas heaters, gas heater inserts for fire places, and the such, There are back up generators to run the electric heat, and more.

What type of electri heat do you have ? Do you have central with ductwork,

How big a house, I have a gas unit that does not require a flue, that does 1000 sq feet OK, ( so I close off a couple bedrooms)

I used to have portable propane heaters I couild bring in, with a generator for the lights and fridge.

[legarrec]

There is many options, you have some wonderful gas heaters, gas heater inserts for fire places, and the such, There are back up generators to run the electric heat, and more.

What type of electri heat do you have ? do you have central with ductwork, ?

How big a house, I have a gas unit that does not require a flue, that does 1000 sq feet ok, ( so I close off a couple bedrooms)

I used to have portable propane heaters I couild bring in, with a generator for the lights and fridge.

Hi,
I have no chimney or fireplace... The heat is electric baseboard, so no ductwork.
The house is 3 floors, 5 bedrooms 2.5 ba and a bit over 1900 sq ft.

I don't want to settle for having to close off rooms. I want a successful heating system. I have 2 kids so at least 3 bedrooms would need to be used, which are in various floors of the house.
Thanks though :)

[Fr_Chuck]

As a option, I think I would price a back up generator large enough to operate your system. You would have to have someone add up all amps you are pulling. I am not sure it would be in your budget, but it kicks in when the power goes out, normally works off or natural gas or propane, you would not have to run ductwork ( hard to do in a 3 story house) and also helps the entire house in storms and more

[letmetellu]

There is a pellet stove that my Brother-in-law uses in Idaho... burns compressed saw dust and chips, very cheap to operate. You might check it out.

[Thomas1970]

Not too much I can add I guess, beyond my sympathies. :) Electric heat in Boston? Ouch. I'm a MA native myself, now living in north-eastern CT. I think it might be worth your while converting to gas. What about solar panels? At the very least, they might be beneficial in heating water.
Good luck. Take care. :)

[labman]

Most properties for sell have recent year's utility bills available. Look at them. The only question about different heating types is which one is going up the worst. None of them will heat a whole house without electricity. Figure $1000 for a back up generator once you connect it in, see https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/electr...tch-38571.html

Adding any forced air system to a existing house is a major mess. Even replacing your baseboards with a hot water system would be a mess. I think you need to look at the actual costs to heat the home, and how well if fit your needs and either decide you can live with the existing heat, or look for another house.

[pwd77]

Have you considered a non-geothermal heat pump?

I live in NE Wyoming where it gets subzero often, but spends a lot more time in the >30° at which the heat pump is useful. We use propane as a backup for cold days and nights, but the heat pump is the primary source. I think it has cut our energy use substantially.

You still have the issue of installing a forced-air system, but I think if you are going that route with gas the heat pump is worth considering.

My $0.02-worth

[dclynch]

I live in the Boston area and agree that you should look at the utility bills. You also need to consider how the previous occupants used the house. If they were a working couple who kept it cool, their bills would probably be a lot lower than your's would be with the children.

We have electric in a 1500 sq ft duplex in the New Hampshire mountains. I love it. It's clean and reliable and the bills are not too high, BUT we use it only about half the weekends in the winter. If it were a full time residence, we'd have converted long ago.

I would suggest a very high efficiency gas furnace in the basement. This can be vented through the wall, sparing the need for a chimney. At a minimum, you could then install air ducts for the lower floor without difficulty. Heat rises and this would reduce the electric draw upstairs. It is probably possible to run at least one duct upstairs through a closet area to hheat several rooms. A second furnace could also be installed in an upstairs crawl space. You could continue to use electric in areas that can't be easily reached by ductwork. This approach should cut you overall bills substantially.

PS - It might also be possible to use the small high pressure ducts designed for air conditioning in older homes.