Cheapest way to heat your home ?

Got a huge house old Victorian 100 years plus heading into winter I've been looking for heating alternatives Last year our heat bill was in the $300's and more , We have 5 fireplaces but 2 have been converted to gas 2 sealed up and one is a coal fireplace I tried to burn wood in the coal fireplace but it really did not put off much heat , (Need to find a coal basket)

Looking at whats available ceramic/ kerosene heater's etc , In everyone's experience whats the cheapest route to stay warm in a 3500 square foot home with no insulation or 100 year old insulation .

By the way why am I not allowed to post in "Off the Grid" ?

I've seen some properties that actually have a natural gas well anyone know the in's and outs of drilling or even finding a gas deposit on your property ?

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

My brother used to have a wood burning stove in his living room.

It heated the whole place pretty well.

Downsize and live within your means or most practical? Dig a basement and put in a giant wood burning furnace, close off ducts to rooms that aren't in need of being 70° +. Utilize making your own logs out of cardboard and newspapers etc.

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

I've found that with fireplaces the heat goes out the chimney. A woodstove will radiate heat but if you decided that route get a large one. Getting up in the middle of the night to load it gets old real fast.

originally posted by: watchitburn
a reply to: Ravenwatcher

My brother used to have a wood burning stove in his living room.

It heated the whole place pretty well.

I remember my aunt down in Tenn had a wood burning cook stove man that thing got hot ,

I'm seriously thinking of getting small wood burners and placing them in the fireplaces , I really just need to heat the ground floor a bedroom you would think thats easy but holy sometimes it's colder in the house then it is outside .

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

Maybe check the insulation in your walls?

There's got to be some way to add more or better stuff without pulling them off.

originally posted by: watchitburn
a reply to: Ravenwatcher

Maybe check the insulation in your walls?

There's got to be some way to add more or better stuff without pulling them off.

Nope already checked I will have to have the siding replaced or deal with the foam guys drilling holes then replacing the siding on a 100 year old historical home blueprints say 1891 .

Install highly efficient mini splits. Heat only the rooms you must occupy during winter.

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

Your first concern should be the inadequate and/or lack of insulation.

Without insulation, any heat you manage to generate will just be wasted. Might as well just burn your money.


Until you can afford to insulate the old house, I would suggest you look into something like hanging Persian rugs and tapestries on the walls in the rooms you use most. Cheap ones can be found online and at flea markets. They'll act as low-R rated "insulation", and help cut down on drafts.

Use floor to ceiling thermal curtains on all windows for the same reason.


Close off any room that is not being used to reduce the habitable volume to be heated. Be sure that interior doors seal well when closed to keep out drafts (Well sealing bedroom doors are also important safety measures against fire; buying extra time to escape)

originally posted by: JFredMuggs
Install highly efficient mini splits. Heat only the rooms you must occupy during winter.

What is this magic ? (Highly efficient mini splits) I'm going to put plastic on the windows this year even tho the Wife says it's trailer park .

a reply to: Ravenwatcher --- when coal is burned, it releases one or more radioactive isotopes, such as thorium. You don't want to risk inhaling thorium, the risk is not worth it.

originally posted by: Uphill
a reply to: Ravenwatcher --- when coal is burned, it releases one or more radioactive isotopes, such as thorium. You don't want to risk inhaling thorium, the risk is not worth it.

There's Radon already .............

I live in a huge 300 year old stone farm house in Wales. We have a converted Rayburn running 15 radiators and hot water off wood, gathered and seasoned from our own woods. Works well. So well that the other log burners we have are rarely used.

originally posted by: ARM1986
I live in a huge 300 year old stone farm house in Wales. We have a converted Rayburn running 15 radiators and hot water off wood, gathered and seasoned from our own woods. Works well. So well that the other log burners we have are rarely used.

Isn't a Rayburn a kitchen stove how is it heating the whole house and wouldn't you need a boiler to run radiators ?

Insulate and if available natural gas is the cheapest way over all. I have done HVAC for over 20 yrs. It will be expnsive but at least one brick heaters in the rooms you dont use, 3-5 in large ones and 5 brick in the living room or whateer you use the most. Hard to really tell you the layout without a house layout. If not avaiable how cold does it get there? if not usally under 40 heat pumps are the next best bet. Forget the idea of mini splits in that big a house. The heat will migrate to the coldest areas in the house anyway so you will feel the heat but still heating the rest of the house which means more cost.

a reply to: watchitburn

Tapestries!

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

In everyone's experience whats the cheapest route to stay warm in a 3500 square foot home with no insulation or 100 year old insulation .

There ain't one.

One way or another, it's gonna cost you.

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

Nope already checked I will have to have the siding replaced or deal with the foam guys drilling holes then replacing the siding on a 100 year old historical home blueprints say 1891 .

Our neighbors had insulation blown into their 1900's house and the holes were just spackled over, then they repainted. Even just having it blown into the attic spaces would help considerably.

originally posted by: Ravenwatcher

originally posted by: ARM1986
I live in a huge 300 year old stone farm house in Wales. We have a converted Rayburn running 15 radiators and hot water off wood, gathered and seasoned from our own woods. Works well. So well that the other log burners we have are rarely used.

Isn't a Rayburn a kitchen stove how is it heating the whole house and wouldn't you need a boiler to run radiators ?

Aga’s and Rayburn are very similar. Aga’s tend to just be kitchen stoves. Rayburn’s have a boiler or water heating system in them as well. Generally they don’t heat as many radiators as ours does, but ours was converted to a higher capacity. It’s an awesome thing but a real pain to keep the heat balanced. Cook on it too. Boil the kettle. It’s great. Even cheese roasties on the hot plate wrapped in foil or baking parchment.

originally posted by: nugget1
a reply to: Ravenwatcher

Nope already checked I will have to have the siding replaced or deal with the foam guys drilling holes then replacing the siding on a 100 year old historical home blueprints say 1891 .

Our neighbors had insulation blown into their 1900's house and the holes were just spackled over, then they repainted. Even just having it blown into the attic spaces would help considerably.

My quote for painting was $20 grand thats just paint so add the insulation ......... How do people afford this even my roofing guy says a roof cost more then the house is worth now days .... Sad times I can't even get anyone out to look at a job unless it in the $10.000 range .