Subject: Heat: Oil or Propane?

From: [email-masked] (John Stafford)
Date: 12 Jul 93 08:19:47 -0600

Time for a new furnace.  Currently I have a 130K(+) btu oil furnace
	which was adequate to heat the house.  The property owner has been
	told that fuel oil is better because "it yields more heat than
	the same dollar amount of propane."  I'm at a loss because I've
	seen no such metrics.

	Can anyone advise with information that is scientific enough
	to convince me and the landlord of the best solution?

	NOTE:  Expense of installation is _not_ a factor.  The owner
	is concerned about getting the best equipment because the
	home is a historical site.  He really does want the best.

====================================================
John Stafford   Minnesota State University @ Winona
                    All standard disclaimers apply.

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From: [email-masked] (Dave Duff)
Date: 13 Jul 1993 02:18:13 GMT

>From what I've been told by my plumbing heating guy, oil does give more
heat per dollar, at todays prices, but there are tradeoffs. You don't have to install an oil tank if you go with propane. Oil tanks must be indoors in a cold
climate, propane is usually outdoors. Propane burns cleaner, with less acid
emmissions, allowing a less expensive exhaust stack, which lasts longer. And
the furnace or boiler will last longer for the same reason, with less maintenance. Propane is easier on the environment too. I weighed the pros and cons and
went with propane, and have not regretted it.

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1993 05:29:08 GMT

> went with propane, and have not regretted it.

==
Hum, oil has to be inside? wow Ill have to tell all my friends who have theres
outside.. I live in Nome, AK and I have seen a few outside.. Must be insulated
or some such..

Historical: Go with oil, it maintains that aura.. environment and space, well
propane is good liek he says.. 

Besides liek up here, the oil can get contaminated easier than propane..

We use alot of gas (auto and such) up here and the 55 gal drums just don't work
well to long, before moisture gets in.. Many have fuel filtered hand pumps...

It can get to 80+ in the sumemr to -60 or so in the winter.. (Fahrenheit that
is)..

===
Ghost Wheel - [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Dave Duff)
Date: 14 Jul 1993 07:38:49 GMT

Fuel oil gels in sub-zero temperatures.

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From: [email-masked] (Carolyn Blake)
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 93 12:00:49 GMT

>outside.. I live in Nome, AK and I have seen a few outside.. Must be insulated

They contain kerosene... doesn't gel in the cold as does #2 oil...

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1993 21:35:40 GMT

> Fuel oil gels in sub-zero temperatures.

Then I wonder what they are burning. I thought it was fuel oil. But you never
know.. Any other possibles?? I don't think its Propane.. Seen a truck pul up
and put a nozzle into one or two of them in the past. I know soem use  gasoline
but thats expensive at $2.00 a gallon or so.. 

I still think its Feul Oil, either a arctic mixture or a insulated tank..

===

Home in Nome.

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From: [email-masked] (Steve Frysinger of Blue Feather Farm)
Date: 15 Jul 93 14:04:34 GMT

>From article <[email-masked]>, by [email-masked]:

Perhaps it's cut with kerosene.  That's used here in diesel fuel in
winter (though I don't know if it's used in home heating oil, which is
otherwise the same as diesel fuel except without the excise tax).

Steve