Propane or Electric Central Heat?

[cattlelackranch]

You can do a heat pump with a propane emergency heat instead of the electric heat strips.

[Chad74]

We have a 2100 sq ft house that was built in 1994 and is all electric. Our electric bill runs between $250-350 a month. We do have a pool and that pump runs at least 8 hours a day and more if temp is below 35 degrees. We have a wood burning stove that we use quite regular if the temp gets below 40 because the wife is cold blooded.

[friscopaint]

We have an electric ashley fireplace insert, heats our home in winter when cold. We like sleeping cold. Its a mizer on logs. With last winter mild and this one too we haven't burned a log. I was a propane guy but our electric heat and fireplace take care of us just fine. 56 in house this morning but thats perfect sleeping for us !

[Bob G]

OP-With all that's been said to this point and if ya had to make a decision today, what would you go with???

tending the fire,
Bob G.

[friscopaint]

If it were me and new construction I would go all foam and electric.

[S-3 Ranch]

Check it out chart

Check out all the fuel sources I have used or tried most in my personal homes
Or rentals
1. Home wife and I was a combination electric and gas
A. Was a great combination

2. Primary res was fuel oil and diesel and we went to gas on remodel
A. The diesel/ fuel oil was awesome great heating keeps home nice and toasty down side was cost when diesel fuel went up and finding a HVAC company to properly service
B propane remodel, easy service, but propane is inefficient and moderately expensive
We have 3 fireplaces in house but rarely ever use them

Our rentals are all gas and we like the easy service but don’t pay the gas bill

Hunting cabins
A couple of the cabins are kerosene heat and we enjoy it good BTU

One cabin is electric and I am tolerating it ( till you get a power outage and need gas or kerosene back up )

Good insulation and windows will save you money and headaches

[Mayhem]

I know it’s not a option but my old house was natural gas and it was awesome and cheap.


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[WilliamL]

Very interested in this... Slab was poured today. Did alot of research and going with foam and all electric HVAC and hot water heaters. Propane for cooktop and fireplace..... Hope it's the right decision

[BowCrazy]

We decided to use propane on the cooktop and oven. The central heat & hot water is electric. Figured that if the power was off the central heat fan wouldn't work so why have the gas connected to it!

[double bogey]

Propane is more expensive than straight electric heat. Electric heat produces 3.412 btu for every watt consumed. A heat pump can produce 3 times as much heat per watt than straight electric. Where the heat pump is more expensive, is when the outdoor temp is too low for the heat pump to keep up with the heat load. Then, auxiliary heat must be added, and it is usually electric. When it is very cold, the heat pump should run all the time, and the auxiliary heat should come on and off as needed. The heat pump properly set up is more efficient than straight electric heat down to 5° below zero.

If you go propane, you need to go with a 96% efficient furnace, instead of the base 80%.
The most efficient system is a dual fuel that uses the heat pump until the outdoor temp is to low for it to keep up, then it shuts down and the propane furnace takes over.

It is the same way with natural gas, a heat pump heats cheaper that gas, until the heat pump cannot keep up.

[forced-2-work]

Very interested in this... Slab was poured today. Did alot of research and going with foam and all electric HVAC and hot water heaters. Propane for cooktop and fireplace..... Hope it's the right decision

did you talk to any HVAC guys regarding the spray foam with a propane furnace? If so I am interested in what they said. also, what size tank did you get for just the stove top being propane?

[double bogey]

Any heat pump needs to have a thermostat that will not allow the heat strips to come on until the outdoor temp is below the point the heat pump can keep up on its own. This is the reason some heat pumps are not very efficient. Turning the thermostat up will have the expensive strips on, when the heat pump will catch up by its self given a little time.

[double bogey]

Moisture is a product of combustion. A propane furnace should get its combustion air from outside, and it should vent combustion products outside. An open flame inside the house will increase moisture in the house.
It is not correct that a vented furnace adds moisture to a house. Warming the air causes it to expand. Warmer air with the same amount of water in it, humidity is lower. It is very noticeable in the winter because the moisture content in the outside air is very low also.

Open flames add lots of moisture.

[WilliamL]

I currently live in a home with foam encapsulation and natural gas heat. Works well, but vented and calculated correctly. Home is 10 years old and never an issue for the natural gas heater and foam. Now we are downsizing and new lot does not have natural gas. Talked to several HVAC guys and am comfortable to go with all electric HVAC rather than propane. HVAC guys stated new electric units will be fine and running them in TX not as costly as some may think. They all stated electric heaters and not propane was the way to go.

Not sure on the size of the tank yet or if I am going to bury it. Decisions for later....

[WilliamL]

so Double Bogey, should I be concerned with all electric on the HVAC?