Wife report on propane!

[Dan_IN_MN]

Wife report on propane: Tank was filled (80%) on Dec 16th. Checked gauge today and it's sitting at 75%! 5% in 3 weeks! Without wood heat we would be due for another fill in 3 weeks. At this rate we shouldn't need any more propane this winter! Typically, we would go through 4 tanks a winter.

Now....how does one get 17 year old daughter to take shorter showers?

Propane is used for backup heat, cooking and cold water heater.

The best part is that I own the tank....no one can tell me that I need to use a certain amount of their gas!

Dan

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Wood heat is nicest when you aren't paying someone else for it.

Can't help you with the lack of hot water in your house. Went through that a few years ago. Best I can offer is to tell her she just got a text message and ask her if you can read it.

 

[Dalmatian90]

Propane is used for backup heat, cooking and cold water heater.

Mental note...avoid Green Isle, MN. I don't mind winter, but I don't want to live anywhere I have to heat the water just to warm it up to "cold"

 

[Stein]

.

Now....how does one get 17 year old daughter to take shorter showers?

That would be dad in the basement slowly turning off the hot water supply line from the water heater.

 

[bigbadbob]

That would be dad in the basement slowly turning off the hot water supply line from the water heater.

:agree2:

 

[MATTYB11]

That would be dad in the basement slowly turning off the hot water supply line from the water heater.

My first thought also.

 

[A. Stanton]

Good for you. I haven't gotten an oil delivery since May.

 

[dancan]

Now....how does one get 17 year old daughter to take shorter showers?

Dan

Pick your battles carefully , at least you know where she is when the water is running .

 

[MotorSeven]

Man i hate to hear that your outa work. At least you can keep the family warm with wood. If your already set up for cutting & hauling have you thought about selling firewood?
Be thankfull that she is there with you using 50gal of hot water a day. Mine is 700 miles away with the crazy X......i would gladly trade ya!

RD

 

[carvinmark]

Best I can offer is to tell her she just got a text message and ask her if you can read it.

LOL

 

[beerman6]

That would be dad in the basement slowly turning off the hot water supply line from the water heater.

I have done that...

 

[tanker]

Flushing the toilet a couple of times in rapid sucession works fairly well too

 

[projectsho89]

That would be dad in the basement slowly turning off the hot water supply line from the water heater.

That is EXACTLY what I did when my daughter was around that age....

Gave her a 2 minute warning, then I started turning the valve.

She had an early morning class and my wife and I still needed to take our showers after she had hers.

I finally put a flow reducer in the showerhead in the bathroom she used.

Steve

 

[Tracker83]

You might want to look into an electric water heater. I put in a new LP water heater a few years back and never even considered electric. The common knowledge was that heating water with electric was WAY more expensive. However, with the recent high prices in propane, I thought it would be interesting to run some calculations to compare water heating cost between the two sources. The result: I am tearing out my semi-new propane heater this weekend and putting in a new electric. At my current electric cost (10.2 c/kWh) and a conservative LP price of $2.20/gal it turns out that electric is cheaper. To the tune of $50ish per year. The savings jumps to $150/year using the $2.59/gal cost of my last fill-up.

The break-even point (assuming 10.2c/kWh) is $2.00/gal. Even at break-even I would rather send my money to the electric co instead of the propane co.

Current MI average is $2.31/gal per this site: http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/mpsc/reports/shopp/index.htm

P.S. If any of the Michigan folk on this site want a 2.5 year old Bradford White power-vent 50gal water heater send me a PM.

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Does it heat cold water or hot water? It heats cold water up to hot water!

Have you ever heard people say "The hot water heater" If the water is hot before it got to the water heater, why would you have to heat it? I was hoping that someone would bite on "cold water heater"!:greenchainsaw:

Mental note...avoid Green Isle, MN. I don't mind winter, but I don't want to live anywhere I have to heat the water just to warm it up to "cold"

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

I'm strongly thinking about preheating the water via the wood furnace

I'm strongly thinking about preheating the water via the wood furnace. I have a old propane water heater that the thermostat was messing up. If I put this before the new WH with a loop of pipe going somewhere where there is heat....I should be able to heat the water in the old tank via therm-o action.

You might want to look into an electric water heater. I put in a new LP water heater a few years back and never even considered electric. The common knowledge was that heating water with electric was WAY more expensive. However, with the recent high prices in propane, I thought it would be interesting to run some calculations to compare water heating cost between the two sources. The result: I am tearing out my semi-new propane heater this weekend and putting in a new electric. At my current electric cost (10.2 c/kWh) and a conservative LP price of $2.20/gal it turns out that electric is cheaper. To the tune of $50ish per year. The savings jumps to $150/year using the $2.59/gal cost of my last fill-up.

The break-even point (assuming 10.2c/kWh) is $2.00/gal. Even at break-even I would rather send my money to the electric co instead of the propane co.

Current MI average is $2.31/gal per this site: http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/mpsc/reports/shopp/index.htm

P.S. If any of the Michigan folk on this site want a 2.5 year old Bradford White power-vent 50gal water heater send me a PM.

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Noted! Thoughts to ponder!

Pick your battles carefully , at least you know where she is when the water is running .

Thoughts to ponder!

Thanks

Dan

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Text message!

Wood heat is nicest when you aren't paying someone else for it.

Words well spoken!

Can't help you with the lack of hot water in your house. Went through that a few years ago.

We really haven't run out of hot water....it's just the thought of the water heater EATING propane!

Best I can offer is to tell her she just got a text message and ask her if you can read it.

I can see how that would be effective, however, her phone is in the bathroom with her.. I'm sure if she can find a water proof one it will be in the shower!

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Have you thought of using both?

You might want to look into an electric water heater. I put in a new LP water heater a few years back and never even considered electric. The common knowledge was that heating water with electric was WAY more expensive. However, with the recent high prices in propane, I thought it would be interesting to run some calculations to compare water heating cost between the two sources. The result: I am tearing out my semi-new propane heater this weekend and putting in a new electric. At my current electric cost (10.2 c/kWh) and a conservative LP price of $2.20/gal it turns out that electric is cheaper. To the tune of $50ish per year. The savings jumps to $150/year using the $2.59/gal cost of my last fill-up.

The break-even point (assuming 10.2c/kWh) is $2.00/gal. Even at break-even I would rather send my money to the electric co instead of the propane co.

Current MI average is $2.31/gal per this site: http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/mpsc/reports/shopp/index.htm

P.S. If any of the Michigan folk on this site want a 2.5 year old Bradford White power-vent 50gal water heater send me a PM.

Have you thought of using both? Keeping the gas for when the electricity is out? That is if you have room.

Dan

 

[rb_in_va]

Now....how does one get 17 year old daughter to take shorter showers?

Turn down the heat setting on your tank. Not all the way down, but I knocked mine down a few notches (a little at a time). You'll save gas 24/7. Plus with little ones in the house it's more safe to have the water a tad cooler.