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View Full Version : Has anyone converted oil to natural gas?


Cartersmom
07-09-2008, 12:37 PM
Enbridge came by as they are intalling natural gas pipelines in the area..they were offering incentives of $3000 and a promise they would beat oil price by at least 20%..
I would like to hear from anyone who has actually made the switch and if you find you are saving money, or if you regret making the switch. I would be interested to hear the "fine print" and all the little charges as well.
We just got a new oil tank and quite frankly I only want to make the switch if I am finally actually going to save money.

dan j
07-09-2008, 01:10 PM
You'd want a way to have X years of future natural gas cheaper than oil in writing so a couple of years down the road you're not stuck with an investment into natural gas you can't afford to get out of and paying as much or more than oil.

inuit
07-09-2008, 02:58 PM
Many years ago, N.B. Power offered incentives and low interest loans to anyone wanting to switch from oil to electric. Does anyone remember this? I do because I did it. I switched from forced air oil heat to electric baseboard heat. Worst mistake of my life. First of all, it was too cold. All the heat was along the walls and no warm air movement. The first couple of years I saved money but was cold. After that the electric bills started to skyrocket and now I was cold and paying high heating cost. Can't wait to install wood heat next year.

StephRan
07-15-2008, 03:29 PM
I made the switch. The installation was complete as of about 5 minutes ago. In their contract, it was supposed to be done on or before June 30th. I too had just purchased a new oil tank, but I was in need of a new boiler. I had some very costly repairs done to the oil one in the winter, and didn't want to have to do that again. I think the total cost to me was about $3700, after all of the incentives, for the new gas boiler (capable of heating atleast 2500 sq.ft), and I beleive a 40gal water heater. Before having the install, I had an Energy Evaluation done for $113. One of the improvements they recommended was a new heating system. My house had a rating of 43 out of 100, 7 points higher than the averege of houses in its category. The report said the new heating system would add 9.1 points, and about 30% in heating costs. We'll also receive $600 back from the Federal Government, and another 20% ($740) of the $3700 from the Provincial Government. So all in all, our cost for the new boiler and water heater will be roughly $2400.
A bonus about the new boiler is that it will maintain the temperature of water in the hot water rediators, instead of going up and down, up and down.
I do not yet have any info about how much the actual natural gas is going to cost me. Hopefully a lot less then the $4000+ that was spent on oil in the past year.

dan j
07-15-2008, 03:36 PM
Many years ago, N.B. Power offered incentives and low interest loans to anyone wanting to switch from oil to electric. Does anyone remember this? I do because I did it. I switched from forced air oil heat to electric baseboard heat. Worst mistake of my life. First of all, it was too cold. All the heat was along the walls and no warm air movement. The first couple of years I saved money but was cold. After that the electric bills started to skyrocket and now I was cold and paying high heating cost. Can't wait to install wood heat next year.

Have you had an Energy Evaluation done? There could be many ways you can keep your existing investment and be warm. As you can see from Stephran they are not very expensive. I think they start at $100 for the first 2000 sq feet and then $50 for each 500 or 1000 sq feet; don't quote me. I think the prices would be available on http://www.efficiencynb.ca/index-e.asp

When the time comes to get this house in tip top energy shape I'll be going through the existing Fed and Prov programs.

StephRan
07-16-2008, 06:54 AM
dan j, you were very close. They're $50 for the first 2000 sq.ft and $50 per 1000 sq. ft there after. And, of course, add tax.

I didn't have much luck with the natural gas last night. My thermostat was set so that the boiler would not turn on...who really wants more heat when it's already more then 20°C in your house? It was around 6pm or 7pm last evening, and I was here wondering " Why is it so hot in here?" I looked at the thermostat to find it reading 30+°C, with everyone of my windows open. I touched my rads, and they were very, very hot. SO, I called Enbridge. They sent a contracted service person, and all was resolved in minutes. The installation people forgot to put tape around an exposed wire, that was touching another exposed wire. It did take a while to get the house to cool down though.

Is anyone planning on switching from electric to natural gas, with the $10 000 non-repayable grant that Enbridge has in place?

puppyluv
07-17-2008, 06:41 AM
I would like to switch out of oil..but am thinking electric still, with a pellet stove for additional heat. I am not convinced on the long term costing of Natural gas at this point in time. I have no desire to pay for them to come here with the pipes etc since there doesnt seem to be any in m subdivision yet.

Cartersmom
07-17-2008, 06:05 PM
Thank you very much for the info!
Esp on the amts you're going to get back from the governments.
What are you going to do with the new oil tank??
Are they sellable?

StephRan
07-18-2008, 08:10 AM
Well, Enbridge offered to remove it, for $250.00 plus HST. But, I opted out of that, even if it's not reccommended. Note from Enbridge: "Your oil tank is always included in our install do to liability issues that arise when you transport oil or any
other hazardous material. Most customers do not want this liability or do they
want to risk any contamination since your insurance company will not cover the
clean up cost."

I didn't sell my new tank, I just gave it to a guy who needed a new tank, and he came to pick it up.

I didn't make any money, but I didn't lose any either, and it was as hassle free as it could have been if Enbridge contracted the job out.:)

christine chittick
07-18-2008, 06:56 PM
I had people from Enbridge stop by a couple months ago. They had offered all those incentives too. But, I JUST put a brand new oil furnace in my home 4 months prior to the visit, and a new oil tank in the spring of last year...

Anyhow, I too am not convinced, even with all the incentives just yet. I mean, yeah it sure sounds good and whatnot, but - its like any product, it always comes cheap at first to get everybody hooked, and slowly it starts going up a year or two later, and at a steady rate too.

I know oil prices are through the roof right now. I was on automatic fill last year, but this year I don't think I am going to go that route. It cost me about 2500.00 in oil, and I was not impressed at the fact that I had over half a tank of oil and they came and filled it in mid-May (i believe it was) - and it was a 550.00 bill! I don't use oil after the end of April, and I just don't agree with coming and filling my tank in almost summer months when my heat was turned off.

Cartersmom
08-19-2008, 11:56 AM
I made the switch. The installation was complete as of about 5 minutes ago. In their contract, it was supposed to be done on or before June 30th. I too had just purchased a new oil tank, but I was in need of a new boiler. I had some very costly repairs done to the oil one in the winter, and didn't want to have to do that again. I think the total cost to me was about $3700, after all of the incentives, for the new gas boiler (capable of heating atleast 2500 sq.ft), and I beleive a 40gal water heater. Before having the install, I had an Energy Evaluation done for $113. One of the improvements they recommended was a new heating system. My house had a rating of 43 out of 100, 7 points higher than the averege of houses in its category. The report said the new heating system would add 9.1 points, and about 30% in heating costs. We'll also receive $600 back from the Federal Government, and another 20% ($740) of the $3700 from the Provincial Government. So all in all, our cost for the new boiler and water heater will be roughly $2400.
A bonus about the new boiler is that it will maintain the temperature of water in the hot water rediators, instead of going up and down, up and down.
I do not yet have any info about how much the actual natural gas is going to cost me. Hopefully a lot less then the $4000+ that was spent on oil in the past year.

I just had the energy efficiency evaluation done and it seems to me that only the Ultra boiler will be eligible for the grants from federal and provincial govt.. as it says it has to be 85% or Energy Star...the cheaper CGI is not energy star. Just wondering if you were actually able to get the grant for the non-energy star boiler..
thanks
Tara

timmy
08-24-2008, 09:25 PM
I know a guy that got big incentives to appear in a TV ad a couple of yrs ago. His opinion now is that he got hosed big time. YMMV
I am sticking with oil. Electric and gas will rise to match it before long, not to mention the loooong payback on the new equipment. Maybe if your plant was due for replacement, but not if it's fairly new. You are better off improving insulation etc. If the world's SLOWEST pipeline crew on rothesay ave is any indication of their service level look out.

Cartersmom
08-27-2008, 12:25 PM
well actually, with the incentives it would be a little over $2000, and even if it was the same price as oil (which for now its mandated to be at least 20% cheaper) it is still over 20% more efficient...our boiler is old..