Article 1023044 of alt.home.repair: Path: news.misty.com!not-for-mail From: nicksanspam@ece.villanova.edu Newsgroups: alt.home.repair Subject: Re: Convert from Oil Heat? Date: 31 May 2008 13:06:37 -0400 Organization: Villanova University Lines: 21 Message-ID: References: <0327627c-c776-42cf-bb74-dd0726d6d2e9@l42g2000hsc.googlegroups.com> <59-dnSVbxJltT93VnZ2dnUVZ_v7inZ2d@comcast.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: acadia.ece.villanova.edu X-Trace: max.inside.misty.com 1212249938 31781 153.104.44.130 (31 May 2008 16:05:38 GMT) X-Complaints-To: abuse@misty.com NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 31 May 2008 16:05:38 +0000 (UTC) Xref: news.misty.com alt.home.repair:1023044 Dimitrios Paskoudniakis wrote: >... I want to know if someone in the group knows which is cheaper (per BTU) >- oil at $4.50 per gallon That's $4.50/(0.8x1.3therms) = $4.33/therm, burned at 80% efficiency. >or heat pump at $0.125/kWh That's $0.125/(5x0.03412therms) = $0.73, with water source heat pump with a COP of 5. >... as well as the cost to convert The ground or well loop may be the most expensive part of a heat pump. A 3-ton 5-COP Climatemaster Tranquility 27 box with a pump and blower and heat exchanger but no loop costs about $5K and uses less power than a toaster. Nick