Hot damn natural gas is going to be expensive this winter

[arcas]

Louisville's natural gas company just requested a 64% rate increase. I expect my local gas company to follow suit soon. Our electricity largely comes from coal so I expect electric rates will remain in the $0.06/KWh range. I'm starting to wonder if it wouldn't be financially prudent to ditch the nat gas furnaces and have heat pumps installed, especially if nat gas prices remain in the $14-$15/therm range for several seasons or longer.

A few years ago I added another R-19 worth of blown insulation to the attic (total is probably around R-50 now) but around here houses are constructed with 2x4 frames so the walls are R-13 at best. They get chilly when it gets cold outside but I'm not sure there's much I can do about it.

Anybody in the Ohio valley with a ~2400sq ft house have heat pumps? If so, what were your heating/cooling costs last year? What's the SEER rating of your units?

 

[Mr N8]

I live in an upper flat, so opening the windows can draw a lot of heat up to my apartment.

 

[woowoo]

I'm in southern Indiana.
If your AC is in need of replacement, you could opt for a Heatpump.
You could also keep your gas furnace for backup.
It's called Dual fuel.

My house is less than 1000sq ft.
R-34 in the attic, 90+ furnace,triple payne windows.
I pay $34 a month for gas on the budget plan

I would not get over 13-14 seer for our region

 

[Coalfax]

Western MA here.. Natural Gas went from 72 cents a thrm to $1.22 a therm...

Argh.

At least I was smart enough to replace all my windows this summer, so I suppose it will all equal out.

Need more Pigs! (Thunderdome)

 

[rh71]

Will oil go up as well ? Last year when gasoline prices (at gas stations) were reaching $2/gal, we saw a similar rise in home heating oil... $2/gal. Are we expected to see the same $3/gal in heating oil prices this year ?

I'm asking because there's all this talk of natural gas going up, presumably because there was a catastrophe in the gulf... which is also the cause of gas station prices going up. With that in mind, why didn't natural gas go up last year when gas stations / oil companies were forced to raise prices too ? What I'm saying is, things don't seem to add up...

How are natural gas, heating oil, and gasoline prices related ?

 

[SagaLore]

How good are your windows?

I wonder if this stuff would work:

http://www.ceramicpaintadditives.com/prod01.htm

 

[arcas]

Part of the reason natural gas is going up is because there's more and more demand for it. Power companies and factories/mills are switching to natural gas fired furnaces because it burns cleaner than coal. The hurricanes in the gulf only made the problem worse.

 

[Linflas]

Actually there were some news stories on locally saying that the price increase is not going to be as great as initially forecast during the post Katrina frenzy. The big problem with natural gas is not supply, it is facilities and distribution.

 

[Slew Foot]

I bought a whole bunch of Natural Gas stocks and funds a few months ago. Profit for me!

 

[KillerCharlie]

Quit complaining... you live in Kentucky--it doesn't get THAT cold. Imagine living in say, Minnesota, where it's much much colder and colder longer.

 

[woowoo]

Originally posted by: Linflas
Actually there were some news stories on locally saying that the price increase is not going to be as great as initially forecast during the post Katrina frenzy.

Like the OP said
LG&E
(Louisville Gas and Electric)
Has asked for a 64% increase in prices.