Comments on: Northeast To Be Home Heating Oil Hell?

Soaring Prices Put Enormous Pressure On Consumers And The Companies That Deliver Oil

[liebchen21]

Last November I moved into a rental, a huge old farmhouse with virtually no insulation, most rooms have no doors, windows no weatherstripping, etc. I do not heat w/oil, but do w/propane gas.

I''m a single mother of two teens, making about $32,000 a year. Last winter, it cost me about $1000 a month to live in this house. I''m not looking forward to winter this year either. My landlord will do nothing in the way of alternative heat, so, guess I''m stuck. Along w/the rest of the country...

[minnick8-2009]

One of the most unAmerican and pathetic posts I''''ve ever seen! If only we could ''''thin'''' YOU!

Posted by ofbyfor1

Take heart, some day haloi will be thinned out too.

[lewiston14]

The house you%u2019re going to create is how you%u2019re for fathers survived. They were usually a large room fired buy a wood stove or fireplace. The bathroom was an offshoot of the large room and the cooking area was a cove cut out of the large room. The sleeping area was another cove cut into the large room. Naturally modern houses were not set up that way so you have to mimic how it was back then. Sure you going to get family resistance so set them down at the table and tell them the options. Live like this trough the winter or freeze to death. Word of caution you know some people are going to go out and buy non vented heaters. These are the first people they pick up as dead people. You have to be smart what changes you make. I don%u2019t live in the upper reaches of NE but I made the changes and cut my heating bill by 3/4. If I pay $200 a month that is a lot and it%u2019s a big house. You can do it to

[ofbyfor1]

One may consider replacing an old oil furnace. The new ones have heat exchangers that are twice as efficient as furnaces made fifteen years ago.
Thermo-Pride makes a good one.

Also, it makes economic sense to add more insulation to older houses now.

Posted by cbsfan73 at 12:28 AM : Aug 12, 2008

Great ideas!! Now whose azz should those people pull that money out of?

Posted by toldyouso12 at 07:25 AM : Aug 12, 2008

If you in an area that has natural gas and already have a hookup to your home (gas stove, perhaps), your gas company may have an offer to replace your oil furnace with a gas furnace for free. It may be worth looking into. Also, many energy companies have programs to help homeowners make their properties more energy-efficient. Check into it.

[lewiston14]

There are many ways to save on heating and it only takes a few ideas a couple days of work and its like going back to an era that the people used before us. These are just ideas to consider. If you are in a house there is a chance many rooms are only used a few minutes a day. Shut off the vents close the doors put an old towel at the base of the door. This is based on rooms that are cool or *** right cold but you very seldom need to use them. Little kid one and little kid two can use a single room for the winter saving another room that needs heat. Forget about keeping the house at 80 you%u2019re fighting for your life. A stand alone wood or coal stove can provide most of the heat you need for the new great room you%u2019re going to make. Even a 4000 BTU propane wall heater will do the job. And a small tank last for months if you%u2019re careful. A hundred watt electric blanket will keep you warn all night rather the letting the whole house furnace do the job. Block everything off with plastic sheets so the warm room does not loose its heat to a cooler house. To be cont.

[ofbyfor1]

I understand the hard time the NE faces, but do not understand why Maine has decided to accept oil from the US hate mongoring Argentina.

Posted by excelsior9 at 10:54 PM : Aug 11, 2008

The US has NO problems with Argentina. Perhaps you meant Venezuela?

If Venezuela is willing to supply affordable fuel to Americans who otherwise might freeze to death, don''t you think the US might try doing that for it''s OWN citizens?

[ofbyfor1]

The thinning of the herd, nothing more.

Posted by haoli25 at 10:49 PM : Aug 11, 2008

Now THERE''S a ''compassionate conservative'' for you!

Elderly and kids suffering and possibly dying because of lack of heat and you call it ''thinning the herd''.

One of the most unAmerican and pathetic posts I''ve ever seen! If only we could ''thin'' YOU!

[cbsfan73]

toldyouso12: on spending money for energy upgrades for older homes:

"Now whose azz should those people pull that money out of?"

They should pull it from your tight azz.

Seriously, this is a long term investment and does not provide instant returns.

I installed 5750 watts of electric baseboard heat in my dining and living room for about $500. I did the install myself and this price included the permit.

I blew extra insulation in the attic for $200 and this included free use of the blowing machine.

Of course a new energy efficient furnace is gonna set you back $3000-$4000. But it should cut your oil use in half. And if yours is dilapidated, it should be replaced anyway.

I try to budget $100 per month for home maintenance. A new roof, new paint, carpet, water heater, heating/AC, etc...

If worse comes to worse, a home equity line is a source of funds.

[slim1h2o]

With all due respect--how are you comparing a 275.00/month bill for air conditioning (you could also use a fan--people did years ago) with people paying 1200.00 to 2000.00/month to keep warm? It''''s not the same. Air conditioning is a convenience NOT a necessity--if people stay indoors, with adequate ventilation and a fan, they can live (take a few cool baths) But in the winter--to go without heat is death and the price difference is too great to compare. I''''m sure people from Conn. would love to trade your "High summer cooling prices" for the cost of their heating oil this winter. 275 vs 1200 per month--BIG DIFFERENCE.

Posted by toldyouso12 at 07:11 AM : Aug 12, 2008

I agree with you that you can not go without heat in the winter.

But you can not go without air conditioning the summer in the south. Especially if you are elderly, very young, and/or have health issues, like lung disease. A/C down here is just as important, as heat is up there.

[toldyouso12]

Many people may need to reconsider the place they live. There are much warmer climates than the NE, where other heating sources are available...


Posted by jimfinster at 12:35 AM : Aug 12, 2008


People move to where the jobs are. Just what kind of jobs are available in the warmer states and how many? it is very stupid and shortsighted to always tell people to move--it takes money to move and money to stay whereever they go--people tend to live where they can find work and support themselves. So we don''t pick up and go, just because a place is better and companies do not move their businesses to accomodate migration.

[toldyouso12]

Global Warming will be our Savior as our Global Warmimg Crowd expects the Planet to fry this winter her in the NE. Better start buying Air Conditioners while there on Sale at Walmarts.

If that doesn''''t do it Reverend Jackson & his buddy Chavez will come to our rescue with affordable heating oil again like they did last year, right?

Posted by pepperwood2 at 06:01 AM : Aug 12, 2008


Global warming actually results in hotter summers and much, much colder winters. Go back and rent the movie "Day after tommorrow" pay special attention to the parts where the scientist explains Global warming to all the others while on a trip to India--if you watch that movie--ya just might learn something.

[toldyouso12]

One may consider replacing an old oil furnace. The new ones have heat exchangers that are twice as efficient as furnaces made fifteen years ago.
Thermo-Pride makes a good one.

Also, it makes economic sense to add more insulation to older houses now.

Posted by cbsfan73 at 12:28 AM : Aug 12, 2008


Great ideas!! Now whose azz should those people pull that money out of?

[toldyouso12]

Don''''t drill, Nancy and Barack, let them freeze. It will be nice and frosty in early November in Indiana, Ohio Pennsylvania and Virginia. When they fill up their fuel oil tanks for over $1000 a pop, they will realize how wise Nancy and Barack are, and in 10 or 20 years they will be kept warm with solar and wind energy. Let them freeze, please. Thank you very much.

Posted by andylance1 at 12:07 AM : Aug 12, 2008


The Northeast primarily always votes Democrat (with the except of the turn coats who support Liebermann) saying that, it is the Southern US and the west that are/were Bush fanatics. If anyone needs a lesson about Bush it is them--so what? Let them die of thirst when their droughts hit? Let the fires keep burining? What is your true point?

[toldyouso12]

ye ever lived in Maine...I have and I was born and raised in Maine, I have family there. I am a Mainer in Seattle. My parents don''''t have computer and I will be on the net as we talk. We used to shut down rooms in the winter to save heating fuel and that was in the 60s.

Posted by BarbaraM99 at 11:21 PM : Aug 11, 2008


I lived in Maine too (back in the 1960s and part of the early 70s) Letting the snow bank up against the house also provides insulation and decreases the heating bills, people can tack a water resistant barrier from the base of the house to about 3 feet into the yard, then let the snow just pile up. In a good winter, that snow can get 8 to 9 feet high. (Presque Isle, ME)

[toldyouso12]

As well, before you think any of these measures will bring oil prices down, look at the price in Europe or in fact in any country where oil is not government-subsidized, and you will find the price is higher.

Posted by ausus at 09:40 PM : Aug 11, 2008


Oil in Europe is government controlled. The reasons for the high prices in Europe are due to the the taxes and fees on each litre--, money used to pay for roads, infrastructure and social services. Something America might want to consider, since Americans seem willing to pay anything for gas and the bridges and buildings are falling down.

[toldyouso12]

My electric bill last year was approxamatly $150 to $175 a month(summer time 2007) and now this year 2008 my electric bill as of August 1, of this year is now about $225 to $275 a month as air conditioning down here runs from about mid May till about early October.
Posted by TedsGMC at 08:40 PM : Aug 11, 2008


With all due respect--how are you comparing a 275.00/month bill for air conditioning (you could also use a fan--people did years ago) with people paying 1200.00 to 2000.00/month to keep warm? It''s not the same. Air conditioning is a convenience NOT a necessity--if people stay indoors, with adequate ventilation and a fan, they can live (take a few cool baths) But in the winter--to go without heat is death and the price difference is too great to compare. I''m sure people from Conn. would love to trade your "High summer cooling prices" for the cost of their heating oil this winter. 275 vs 1200 per month--BIG DIFFERENCE.

[toldyouso12]

Whooo. Do a little research before you start blaming individuals. Remember before the Democrat Controlled Congress Energy prices were low. In fact after 2 years of the Democrats controlling congress, gas prices have doubled. GW has offer solutions and Polosi is the one stopping any drilling for Oil. Get it.


Posted by obama8years at 06:06 AM : Aug 12, 2008


Energy prices were not low before 2006. The average price of gas was about 2.64/gal which is almost 200% more than it was in 1999.

[toldyouso12]

Unless we free ourselves from oil in a shorter time range than a full decade, this problem won''''t do anything but get worse. For those in north and the rust belt, conversion to either all-electric or NG/Propane will be neither cheap or easy.

The northern half of the US is built on heating oil so the problem is also far more massive than this article notes. We''''re not talking about one community of one small state. We''''re talking about every state from Illinois through Ohio, from Pennsylvania to Rhode Island.

Ten years is too long.

Posted by sincityq at 08:58 PM : Aug 11, 2008


I do hope all of you that are touting switching from heating oil to propane or electric realize that most of those types of energy ultimately rely on oil too. What you guys are really suggesting is like having a bad tire on your car and switching which rotor you decide to mount it on. Ya still have a bad tire.

[toldyouso12]

Elections are in November. Democrats stalling on energy. Perfect storm?

One question. If the Cheney transcripts are secret how do you know what they say? For all you Know they manipulated the markets and kept heating oil from being $20 a gallon.

Posted by cbscrash07 at 08:26 PM : Aug 11, 2008


We know they are horrid because one of the main beneficiaries was said to be ENRON. The other reason we know they were terrible is that Cheney refuses to share them and claims executive privilege though they do not fall under anything Bush did, and so such privilege should not be claimed. The simple truth is, if the info of the meetings were anything good, the administration would have stroked themselves with that feather long ago. They tell what they think makes them look good and hide the dirt--we all KNOW that. It''s been proven over and over again.

[toldyouso12]

My neighbors are considering a community approach to heating costs this year. Each week, one family will host others. After everyone has had dinner, the families will pack up their sleeping bags, pillows and blankets and camp out for a week, turning their heat down at their own home overnight.


Posted by OneWorldUSA at 05:47 AM : Aug 12, 2008


Excellent idea! Another thing everyone can do is put thermal plastic on their windows, close the flues to chimneys if not in use, and heat only 1 room during the day (keep the rest of the house at 58 to 60 degrees. ) We did this in our old drafty victorian in Iowa. We wore sweaters and long johns, all ate and lived in the tv room. About an hour before bedtime, I sprinted up to each bedroom and turned on heating blankets for each bed. On really cold nights (well below ) we all just stayed in the tv room and used a small electric heater w/ fan. Our bill went from 950.00/mo back down to about 300.00 in the Winter with most months avg about 250.00.