Heating

The best primary heat source for a home is usually the one most commonly used in that particular area. Out in the western states, homes are likely to be serviced by natural gas. Opposite seems to be the case in the east side of the nation. Oil being an earlier source of heat than gas would be more common in older, established areas like the Atlantic seaboard than out west.

In Spokane I noticed homes with oil heating were selling for substantially less than comparable homes with gas heating. This makes sense since oil is not conveniently piped into a home like gas and therefore not as desirable. You will have to call an oil vendor and have them deliver it into a large tank somewhere inside or close to your home.

Some of the oil heat set ups I have seen looked overly complex and arcane, like something out of a H.G. Wells’ novel. Gas being the newer heat source usually has more modern equipment. Gas furnace units by comparison are much smaller and compact, fitting in a utility closet or a comparable sized space.

I have thought about converting an oil heat setup for gas but in the end it would not be worth the expense, hassle and time involved even though the homes cost less. Also some areas or streets are simply not "gas serviced".

Electric heat is fine as a back up system but is an expensive and inefficient use of electricity as the main heating source for a home. To use it as a primary heat source without breaking the bank, the home will need to be small or exceptionally well insulated.

Living room fireplace with insert.

A fireplace is an excellent asset to have in a home as an alternative method of heating. This becomes very important in areas prone to power outages caused by winter ice and snow storms. In my opinion a home needs to have an alternative heat source that does not require electricity.

A fireplace insert greatly improves combustion efficiency and heat output. A plain wood burning stove, though not as aesthetic, is just as good if not better than a fireplace as a heat source. A wood pellet stove is highly efficient but requires electricity to run. All heating units should be looked over by a home inspector to make sure they work properly and do not pose a safely issue.

In the end what matters is not how or with what a house is heated but how well a house is insulated.