Utility players

If you have gas service from Puget Sound Energy, don’t faint, it’s cutting rates. However, this is reminiscent of the price of the “other” gas going up, then down a bit, then up; exactly one year ago today, in fact, PSE announced a gas rate increase of almost 9%, which means this new cut only takes us down to 4% over where prices were a year ago. We are quite dependent on PSE here at WSB HQ; when we bought our gas-heated house last decade, natural gas was relatively cheap, so we had the line extended to our kitchen. As the chart accompanying today’s Times story shows, prices have more than doubled since then.

k September 27, 2007 (12:44 pm)

as the weather gets cooler it makes me think of heating our home. we are moving into an old home with oil heat and wondered if anyone can compare this form of heating to electric and gas for us? we’ve never had it before. thanks!

t September 27, 2007 (2:02 pm)

we went from oil to gas 3 years ago, and saved at least $500 a year. But we had a really really old furnace.

Dis September 27, 2007 (2:43 pm)

We went from oil to gas about 15 years ago and I don’t know how much we’re saving, but I am so happy not to have that nasty smelly dirty oil furnace in the basement! (it was an old furnace, granted, and it smoked up the furnace room every time it started, leaving a greasy film on the walls)

m September 27, 2007 (3:19 pm)

We are in the process of replacing our ANCIENT oil furnace (R.I.P.) and will probably pay to have natural gas brought to the house (it seems to be the most affordable option right now). We kept our house at 64 degrees for two winters and spent at least $225/month on oil (we did have old windows and old furnace but our house is not very large). You also should get it serviced every fall, which is at least a $130 bill.

Although I’m not looking forward to the expense of replacing our furnace, I will be happy to sleep through the night and not be woken up from the furnace rumbling to life, I won’t miss that burning smell or the smoke (ever watched The Christmas Story?), or the paranoia of running out of oil (which always happened during major cold snaps). Get the auto-refill and you won’t have to worry about running out and it will spread out the cost. I found that Anderson had the best prices for oil too.

Sorry for the long post, but I’m really looking forward to being done with oil. :)

miws September 27, 2007 (5:18 pm)

Well, it’s really really neat when I see the big oil truck pull up out front, and I run outside, and the oil man opens up the big door on the back of the truck, and starts unrolling the big oil hose with the nozzle on the end.

And then he sayz “Watch out, son! Gimme some room! Now be careful you don’t trip over the hose, and don’t touch nothin’. Ya could get hurt!”

The the oil man lifts the lid in the ground, and sticks the nozzle in the ground and starts filling our tank. The oil smells really kewl!

Then we walk back to the truck, and the oil man says, “Remember, son. Don’t touch nothin’. Some of then movin’ parts could take off a finger!”

It’s really neat to watch all the numbers turn on the thing that says “Gal.” on it. And it’s fun to ask the oil man alot of questions like “are you gonna put all the oil from the big tank on your truck, into our tank?” And, “How to you get the oil into the big tank on your truck?”

He seems really happy to answer all my questions, and even happier when our tank is full, and he says “Well, looks like we’re done here!”

Then, it’s really neat after he takes the nozzle out of the hole in the ground, and puts the lid back on, and says again, “Careful, now son!” As the big hose goes back into the truck all by itself. Then it’s reall neat to watch the machine print out the bill, and the oil man hands it to me, getting oily fingerprints on it, and says “Give this to your folks for me, son.”

So, I take it from him and say “Thanks!” And I go running up the stairs to the house, and trip over a step, and the oil man yells from his truck “Careful now, son!”

And the furnace?

Oh boy! That big ol’ octopus furnace makes the basement scarier than it already is!

***Snapping out of 40+ year old flashback***

Uh, sorry about that!

All three places I’ve lived in on my own for the last 29+ years have had electric baseboard, so unfortunately I can’t be of much help.

But thanks for the opportunity to take the trip down memory lane! :)

Mike