I love the episode when Hank discovers Bobby and Peg have been using CHARCOAL for grilling. What a classic!
That was a great one. And you KNOW they weren't doing so on the Wagner (pronounced "Vahgner") Deluxe grill.
To the actual topic -- in the rural area where my folks live, the standard is generally electricity except for heating (water and air), which most everyone uses propane for. Propane has really shot up recently according to my dad, but before now, it was looked at as the cheaper alternative in their neck of the woods, though that may have more to do with Calif electricity prices than anything else.
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Isn't that ethyl stuff the same stuff that makes a skunk smell like, well,,, a skunk?
I think it uses sulfides which make rotten eggs stink.
If you haven't looked into heat pump systems since defrost sensors have been on the market (about 20 years) you really need to look into them again,
As soon as I can sell one, I will, they're not exactly flying off the shelf. But be aware thermistors are not "new technology", when I said analog I meant timers and T'stats. I've dealt with electronics in them but just not recently. They STILL have a logic circuit that asks the electronic question. "Do you need a defrost?" as much as every 30 minutes if you set them up that way. I always tried the longest interval first (usually 90 minutes) and if there were no problems left it at that.
A conventional furnace will still only do 80%, so will a standard boiler. Gas or oil. They DO make higher efficiency ones 90+ for gas and 86% for boilers but again we run into the bottom line thing. The stuff costs more and is only purchased by the very few who are forward thinkers and not afraid to spend a few extra bucks. The rest just want the cheapest price they can find. Which is NEVER a way to decide on what to buy cause, and I can't say it enough, "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!"
It never ceases to amaze me at the people who have a Mercedes or a Lincoln or even a freakin' Bentley in the garage but cringe at spending any more than the bare minimum needed to heat or cool their houses. But we all know that's because none of them will be seen driving their HVAC system around town, so what does it matter?