Home Building Questions - Propane - All electric - Fireplace

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Oh and also I mentioned testing out induction cook stoves. The pans I like are aluminum and not induction ready. Seems like it may be a hassle between higher cost cooktop and specific - higher cost - cookware.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I built houses for years. I was a General Contractor. I'd run extra empty conduits and come up in a wall and run to attic. Sleeve water lines in cheap plastic pipe, the ones below slab. Run a gas line into heater closet so you can at least use a heater of some sort if power outage. You can use a propane grill bottle outside and heat. If you have nat gas, use it. Run line to stove. Even if you're all electric. Provision for a fire heater, wood, pellets, corn. Build in every option you can. I will say, I have heated with a fish cooker with a stack of bricks on it.

 

[riptides]

.... Build in every option you can. I will say, I have heated with a fish cooker with a stack of bricks on it.

Yeah...well I have heated with Sterno cans. Different smell. LOL.

 

[2manyrocks]

That's a nice spreadsheet!

I just worked up my cost per KWH from my last bill. I'm paying just under $0.11 per KWH including all fees and taxes.
Propane is around $2.39/ gal.

Just a quick glance at this looks like all electric will be cheaper.

All electric and a pellet stove is feeling more and more like the way to go. Maybe I'll install 2 water heaters to solve the hot water issue?

Under what circumstances are you running out of hot water? All your family shows up and each one takes 2 hour showers?

With new construction, I'd guess it would be more cost effective and space saving to install the electrical service and wiring needed for an on demand water heater instead of buying and installing two water heaters.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Yeah...well I have heated with Sterno cans. Different smell. LOL.

I was surprised because I found a Coleman sportster one burner backpack stove. Wasn't as big as a lantern. That little dude heated the center of the house and my bedroom. I stacked 3 cast iron skillets inside each other to hold some heat. I have a fireplace, but I live alone and just can't have that going when I leave.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Under what circumstances are you running out of hot water? All your family shows up and each one takes 2 hour showers?

With new construction, I'd guess it would be more cost effective and space saving to install the electrical service and wiring needed for an on demand water heater instead of buying and installing two water heaters.

I have put several demand water heaters in. Those big ones work fine. Three were natural gas, one propane, one electric. Nobody had any problem, and it's been years.

 

[Carl_NH]

I just worked up my cost per KWH from my last bill. I'm paying just under $0.11 per KWH including all fees and taxes.
Propane is around $2.39/ gal. Just a quick glance at this looks like all electric will be cheaper.

All electric and a pellet stove is feeling more and more like the way to go. Maybe I'll install 2 water heaters to solve the hot water issue?

Definitely put in Mini-Spilt units that are 25 SEER and above (cooling) and above with high HSPF factors 12 or better (heating efficiency) and even the DHW tank units now use inverters (mini split) for water heating that are very efficient.

I would not put in baseboard electric or regular electric water heaters. And as others mentioned put in gas lines, and extra conduits to "future proof" your house for additions later is easy when building new.

Also an alternate source of heat would either be a wood or pellet stove in case of loss of power, as a hedge if electric costs increase dramatically.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Under what circumstances are you running out of hot water? All your family shows up and each one takes 2 hour showers?

With new construction, I'd guess it would be more cost effective and space saving to install the electrical service and wiring needed for an on demand water heater instead of buying and installing two water heaters.

I do have a teenager that makes it her job to run the house out of hot water on every shower. For whatever reason her and her mom both are not happy unless actual fire comes out of the shower head with the water.

The house we sold had dual natural gas water heaters and we never ran out of hot water. We didn't build it, it just so happened to have 2, one was on the washing machine and kids bathroom and the other on the kitchen and master bath. Not sure why the builder opted for that but they did. We never ran out of hot water there.

The mobile home we are in, I upgraded to a 50 gal dual element electric water heater. We have to stagger the times for washing clothes, dishwasher, and showers or we will run out pretty easily. Wife and I can shower back to back and pretty much be ok. Not so for following after the small child or following clothes or dishes. It's not like we are always having to deal with cold showers but it's less convenient.

I researched the electric on demand whole house units several years ago. It looked like they required a prohibitive amount of electricity. Something like 100 amps of 240v.

 

[riptides]

I do have a teenager that makes it her job to run the house out of hot water on every shower. For whatever reason her and her mom both are not happy unless actual fire comes out of the shower head with the water.
....

LOL. I agree on the fire part.

On the teenager, once they are out of the house, you will note gains only a true home owner can appreciate. Hot water is readily available, the washer and dryer are ready to go, no plumbing issues and a bathroom is always available!

 

[2manyrocks]

It's essential to size the proper electrical service and wiring for an on demand electric water heater.

There is something to be said for allowing for cold water in the shower as a means of limiting the otherwise endless use of hot water by teens.