Dual Heating System

[hotncool]

With the price of home heating oil going way up in southern NH (as elsewhere), I'm "thinking" about a "Dual Heating System". I now have an oil furnace with forced hot water. Oil is currently at $3.899/gal. I haven't done my homework yet to compare costs on a BTU basis, but will. This will most likely be the "pre pay plan price".

Although I do not have a gas line source near my home and would require a tank, I was thinking about having a gas heating system installed in parallel with my oil heatig system. I'm thinking of having the option of switching to either system depending on the economics of each. Is this practical, does this make sense?

I off to get cost estimates, but your opinion would be appreciated.

[beenthere]

At $3.90 a gal for oil, and 80% efficiency, if your LP boiler is 90% efficienct and LP cost $2.88 a gal, then your heating cost would be the same. but you will have paid a lot for the redundency.
If the LP boiler is an 80% efficient boiler, and LP cost $2.88 a gal, it would cost $4.30 more per 1,000,000 BTU's of heat.

You might want to call around and find out the price of LP before you give it anymore consideration.

Improvments in teh houses envolope may be more feasable and have have a pay back.

[inhoth2o]

how old is the boiler you have now, some of the new 3 pass boilers are getting 86%, may be install an out door reset, how is your hot water heated, these might be some ways to save on oil