bens said:
I'd like to put an electric furnace in my barn.
Just a thought...if you it's almost spring now, so you don't need to be in a big rush...but if you can't find an electric furnace, it should be easier to find a gas one, as they are more common. Electric resistance furnaces are few and far between, because they are so expensive to operate.
On the other hand, for occasional heat, a lot of people are replacing their 80+ furnaces with 90+ furnaces...meaning you could probably pick up one cheap.
Power prices in Indiana are running in the $20 to $25 per million BTU. That's likely 25% more than propane and double natural gas. You can get that difference back with a high efficiency heat pump...but NOT with electric resistance heat.
But hey...if you aren't going to use it much, and you can find one...I'm not saying an electric furnace is "wrong".
Phil
p.s. Don't shoot the messenger...but power prices are headed up. Something about all the natural gas they are buying to make electricity is more expensive. Duke is my supplier, and they are making most of their power from coal...which has also gone up, but not as much. I'm hoping ours won't go up much. I've heard one REMC talking about a fuel tracker that would raise their power almost 50%.
