Firing up the oil furnace for the first time.

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Just got my 275 gallon oil tank filled this week & the Weil Mclain furnace cleaned with its annual cleaning. Turned the furnace on for the first time after work to take the dampness off the house. Girl Friend made a 2nd mention of it last nite in bed. Had a nice indian summer here in my parts & held off as long as possible. What is your typical time to turn your furnace on depending on where you live? I have friends that refuse to turn it on until November 1st. I did run my Eden Pure heater in the living room from time to time here the last two weeks while watching televison or just relaxing.
 
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I try to keep the temperature where we like it in the house by keeping windows closed / open depending on outside temperature as long as possible going into the fall temperatures. Last night was the first night I had to put the heat on low to take the chill out of the air because it was at the freezing point outside (32F / 0C)

Today it was going up to 65F / 18c so I left a couple windows open when I left for work so the dogs wouldn't get too hot. (House naturally warms from computers etc. I have running)
 
Oil heat just feels "warmer" to me, I know it makes no sense. I have gas furnaces now, cut them on when temp inside the house was 59 degrees this morning.
 
Mine never turns off. Mod/con boiler with indirect water heater. Heats the water as a separate zone. Most efficient way to heat the home and water imo...
 
I'm in northern Kentucky and we turned ours on a couple days ago, brand new heat pump here with electric backup. Not my choice to start heating, the inside temps were low 60's. I can be comfortable down to 60 (especially for sleeping) but I'm not home all day with kids either. We moved here from Colorado Springs in April, I was surprised that the "starting to heat" day is as close as it is between the two climates. We'd start heating around the 2-3 week of October when we lived in CO. But I have to say in KY, we left the windows open all day and night until recently, but it got cold quick. In CO, the windows were closed for good in early September.
 
Good timing since I just started our Weil boiler this afternoon after work.
It was down to around 56F in the house and the outlook over the next few days is for continued cold outside temperatures, so it was time.
It's comfortable in bed at much lower house temperatures, but too cold for sweats and slippers while up and about is too cold for us.
We will see some Indian Summer after this cold spell and so we'll probably have little need for heat in the next ten days, but the outlook for the next several days does call for heat.
 
I don't ever really shut off our furnace per say. I keep our thermostat set at 64*, but it seems to kick on some nights during October. Our electronic hydrostat doesn't keep the oil boiler at a certain temp all the time; only kicks on when it needs heat. Grandmothers house next door has an oil boiler that's a bit older than ours that likes to keep the water temperature around 140*F. Around March I'll turn the breaker off and turn it back on in October.

Just ordered fuel today, $2.15/gallon, sheesh!
 
It's getting cold! Was 71 in the house this morning! Usually turn the heater on in mid November. It doesn't run much. We're wimps in AZ I know.

But the cold feels different here than up north. My brother lived in Montana and even says it feels much colder here. 40 degrees here is extremely cold, but 40 degrees in Montana isn't too bad.

I also have a family friend who has lived 50/50 Alaska and AZ for the last 25 years and he said the same thing.
 
Originally Posted By: anndel
It was 59 degrees last night and for the first time since February I needed a blanket.
yeah it is brutal!!!
grin.gif
 
I turned ours on to make sure all was well and then turned it back off. The house is 69 and we usually turn it on when the temp inside gets down to 64. Looks like we might have to the first of the week if the weather stays cool but then it is suppose to warm back up into the 70's by end of next week.

Crazy NC weather, two years ago it was 85 degrees the last week of December. Usually we stay in the mid 60s by then.

We have a gas heat. Some say that the new heat pumps are more efficient but I like to feel warm are coming out of the vent, not air that is just 3 to 4 degrees warmer than what the house is inside.
 
usually Nov 1 if the weather dictates it , been chilly house down to 60 degrees F inside so I will cave in and start it up up and start the humidifier,,,,,,,,,,
 
I am good down to 60 or 62 and wear sweat shirt or sweater.
The wife thinks that is cold and will complain.
We have a cold weekend coming but have had some nice days lately and house at about 70 now.
Hopefully I dont have to turn on heat and can wait a few more weeks.
Oh it is nice to live in deep south for the winter
 
Electric forced air furnace here, its been on intermittently since the middle/end of Sept, had a few days where it was around freezing with low daytime highs, then 2 weeks later I had to run the central ac. I think its on for good now and the ac is off for good, just had our second snowfall yesterday.
 
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