Homeowners Look For

Alternative Heating Sources

By The Associated Press

Sales are heating up for alternative ways to keep homes warm as homeowners cope with dropping temperatures and rising oil prices.

Heating oil cost an average of $1.54 per gallon in Connecticut last week, 48 cents higher than a year ago, state officials say.

“It’s up quite a bit from last year. It has been all year,” said Doris Bellucci, a planning specialist at the state Office of Policy and Management.

Many customers at The Home Depot in Norwalk have been asking whether they could save money by using a space heater, said store manager Eric Vanderhoof. Kerosene and electric space heaters are flying off the shelves.

“It seems that this year we’re selling them faster than we can bring them in the store,” Mr Vanderhoof said.

Mr Vanderhoof also said many customers are buying firewood and pellets for wood-burning stoves.

“If people have a wood-burning fireplace, they are definitely cranking that thing this time of year, trying to cut down on the fuel consumption,” he said.

David Asselin, deputy director of the Independent Connecticut Petroleum Association trade organization, attributed increased oil prices in part to predictions for colder weather this winter. He also said shortages caused last winter when stormy weather made Long Island Sound too rough for oil tankers were not replaced during the summer because of energy-sapping heat waves throughout the country.

But Mr Asselin warned against relying too heavily on space heaters. He said pipes can freeze if the thermostat is turned down too low and that prices for kerosene, natural gas, and electricity are up this year.

“It’s not just heating oil. No matter what you heat with, you’re going to see higher prices,” Asselin said.

Nancy Slocum, owner of Handyman Hardware in Stamford, said her store has been repairing more kerosene space heaters than usual. Ms Slocum said many consumers had not used the heaters in previous years, fearing fire hazards and dangerous fumes.

“We’ve seen people taking them out of the attic and out of the basement,” she said. “I think they’re realizing that they just have to be a little more careful. And the alternative is to pay the price for oil and gas.”

Ms Slocum said money can be saved by turning down the thermostat and using space heaters to warm individual rooms.

David Henderson, general manager of Banksville Home Center in Westchester County, N.Y., said using a wood-burning stove is more cost-effective than heating with oil. He estimated firewood sales are up 25 percent over last year, in part because more people are using wood-burning stoves.

“There have been some people who have said, ‘Well, with the price of heating oil, I’m going to be burning a lot more wood,’” Mr Henderson said.