Rather than seeking alternatives to heating with oil — the cost of which has increased by 31 percent — folks this year are finding thrifty, creative ways to keep warm air in and cold air out, area retailers say.
Sales of insulation, caulking and wood stove accessories are up 50 percent from this time last year, said Dan Wills, owner of Hoffmann Hardware in downtown New Hartford.
“People are plugging up drafts and insulating areas that never used to be of concern until it got so expensive to heat their homes,” he said. “They’re being more mindful of the little drafty things they never used to care about before — under the doors, leaky windows.”
Frank Green, director of the Division of Food and Standards for the state Department of Consumer Protection, said heating oil currently costs $2.02 per gallon, up from $1.41 in November of 2003. He confirmed that there is no apparent shift away from heating oil, despite the price increase.
“Oil still seems to be the most popular, as far as I can tell,” he said. “There does seem to be an up tick in people using wood, but we don’t keep any figures on that.”
David Misavage, owner of Misavage Forest Industries, a Bethlehem logging company, said he usually sells up to 300 cords of firewood in the months leading up to winter. He said he hasn’t noticed an increase in demand this year in the towns where he does business — Bethlehem, Woodbury, Southbury, Washington, Oxford, Warren, Litchfield and elsewhere.
One cord of cut fuel wood — 128 cubic feet of stacked wood — burns roughly equivalent to 200 gallons of heating oil, said Misavage, who sells a cord for $150. That price is up $15 per cord from last year, largely because of delivery expenses, which have been affected by the cost of gasoline, he said.
Propane fireplaces and space heaters also seem to be growing in popularity this year, said George Schieferstein, general manager of Hocon Gas Inc. on Railroad Hill Street in Waterbury.
“Without a doubt, there’s a huge increase,” Schieferstein said. “We’re selling tons of space heating — logs and wall units.”
But instead of heating primarily with propane, his customers tell him they’re using the heaters for supplemental heat. That is, they’ll turn down their oil burner and heat whatever room they’re occupying with a space heater, he said.
The cost of propane in New England is up to $2.04 per gallon from $1.62 a year ago, according to the Department of Energy’s Web site.
Winsted Fire Marshal Joseph Beadle said propane space heaters aren’t dangerous as long as they are installed properly. If they aren’t vented, they can emit deadly gases, he said. Consumers also should make it a point to purchase models that have the oxygen depletion sensor and auto shut-off features, he said.
“The key to the whole thing is to get the right-sized heater, have it installed by a professional and then have it inspected by a licensed inspector,” Beadle said. Most municipalities, he added, require a permit for fireplaces and space heaters.
Natural gas, a popular heating fuel in cities and suburban areas, was going for $13.78 per 1,000 cubic feet in August, the most recent figure available on the energy department’s Web site. It was going for $9.77 per 1,000 cubic feet last November.
