Moving to Maine: Turn up the HEAT

Maine is located in a colder climate than most parts of the United States, and we have found with a majority of our out of state clients that are relocating to Maine for a new way of life…that they have many questions about HEATING. In this post, we will break down the 4 most common types of household heating we find in Maine homes. But first, we must dispel a common misconception in heating, and that is the often interchangeable use of furnace and boiler. These are two very different types, and the simple way to think of it is: Boiler - this heats water that then gets distributed throughout your house, usually through baseboards Furnace - this heats the air, that is then sent throughout your house, through a duct system Oil Furnace/Boiler - Maine has long been a state that relies of #2 Oil to heat our homes. For this type of heat, a homeowner will have an oil tank in their house, usually in their basement, that gets filled by a delivery truck, 2-4/year depending on usage. The oil goes from the tank, to the furnace or boiler, via a thin copper pipe that is wrapped in a protective sleeve (this is a building code requirement).  Gas/Propane Boiler - Natural gas is becoming more present in our state, especially in the larger cities. Where natural gas isn’t available, bottled gas, is very common. The benefit of gas boilers, is they can be vented out the side of the house through PVC, and don’t require a typical stone chimney that we often see with Oil Boilers. We see gas boilers in new construction almost every time, as it is more cost efficient when you don’t need to build a chimney. Heat Pumps - These have grown in popularity and have been highly incentivized by a non-profit called Efficiency Maine. Heat pumps, despite their name, also do cooling. They are a more efficient use of electricity than the 1980’s electric baseboard, and provide year round cooling.  Wood! Yes, many of us Mainer’s still love our woodstoves and fireplaces. But did you know there is another way to use wood, without the chopping? Pellet stoves are popular, and use a local produced wood pellet to create heat. Pellet stoves can be filled with pellets and then slow released out of the hopper, which means less visits to the stove during the day. There you have it. These are 4 ways to heat your home in Maine. There are other ways of course, but this is what we see the most.

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