Attended a forum on home heating fuel assistance moderated by Carol Shea Porter today

[graywarrior]

http://www.sheaporter.com

Several agencies attended to explain their services including Tri-County and CAP and USDA. We are in trouble, people. These agencies are deeply concerned about moderate income families--not just low income. Last year their services went into emergency mode because their funding was cut and they had NO MONEY to help these people. There is a waiting list for energy assistance. The list is very very long.

One agency told us of an elderly couple who finally called them because they were not eating for two weeks out of the month while waiting for their next social security check. This is bad. Really bad.

Publically, Carol Shea Porter said that dems and republicans must come together to solve this problem. In a private conversation later, she told me she was so angry about this situation she couldn't even describe it.

A republican couple showed up for this forum. The woman said something at my table like, "I am amazed the dems aren't jumping ship and becoming republican over this." I said, "Are you kidding me? Are you serious? You republicans are the cause of this problem. You voted for that devil administration TWICE! I would never EVER become a republican, EVER." They left. They left because Carol was late getting there and they thought that was rude. Ha!

[eleny]

1. I think they left because you made them feel ashamed

:thumbsup:

[graywarrior]

2. They'd have to possess humanity to feel ashamed

[Vinca]

3. Did they address the cost of heating oil?

I'm terrified for people next winter. When the starting wage is often $7.50 at jobs and heating oil is $4.50 a gallon . . . this could be a catastrophe. In past years a local fund has tried to pick up the slack, but that won't be possible at these prices.

[graywarrior]

5. Yep...probably $5 per gallon

[Bluerthanblue]

4. I agree with Eleny- and

I am really worried about how any of us are going to get through next winter.

I have a son who is putting wood in for winter, but we will still need a bit of oil to keep the pipes from freezing on the coldest days....

There is a real disaster ahead for us.

I admire Carol A LOT! Hodes is our Rep. and he's good, but there is something about Carol that I really connect with. I'd like to see her replace Greg or Sununu- but I'm glad she's in the house and hope she stays.

peace~

[graywarrior]

6. I like Hodes, too. I am so glad he won.

Carol is a fighter. She PROMISED us she is fighting every day. And she and the agencies BEGGED us to write letters to all congress people about this situation. She said letter really do help.

[Bluerthanblue]

12. I'll write- and

encourage my friends to do the same. Even if it doesn't help, at least we will have done what we could.

thanks!
:hi:

peace~

[fight4my3sons]

7. we are sick thinking about the upcoming winter

we qualified for assistance this past spring and just used the credit ($644). It partially filled our oil tank (275 gal). We have to move because my husband just got a new job that is an hour away and gas is killing us for him to commute. We would be stockpiling wood for our wood stove or switching to pellet if we were staying here, but we don't know where we will be moving to. We are really just scared to death thinking of heating costs and how we are going to pull it off this year .

[graywarrior]

8. Man, I hear you.

We live in a condo and the association will not allow more than a quarter of a cord to be stacked on the property. Therefore, we will rely on electric for heat this winter, which is actually not as bad as oil but still cost us $165 in April to have the heat on for a few hours in the evening.

There will be more house fires too, because people are burning green wood.

[Vinca]

9. Part of our house is heated by electricity, too. We replaced

the standard heating units with some made by Hydro-Sil. They genuinely seem to use less juice. http://www.hydrosil.com/

[graywarrior]

10. Can't find the price.

What does the unit cost?

[Vinca]

18. Looks like they've gone up a little since we bought them.

https://www.hydrosil.com/orders/order.aspx

We bought the 220V permanent units about 8 years ago and haven't had any problems.

[graywarrior]

19. They're cheaper than a pellet stove

[eleny]

11. Are you able to add any more insulation to your condo?

[graywarrior]

14. We rent, so we'd have to get the owner's approval.

[Bluerthanblue]

13. any chance you could

put in a pellet stove? Maybe a second hand one?-

While you'd have to buy the pellets, they'd be cheaper than oil, and they can be delivered to your property in bags, on a pallet.
We have some elderly friends who heated their home that way last year.

peace~

[graywarrior]

15. We went and priced pellet stoves this week.

Good idea about checking for used ones. New ones are 3 grand.

[PDJane]

16. If you're on electric,

look into thermal storage heating units.

[MaraJade]

17. LIHEAP is broke. . .

There will be little or no help for ELIGIBLE people, and fuel oil prices are so
high that even middle income people will be hard pressed to keep warm this winter.

We must now have a President who will FIGHT with the oil companies and the speculators
on this. NO TALKING AND MEETING WITH THEM WILL HELP. This problem has already been
met to death. People will be freezing to death this winter otherwise.

[Eurobabe]

20. Why aren't more builders putting in Geothermal systems?

We are building overseas and our heating (radiant floor) and our hot water will be deliverd compliments of Mother Nature. The cost to run the pump for the YEAR will be about FIFTY euros. Yes, you read that right, 50 euros. And there is no need for solar panels for hot water because the new pumping systems have a flash heater to warm the water up to 65C.

Why the hell can't the US tell the oil and gas companies to shove it like the Europeans have? I just don't get it.

I understand that it would be a burden for existing homes, but why can't new homes include this technology? I know it can be done, my Uncle built in northern Ohio and he put in geothermal heating.

We just shake our heads. :eyes:

http://www.erdwaermepumpe.de/