Oh, and...

To answer the rest of Jambo's questions...

We do have some issues with spotty power outages, which are far more frequent here than they were on the Coast. We probably could use a small generator, but it isn't really high on my list right now. In the event of a short outage, we're fine with the chest freezer staying cold for 48 hours and living off what's in the fridge. In the event of a major outage, I'm more worried about heat and fuel than I am electricity.

The manual head for the well is still something that I really want to get (talk about removing a huge need for power!), but it won't happen till the spring, and there are issues with it being covered to protect it from freezing. Not insurmountable problems, but problems none the less.

Funny thing is, here this morning its only in the 40s... and because Jake has a cold (already... less than one full week into the school year), we've opted to run the heat for a few minutes to warm up the downstairs. That brings home the need for alternative fuel that we face at this house, and I'm still inclined to want to add LP to the house. That way, in a pinch, we have fuel for cooking, hot water and heat, without the need for electricity (meaning in an emergency). The LP hot water heater can save us upwards of $1500 per year in the fact that it doesn't heat water that isn't being used immediately (tankless is the term), and having a duel-fuel furnace would be a great way to ensure our ability to keep the house functionally warm through an extended outage in the winter.

I know Jambo wants a wood stove, but that is so frigging labor-intensive that I can't imagine it is as cost-effective as LP. It's dirty, dangerous (our homeowners policy would go up 15% with a wood stove in the house) inconvenient. No, I'm a fan of LP... easy, cheap and zero-maintenance.