I Learned About My Heating System

The most intimidating thing about moving here has been learning the different heating systems. In Louisiana and California you just flick a switch and electric heat comes out. Here it is quite different.

In Wilkes Barre we had a baseboard heating system. Baseboard hot water heating systems work on the principle that heat rises. The "radiators" that bring warmth into the room are therefore installed low to the floor, typically along the baseboard. Water is heated in a boiler tank in the basement just as water is heated by gas, oil or electricity in a system separate from the water heater that supplies the plumbing system. The water is then pumped through the pipes in the baseboard.

Here in Bloomsburg we have a steam heating system, which uses steam generated from a boiler to heat the house through pipes to radiators in each room. Yesterday my landlord came over with the heating guy to go over how this system works with me. The picture on the blog is what I have in my basement.

Some of the homes here have oil and coal heating systems. Those are super intimidating to me.

Across the street from me, my neighbors live in a giant 2 story purple house. Yep, a purple house. I was invited over the other night and they gave me the grand tour. The ceilings are 16 feet high. The house is huge to say the least. They are a retired couple from up-state New York who moved here 6 years ago. Neither has any children. They just have 3 cats. They showed me their "movie room". I was told that the "movie room" is the room that they live in during the winter months as it is the only room that they heat. I guess it makes sense not to heat an entire mega mansion when there are only 2 people. But then I wonder, How much sense is it for 2 people to live in such a big house when you can really only afford to live in one room during the winter months? I estimate that their home is at least, if not more, 4,000 sq. ft.

Today it was 55 degrees with a 10 mile an hour wind... a bit windy and cool. Everyone keeps staying that the weather here gets ugly in November. I am in a "wait and see"mode.

Ciao