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January 31, 2007
Heating Poll Follow-up
Thanks for responding to the unscientific poll. Here's a summary of 6 respondents.
Expense Sq Ft $/Sqft Type Temp
$4600 5000 0.92 oil 70-73
$3080 4700 0.66 gas 68-73
$1507 2700 0.56 gas 55-65
$2800 3500 0.80 gas 62-69
$3200 3600 0.89 gas 65-69
$3000 2000 1.50 oil 73-73
The only conclusive evidence seems to be that those who turn their thermostat lower, use less fuel. Thats common sense. However, i'm not sure if there is enough evidence to say that gas is cheaper than oil. The 2 oil users appear to have the highest $/sq ft, but they also maintain the highest average temps.
Anyone else have $$s to add
Comments
too many moving parts here. wood frame/brick, and type/amount of insulation is a bit factor.
Posted by: Anonymous at January 31, 2007 2:16 PM
Sure there are many variables to consider. But ballpark $$ are still very instructive. Not everyone here owns a home. Some people have absolutely no idea how much it costs to heat a building. Look at it like helping buyers with their due diligence. On the other hand some homeowners just like to "compare". Because of the variables you mentioned it's not a apples to apples comparison, but its still instructive.
For example, the second gas user appears to have a pretty low $/sq ft($.66), even with above average temp. However, they also mentioned putting 5K in insulation. By comparing figures with others, this person now has a means of 'justifying' that 5K investment. The upfront investment appears to be paying dividends now in the form of lower annual heating expenses. It also help current homeowners rationalize the expense, if they can see someone else deriving benefit from these types of things.
Whats wrong with sharing?
Posted by: Anonymous at January 31, 2007 2:37 PM
i'm the second on the list .you cheated me out of 80 sq ft btw .. The $3,080 also includes hot water for the entire yr .
Posted by: eletricgreek at January 31, 2007 3:01 PM
thanks for putting this together, i'm experiencing my first winter paying for gas so it's good to see some ballpark figures. i had no idea really what to expect, this helps!
Posted by: Jimmy Legs at January 31, 2007 3:35 PM
It's hard to compare the figures for gas and oil.The gas users' bills probably include gas for hot water heating, cooking, and cloths dryers. The oil users' bills probably only include hot water heating if they have some type of continuous coil hot water system hooked up to their oil burner. If they have a separate hot water heater, it's most likely gas--AFAIK separate oil hot water heaters are rare.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at January 31, 2007 4:16 PM
Yes--our oil bill ONLY covers heating, and we have a separate bill for gas, which covers cooking in two kitchens, plus heating water for two familie, 7 people in total. Oh, and one gas dryer. That seems to come out to about $60 or $70/month, which seems like a bargain compared to the oil.
Posted by: Anonymous at January 31, 2007 5:54 PM
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