How much oil have you used this winter?

Pete_18

How many sq ft are you heating?

We've had similarly mild weather in Boston.

12/31 - 1/23 we used 184.4 gallons of oil to keep the house at 65. This is about 1800 sq ft heated by steam radiators spread across 3 floors.

We've used about 1000 gallons since August, 732 since Nov 19th. This is for heat only, no hot water. Temperature set between 64-66.

Is your entire attic heated and insulated or do you have an unfinished part? Our attic has barely any insulation and in the unheated part feels about as cold as it is outside.

Ted Robinson

This season's oil consumption

I have a one pipe steam system, most of the walls are insulated. I have storm windows on 1927 wood double hungs. I have stopped using the American Standard A-3 oversized boiler for domestic hotwater. Would you believe that we have used about 460 gallons of oil since the heat went on in october?
25 years ago when we bought the house they used 1500 / 1800 gallons per year.

Steamhead (in transit)

That's what should happen

in every building. If it did, we wouldn't be tied to all these foreign energy sources.

I'd have to ask, are the mains properly vented, and does the A-3 have a modern burner in it?

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Pete_18

curious

What are you attributing your low oil usage to?

Ted Robinson

The old boiler does have a modern design Carlin burner and there are main trunk vents. Domestic hot water is supplied by a separate gas hot water heater. Attic insulation is 6 inches. The house is only 68 or 69 during the days. January was a very mild month in NYC.

Constantin

Ditto...

~0.116 gallons per square foot since September '05 and I'm getting my hot water from the boiler too. It's been a warm winter in Boston so far.

FWIW, HVAC-Calc predicted a 4x decrease in net energy use due to improvements to the envelope. Infiltration can be a real efficiency killer.

Ted Robinson

Continuing, on oil useage

Our house is detached, about 2100 sq ft, and the unfinished attic floor has all the insulation on the floor.

GaryDidier

oil usage

I used 350 gallons since the beginning of the heat season. This includes my hot water also. This works out to 0.109375 gallons per square foot for my almost done renovation. I would like to hear from MD on this since his renovation was done.

Thanx, Gary from Granville

Pete_18

oil usage

Sorry, you've used a *total* of 350 gallons all season? Wow!

How many sq ft is this, what do you have for insulation?

GaryDidier

Pete

Yes, that is a total since the beginning of the heat season[sept. 05]. The house is 3200 square feet. The walls are insulated to R-27 and the attick space is insulated to R-60.[blown in cellulose with 1 inch high R board on the inside]. I think fiberglass is useless as a primary insulator. I figured insulation is cheaper than fuel and view it as an investment. My goal was to renovate the house so it would have a one year fuel usage of 600 gallons. I think I will come very close to acheiving my goal. I almost forgot that I also keep the basement heated to 66 degrees. Helps keep the floors warm! This would translate to 4000 sq ft of heated area.

Yours trully,
Gary from Granville

Christian Egli_2

Ohio

Last year, whole season, 5579 degree day

0.14 gal/ft2

0.025 gal/(1000ft2 * DD)

This year, partial season, 3320 degree day, so far

0.096 gal/ft2

0.029 gal/(1000ft2 * DD) Note how this is a higher rate than the last year - we had a brutally cold December - well below average

Pretty soon it will be all about air conditioning. Pff.

stevenyc_2

Fellow New Yorker

Hi Ted...

If you are still reading this forum I would love to touch base with you as I am also in NYC...Queens. Unfortunately, I am burning well over 1000 gallons a heating season and did so even last year (2006) despite it being a mild winter. With oil nearly $3.50/ gallon ANY help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Steve4

V8toilet_3

insulation

If you have only 6 inches of insulation in your attic than you don't have enough. You loose a major portion of your heat through the roof of the house. You only have about R19 and you need at least R38 or 12 inches of insulation and the more you can fit the better. I have gas for my fuel (equals to about $1.94 in oil prices or about 2/3 the cost of a gallon of oil taken into account the btu difference)and it cost me $.057 per a square foot to heat my house so far with an 80 year old steam system and a new boiler. I have R-50 insulation in my attic of blown in insulation. I keep the thermostat set at 65 during the night and 66-67 during the day.

stevenyc_2

Insulation

What kind of blown-in insulation? Cellulose? I have heard that cellulose can have settling problems. Thanks for any info.

Steve

zeke

10 DD/1000 ft2/gal WOW!

Wow, those are impressive numbers. Are you sure you didn't slip a decimal point?

What kind of insulation and boiler do you have? And what are your temperature and setback settings?

From your numbers , I get that for a 2000 ft^2 house, you are talking about 20 DD/gal and I thought my 6.5DD/ gal was OK.

I had better start doing something at $3.50/ gal oil or I may need a second job.