Heating Bills

Jamie

Here's the rundown...

One pipe steam system w/7 radiators heating 1450 sq. ft.
The thermostat hovers around 66-68 degrees.

We just got our first gas bill since we've moved in = $210

Is there a general formula/rule of thumb for figuring out whether this seems reasonable? Thanks

Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

Fuel

What are your fuel costs? Your utility bill should say what you are paying per Therm? In our area, we get two rates: baseline and over baseline.

And what part of the country are you in?

Two hundred ten bucks doesn't sound excessive, especially if that includes your other gas appliances. Does that price include electrical usage as well?

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Jamie

We live in PA. Our other appliance are all electric. The electric bill was about $33. We've owned the house all month and have been heating it all month, but we haven't been living in it so that explains the low electric bill. Thanks.

Bob W._2

Gas bill

In order to calculate whether a gas bill is excessive you need to know the number of heating degree days and the number of CCF's or therms of gas used in the billing cycle of the bill you are questioning. If the bill states the average temperature for that period, you can roughly calculate from that temperature. Say the avg. temp on the bill is 25 deg. and the bill is for 30 days. That would mean approx. 1200 heating degree days (65 deg. - 25 deg. x 30 days) for the period, or 40 heating degree days per day. If you paid $.70/CCF or therm of gas and the bill was $210.00, you used 300 CCF of gas, or 10 CCF/day. You now have the three variables you need to calculate relative efficiency of the whole system (not just the heating plant), which includes the house itself. The variables are heating degree days, energy usage(in BTU's) and square footage. Now, determine the BTU's per heating degree day per sq. ft. Since there is approx. 100,000 BTU per CCF of gas, 10 CCF would be 1,000,000 BTU. Divide that by 40 degree days and divide again by 1450 sq. ft. The result is 17.24 BTUs/Deg.Day/Ft.Sq., which would be slightly above average for an older home with an average amount of infiltration and an average amount of insulation. It would be way high for a newer home, which should be 7.5 or below. All of this is an example. Find out the three variables and do your own calculations. What you may find is that the most gains in efficiency can be made by reducing air infiltration and increasing the insulation. As far as the steam boiler is concerned, the "steamheads" on this board can help you with that.

KCA_2

With that Calculation


My home is 5.77BTU/Deg Day/Sqft

How's that?

:-) Kca

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Heating Empty House

costs more than when occupied as both you and everything you do add heat to the equation; your body, lights, cooking, refrigeration, appliances, laundry, etc.

Considering the very high cost of natural gas currently (and that it's most certainly an old house), the time of year, the weather, etc. that doesn't sound too bad.

If the attic is not insulated that is BY FAR the most cost- effective place for retro-fit insulation. Weatherization (caulking, weatherstripping etc.) around windows/doors is the next best place to work and is extremely cost effective if you do the job yourself.

DON'T though seal UNDER storm windows or UNDER the exterior window sill. These MUST be left open to drain any water that makes it through the rest--and SOME ALWAYS WILL. Such, in my opinion, is the MAJOR reason that most dryvit (synthetic stucco) installations cause the framing to rot in amazingly short order.

Dale

Welcome to steam heat

Steam costs more, your bill is really quite reasonable. If you are going to fix the place up FIRST have a blower test done, then seal up what's discovered, then insulsate and weatherstrip ect. If the steam pipes aren't nicely insulated that will help.

Jamie Hall

Insulation, another thought

Indeed if the attic isn't insulated, you're losing a lot (think of your head with no hat...).

However (and I learned this the hard way -- trust me!) when and if you add insulation to walls/attics/wherever -- make sure that you have a vapour barrier on the inside side and make sure that there is room for air circulation between the insulation and the outer wall -- otherwise you will (guaranteed) get condensation on the outer wall, which will rot the outer wall (not to mention peel all the paint off) and the house will fall down... if you can't ensure a vapour barrier and air circulation, don't insulate! Live with it!

Bob W._2

Thats good...

I can only wish my old barn would heat that well.