Natural gas vs. electric heating costs?

[Slyster]

Now that natural gas is getting so expensive (and predicated to rise if it's a cold winter).... is it still cheaper to heat a home with gas? (compared to electric)

What if shutting off the furnace and getting good electric heaters for each room actually saves money? Very intriguing.

Anyone here with the knowledge to answer this question?

[waskawood]

I don't have the figures at home. I can post them when I get to work. It depends on the effeincy of your furnace and the price per killowatt hour you are paying for your electricity. Unless you live in a city that is buying most of it's power from the hydro dams on the Missouri River you probably won't save any money plugging into the wall outlet. That being said, many utilities have incentives to heat with electricity that may make it more affrodable. If you allow them to shut off your heat when they are approaching peak useage they will give you a rate that may be half of what you are paying normally. During this control period your present furnace will kick in and take over heating your home. Check with your utility and ask about off peak or dual fuel heating. They can give you exact numbers. I will post the conversion costs between electricity, fuel oil, LP, and natural gas when I get to work on Monday. I hope this helps.

[eel pout hunter]

FWIW we bought the oil filled upright radiator style heaters and keep one in each room. Saved a bit on the gas bill, and didn't really notice an increase in the electric bill. They just have a small element that heats the oil, and they are nice because of the knock over features. And you can put them (Contact US Regarding This Word) near anywhere.

pout

[Powerstroke]

I speak from 2 different expert points of view.

1. I lived in a brand new townhome complex for a year and it was the most expensive winter of my life. It wasn't even a bad winter but our monthly electric bill was over $200. This was for a 2+den 2-story townhouse that was a new build. Eventually the management company agreed to pay half the bill for those who rented during the building phase. Its my understanding that all the future townhomes will be gas heating furnaces.

2. My grandfather has been a master electrician all his life and owned his own business for 40 yrs. In reference to #1 he told me that electric heat was about the most inefficient source of heat he could think of. BTU to the dollar its absolutely dismal. You're better off with hot-water radiators.

[Slyster]

Yeah Eel Pout.. that's what we have.. one of them... and they work so well.. that was why I asked this Q. Perhaps if we have 2 or 3 on each floor... and shut off the gas furnace... we save $$$... not sure on this yet.. post above seems to say it ain't so.

[waskawood]

There are 3413 btu's in a killowatt of electricity. There are 100,000 btu's in a 1000 cubic feet of natural gas. I believe 1,000 cubic feet of NG is called a therm. If you pay 3.9 cents a KW for electricity you break even heating with natural gas on an 80 percent efficient furnace at 91 cents a therm. If your furnace is 90 percent efficient you break even at $1.03 a therm. I hope this answers your question. Check what you are paying for electricity and what you are paying for natural gas and make the choice.