what caused a 30% increase in gas use (per degree-day)?

Bought a house with hot water heat (built 1920). Old boiler, but had it serviced and cleaned and thermostat replaced; they saw no problems with the unit.

Gas company gave us last year's usage (i.e. by previous owner). Of course the dollar cost is affected by the weather and the price of nat gas, but I was able to do get the data to calculate therms used per degree-day, which is independent of those variable factors.

We are using nat gas at a rate that is about 30% higher than the previous owner.

I know they might have had their thermostat set low (ours is at 69), but while that would make a difference, it wouldn't make such a huge difference. I have looked at the rate of gas use by the dryer and the hot water heater, and these seem normal (about 300 cu. ft per hr for the dryer, for example) and wouldn't make a big difference to the total. When all the gas-using devices are off, the gas meter dials do not move.

All our windows are closed and the house is in fact better sealed (more weatherstripping and some fiberglass batting in attic) than when we moved in, and we also insulated the hot water pipes in the basement. So we expected to be slightly ahead of the previous owner, not far behind.

All suggestions greatly appreciated.

Reply to
Chuckles
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Perhaps the previous owners neglected to mention to you that before they started using a kerosene space heater, they had much higher bills, too.

BB

Reply to
BinaryBillTheSailor

do you have 30% more people living there than the previous owner? maybe the previous owner was exceptionally frugal? maybe they wore sweaters, rather than turning the heat on? didnt shower or use hot water every day?

Reply to
SoCalMike

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There's not much else that could make the difference. Turn it down and wear sweaters. Turn it significantly down at night or when you are not there. A couple thick comforters and you can sleep comfortably at 55F. Make sure you have all windows and storm windows firmly closed.

Bob

Reply to
Bob

Hi,

Did they leave the gas clothes dryer? A different dryer could use more gas. What temperature is the hydronic heat system set at as far as water temp in loop? Should be at 140 degrees. I wouldn't worry so much about why you are 30% higher but instead about how to lower it. Here are a few more ways to consume less gas. In rooms not used much close the isolation valves to the heat coils. Make sure you dryer exhaust is clean. Lower hot water tank temperature to 119 degrees. Check air adjustments on all burners/boilersand make sure you have a blue flame with a very small orange tip. Adjust pilots down if possible. Cook less food LOL .

candice

Reply to
CLSSM00X7

Do the same number of people live there now as before., what is your water heater set at. You really only need water hot enough to shower without adding cold. Maybe they had some rooms turned down.

Reply to
mark Ransley

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com (CLSSM00X7) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mb-m22.aol.com:

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I did turn the heating water temp down to 140, but this being Chicago, that's not going to work every day in January and February. Already the recovery time after a setback period is 2 hours.

I will look at the other things, but I suspect that the hot water heater doesn't make a big difference. Unfortunately some of our radiator valves are broken and can't be turned off; this is something we need to fix.

PS Cooking is electric! We were thinking of getting a new gas cooktop, but then we would have to cook less.

Reply to
Chuckles

Reply to
Phil Munro

[snip]

How many people in your family vs. their family? More people means more gas used heating water for bathing and laundry, and more gas used drying that laundry too.

However -- unless there is a large disparity in family size, I'm inclined to suspect thermostat settings as the culprit. Like you, we have gas-fired hot water heat; we also have a gas water heater, stove, and dryer. About 75% of our total gas usage occurs during the heating season. Simply on that basis, it's unlikely that anything other than heating the house could cause such a large increase in gas consumption.

-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?

Reply to
Doug Miller

Look at total cost of operation, though. Sure, you'd be using more gas, but obviously less electricity. My brother used to live in Chicago, and according to him the electric rates there are pretty high -- so you might use less money if you switched to gas.

Be aware that gas and electric ranges cook *very* differently. IMO, gas is easier to use, but if you're accustomed to an electric cooktop you might not like it.

-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?

Reply to
Doug Miller
140 is to low for hot water heat, wait till its -20 you wont heat and your pump will run all day Even now running a pump is expensive. 2 to 350 watt 20 to 35 a mo. 24 x 7 . Raising the boiler temp will not increase your gas bill, actualy you will have longer more efficent cycles, 170 - 185 is normal. In Chgo elec is double the cost of gas,per Btu. cook with gas your total utilities will go down And yes water heater temp makes a difference. Compare summer bills fom previous owner. It could all be in your hot water.
Reply to
mark Ransley
140 is to low for hot water heat, wait till its -20 you wont heat and your pump will run all day Even now running a pump is expensive. 2 to 350 watt 20 to 35 a mo. 24 x 7 . Raising the boiler temp will not increase your gas bill, actualy you will have longer more efficent cycles, 170 - 185 is normal. In Chgo elec is double the cost of gas,per Btu. cook with gas your total utilities will go down And yes water heater temp makes a difference. Compare summer bills fom previous owner. It could all be in your hot water.
Reply to
mark Ransley

As it has been noted, there are many things that could account for it and 30% is not all that much.

They could have only heated parts of the house, they may have put plastic up over loose fitting windows, they may have turned down or turned off the heat at night, and/or during the day if they were at work. You may come and go more often letting in more cold air.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

I keep my house about 75° year round and pay only $68.67 per month for gas

Reply to
profft

Reply to
Tony Hwang

If you can, get hold of the previous owner's water consumption records. Though only a portion of the water will have been hot water it will serve as an indicator of usage for comparison purposes. The hot water tank can really eat up the NG and if you are using a lot more water, that may indicate where the gas is being used.

Reply to
Ron

A water heater doesn't use anywhere *near* as much gas as a furnace.

-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?

Reply to
Doug Miller

Hasn't the cost of natural gas gone up 30% in the past year? It has in my area!

Reply to
Eric Tonks

Not true.

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Each 1 degree drop in temperature results in ~5% lower heating costs. If your thermostat were at 63, you'd be there. I keep mine at about 64, which is ok if we dress in 2 or 3 layers.

I have looked at the rate of gas use by the dryer and the hot

Reply to
Log

so has the cost of electricity, which uses gas-powered generators in this area

Reply to
SoCalMike

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