If You Weren't Burning Coal How Much Would Heating Cost You
- DennisH
- Member
- Posts: 336
- Joined: Mon. Feb. 21, 2011 8:35 am
- Location: Escanaba, MI
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Yukon-Eagle Klondike IV
- Other Heating: Propane
Since I began my "heating season" on 15 Oct, I've burned 150 bags of coal @ $6 per bag. That is $900. Probably also used two cord of wood as well @ $85 per cord = $170. Total of $1070. Burning propane during that period, particularly the brutal months of Dec-Jan (and now into Feb) would have used at a minimum 15-20 gal per day (keeping thermostat at 65 deg) @ $1.72 per gal locked in rate. (Of course there's a propane shortage as well here in the U.P. of Michigan so who knows if the locked in rate would have been honored?). That would average $30 per day for propane x 110 heating days since 15 Oct = $3300! So I've saved, at a minimum, $2230 by NOT burning propane. Works for me!!
Oh, and I keep my house @ 73degF with coal (and some wood). I cannot comprehend what I would have to pay in propane for that amount of comfy heat!!
Oh, and I keep my house @ 73degF with coal (and some wood). I cannot comprehend what I would have to pay in propane for that amount of comfy heat!!
- SMITTY
- Member
- Posts: 12496
- Joined: Sun. Dec. 11, 2005 12:43 pm
- Location: West-Central Mass
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520 Highboy
- Coal Size/Type: Rice / Blaschak anthracite
- Other Heating: Oil fired Burnham boiler
Who wrote that? Saul Alinski?? Ignorance is bliss, as they say!
To keep this place as warm as it is, it would probably cost me north of $4,000 on oil. The first year we lived here, we burned thru 4 tanks of oil never keeping any part of the house warmer than 65° - and that was ONE zone on the weekends. 90% of the time, the t-stat was set at 56°, because the house was empty for anywhere from 12 - 18 hours a day. In January we would pee through 240 gallons of oil in 3 weeks!
To keep this place as warm as it is, it would probably cost me north of $4,000 on oil. The first year we lived here, we burned thru 4 tanks of oil never keeping any part of the house warmer than 65° - and that was ONE zone on the weekends. 90% of the time, the t-stat was set at 56°, because the house was empty for anywhere from 12 - 18 hours a day. In January we would pee through 240 gallons of oil in 3 weeks!
-
- Member
- Posts: 637
- Joined: Tue. Jan. 18, 2011 6:41 am
- Location: New Britain, PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: WL 110
Bingo.whistlenut wrote:I always tell folks it isn't about the 60% you save, IT IS ABOUT THE COMFORT LEVEL. Yes, the money is critical, but sitting at 74 degrees beats sitting at 66 degrees...and all for a lot less. Heat that penetrates the entire structure, not just conditioning the space within. Let's face it, we are all going to be up on usage about 30%, however, the fact that the oil truck or proPain truck doesn't have us on his GPS is a WARM feeling from day one!
Lost power for 11 hours, only dropped 10 degrees in 32f weather.
Of course, it took a buttload of time to warm everything back up again.....
-
- Member
- Posts: 264
- Joined: Thu. Apr. 14, 2011 12:13 pm
- Location: Springville, NY
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker Koker controlled with CoalTrol
I have brought this up before but I am just wondering your guys thoughts on this. When comparing fuels, are you just comparing "x" amount of coal burned with the proportionately higher amount of oil/propane that would have been burned? When you factor in higher comfort (temp) level, a possibly lower efficient coal stove (furnace in my case), loss of heat off the stove body, it isn't quite an apples to apples comparison.
When I compare coal to propane, BTU to btu, my koker will get paid off quite quickly but looking at it in reality, the pay back period is a a few years longer.
When I compare coal to propane, BTU to btu, my koker will get paid off quite quickly but looking at it in reality, the pay back period is a a few years longer.
Very true, depends on how severe the cold temps are but if you add 2 years you are probably overcompensating on the roi years.WNYRob wrote:When I compare coal to propane, BTU to btu, my koker will get paid off quite quickly but looking at it in reality, the pay back period is a a few years longer.
However, since the house is kept at a warmer temp with coal than (in my case) propane there is no whining about being cold from the spousal unit and teenager and no thermostat wars - which in my book makes the whole deal ... PRICELESS and even if the cost was a wash I wouldn't switch back!!! And don't forget the therapy of escaping to the silence of the basement for a while to bask in the glow and heat of the stove!!!! Think of the savings over couples therapy!
- Carbon12
- Member
- Posts: 2226
- Joined: Tue. Oct. 11, 2011 6:53 pm
- Location: Harrisburg, PA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA-6
- Coal Size/Type: Rice/Anthracite
- Other Heating: Heat Pump/Forced Hot Air Oil Furnace
When I was getting oil delivered, I burned through 185 gallons every 900 degree days. So far we've had almost 3600 degrees days here. That's just shy of $3000.00 worth so far at $4.00/ gallon average cost. It's now $4.099/gallon. That's how much I would have already burned through. I've had delivered 5 tons of coal at a cost of about $1200.00 I still have over a ton left. Return of investment pretty much already returned, and the winter is by no means over. Go coal, go! Rah, Rah, Rah
- ShawnTRD
- Member
- Posts: 513
- Joined: Tue. Feb. 04, 2014 1:04 am
- Location: Spencer, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA6 (New in April 2014)
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Rice
- Other Heating: Weil Mclain WGO-2 (Net 75k BTU)
What's your estimates?
Buying next week and moving in next month. No idea what the heating cost will be on fuel oil vs coal.
1780 sqft 2004 modular house on a full basement. Hot water baseboard fuel oil heat.
I plan to keep the furnace and add a Keystoker KA6.
Buying next week and moving in next month. No idea what the heating cost will be on fuel oil vs coal.
1780 sqft 2004 modular house on a full basement. Hot water baseboard fuel oil heat.
I plan to keep the furnace and add a Keystoker KA6.
- Rob R.
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 17965
- Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
- Location: Chazy, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr
Shawn, the easiest thing to do is ask the previous owners for the name of the fuel company they used, and get the annual usage from them. If that isn't possible, see if there are any stickers on the boiler with the name of the fuel company.
A house like that in my area would use 1000-1200 gallons per year, bu that is just a rough guess and I live in a colder area. You can also expect very cold floors in the area over the garage, and especially near the garage doors.
A house like that in my area would use 1000-1200 gallons per year, bu that is just a rough guess and I live in a colder area. You can also expect very cold floors in the area over the garage, and especially near the garage doors.
- ShawnTRD
- Member
- Posts: 513
- Joined: Tue. Feb. 04, 2014 1:04 am
- Location: Spencer, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA6 (New in April 2014)
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Rice
- Other Heating: Weil Mclain WGO-2 (Net 75k BTU)
Thanks Rob
The house was foreclosed back in November. And there is no info I can see about who supplied the fuel before. The garage ceiling is well insulated. And the garage has heat. I do have to insulate the garage doors and some other little stuff to keep the cold out.
The house was foreclosed back in November. And there is no info I can see about who supplied the fuel before. The garage ceiling is well insulated. And the garage has heat. I do have to insulate the garage doors and some other little stuff to keep the cold out.
- lsayre
- Member
- Posts: 21781
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
- Location: Ohio
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
- Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
- Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75
Does the figure of 1,780 sq-ft only take the upstairs main floor into consideration? Roughly where is the home located? From the location you can get the local number of "heating degree days" per year, and that helps a bunch in calculating the potential heating demand.
Being built in 2004, it should have rather substantial insulation and good windows, doors, etc... Is this the case?
Being built in 2004, it should have rather substantial insulation and good windows, doors, etc... Is this the case?
- ShawnTRD
- Member
- Posts: 513
- Joined: Tue. Feb. 04, 2014 1:04 am
- Location: Spencer, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA6 (New in April 2014)
- Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Rice
- Other Heating: Weil Mclain WGO-2 (Net 75k BTU)
1780 is one level. So really twice that. But the downstairs will be kept cooler most the time. I'm guessing 60f. Unless the cost of coal is cheap to keep near 68-70 like the main level. The house is in Spencer, NY 14883. I looked up that "heating degree days", but not sure what I was looking at. I think is was staying 7389. But I don't know if I did that right. Insulation seems okay but the home inspector did recommend more attic spray insulation. And three windows need repair.
- lsayre
- Member
- Posts: 21781
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
- Location: Ohio
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
- Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
- Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75
Do you know the gross input and net output BTU's for the oil boiler? That's a good load of heating degree days. That's 20% more HDD's than I experience here. Your house is also about 20% larger than mine, but your house is also 40 years newer.
Will the coal boiler be called upon to provide the homes hot water (DHW) needs as well?
Will the coal boiler be called upon to provide the homes hot water (DHW) needs as well?