Gas Heater Results

In January, Rural Ways blogged about our helpful neighbors, and their donation of a gas fired heater for The Homestead's kitchen. Now it is time for a report on its efficiency. We ran the heater when necessary for approximately four months, January through April. Our energy costs over that period were about $23 or $24 dollars less than what we paid last year, but approximately $23 more than what we paid in 2009 (see chart). So, is the heater an improvement or not?

While not providing a huge cost savings, there are two things to note about the data. First, the winter of 2011 was quite a bit colder than average. The average temperature for the first four months of this year was 35.9F. The long term average for the months of January through April is 38.8F. Second, our indoor comfort level was significantly higher this winter as compared to the past two years. We had indoor temperatures of high fifties and low sixties in the kitchen this winter; whereas, last year, it was not uncommon for the kitchen to be in the high thirties and low forties.

Looking at it that way, I would say that the heater is a big improvement. Even if our energy costs have not gone down significantly, enjoying a comfortable house during one of the colder winters on record without paying more for it counts as an improvement in my view.