Re: How many therms (natural gas) do you use per day (per month)?

Posted by Donna Ohl, Grady Volunteer Coo on February 16, 2008, 4:28 pm

I should note that California alots only 2 therms a day for baseline costs
of about $1.22 per therm (plus 5 cents per therm PPP Surcharge); so
apparently I'm consuming double the natural gas energy California allows
(regardless of home size or number of people) for base rates.

The over-baseline charges are $1.37 per therm plus that same 5 cents per
therm additional charge for poor people (i.e., the California Gas PPP
Surcharge).

Does ANYONE actually use just 2 therms per day for their gas furnace and
hot-water heater for two people living in a small 1,500 sqft house?

Posted by Anthony Matonak on February 16, 2008, 5:14 pm

Donna Ohl, Grady Volunteer Coordinator wrote:

I'm only one person but I average about 5 therms a month.
In the winter it's slightly more.

Anthony

Posted by Donna Ohl, Grady Volunteer Coo on February 16, 2008, 6:15 pm

On Sat, 16 Feb 2008 14:14:46 -0800, Anthony Matonak wrote:

Wow. 5 therms a month is extremely low, it seems to me.

The US Department of Energy assumes the "average" houshold uses a bit less
than 1/2 a therm a day *just* for the water heater alone!

43,302 kJ/day = 41,045 Btu/day = 0.4105 therm/day

That would be 15 therms a month just for hot water for the average
household in America. I wonder if Europe uses the same amount?

REFERENCES:
Calculating water heater costs for meaningful comparisons
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/W/AE_water_heater_cost.html
365 × 0.4105/EF × fuel cost (therm) = estimated annual cost of operation

Review of hot water heaters
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/house_and_home/water-heaters/review.html
365 X 0.4105/EF X Fuel Cost (therm) = estimated annual cost of operation

Posted by CJT on February 16, 2008, 6:40 pm

Donna Ohl, Grady Volunteer Coordinator wrote:

FWIW, we're apparently almost exactly average.

I wonder if Europe uses the same amount?

The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

Posted by Jeff on February 16, 2008, 6:53 pm

Donna Ohl, Grady Volunteer Coordinator wrote:

That is really low. But how much hot water do you use and how well
insulated is the tank? Also, that average is probably for a 4 person
household.

OK. That's about 62 gallons of water raised 80F each day (That's 2 1/2
CCF / month), not including losses. An good insulated blanket will cut
tank thermal losses dramatically for much less cost than a tankless.

Nobody wastes energy like the US.

Jeff