Your square footage and oil/wood consumption?

I'd appreciate some rough numbers on any houses in the 2800 sqr foot range, newer construction, single story. I built a SS to calc my projected heat loss on an unbuilt house, and want to check it with others. Pls zap your sqr footage, wall/ceiling R-values, approx window area (normal, huge, small....) the amount of oil and/or wood you burn (noting "including DHW" or not) and your location or heating degree-days. I have come up w/ about 600 gallons/yr with R-42 walls, R-50 lid, normal windows, and 4" of blue foam under the slab. This is THEORETICAL, I realize, and does not include infiltration or heating domestic water. The number is not too far off from my present house, but it seems a tad low. My heating degree-days number is 14,500 or so; pretty sad, anyway. Thanks, and I don't mean to be nosey. j

I'm sorry that there isn't more responses to this post. I am trying to come up with a way to measure energy consumption with my house to better understand how to improve my energy performance and could use more information like this.... Perhaps this post should be in another forum?

Anyway here goes the example for my house:

-2000 sq. foot two story house built in 2003 of conventional design and construction
-Cooperstown, NY has about 7500 heating degree days
-my insulation values are as follows:
-R-45 in the ceiling
-R-30 in the walls
-R-11 in the basement walls
-Windows are a bit on the largerish side Anderson wood with vinyl cladding on the exterior side
-Primary heating system is oil radiant heat with a DHW loop plus an ancient wood stove in the basement

When we just used the radiant heat and weren't too fussy about the oil consumption we were burning 650 gallons annually. I figure about 20% of that is DHW, the rest space heating. I installed an old Fisher stove in the basement last fall and burned very little oil for space heating this last year. I am monitoring the consumption and trying to figure out what wood fired upgrade I'll invest in.

Thanks for the detailed info. I had a "gut" that 200 gallons might go to DHW; sounds reasonable to me, too. Those are some pretty good R-values you have. Did you build yourself? I'd be curious to know what you figure the "extra" materials and labor cost you, over a "standard" 2x6 wall (if that is standard for your area). How are the walls built? SIPs? My SS is only showing a savings of $300-$400/year for a super-insulated place vs our standard 2x6 w/ 2" of R-tech on the outside. I was disappointed to see those numbers, but SSs don't lie, if set up correctly (which is my concern). I suppose I could just spend the $45 or so and have someone's software crunch my numbers.... Thanks again. j

I'm totally no expert, but I've think I read somewhere that computer programs are required for new house designs, to meet minimum performance requirements. I was trying to find that and quickly came up with this, which is your neck of the woods: http://www.analysisnorth.com/designloss/

•• THANKS MUCH! I LIVE HERE AND NEVER HEARD OF IT.... I TRIED TO DOWNLOAD, BUT GOT GARBAGE. AN EMAIL IS IN TO THEM. THIS WILL BE FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC IF THIS PROGRAM WORKS ON MY MACHINE! THANKS AGAIN. JOHN

I could not get the link suggested to work, but I did find http://www.ccithermal.com/Products/HeatLossCalculation.html and it gives pretty good agreement w/ my calcs, except for the slab. Their slab calcs are 3x mine; dunno why. Maybe they use the same heat design temp all the way through, while I guessed at that and used a 30 degree dirt temp. I have to check that figure out; perhaps I am way too optimistic, but the ground sure never gets to 40 below (below a foot or so down) or the voles would be toast, etc. I guess that is IT for this thread. Later, 'taters.