measuring the cold

[stockdoct]

Our gas company measures how cold the weather is in Illinois by "degree days". This predicts how much natural gas a home will need depending on how cold it is. It also compares year-to-year, since gas usage varies not only by gas price, but by how cold it is each winter.

A degree day is defined as 65 degrees - (high temp for day + cold temp for day / 2)

SO the colder the average temp for the day, below 65F, the more gas one house uses. Winter months in Illinois over the past 3 years have varied from 900 degree days per month to 1400. I'm thinking our especially cold December in Illinois will be close to a record.

Anyone else out there measure how cold it is each month, to estimate what you WOULD have spent on natural gas or heating oil if you weren't burning wood? How do you measure cold?

 

[Hanko]

Most of the time I look out the window at the little whatsmacallit.

 

[n3pro]

Never did it and never understood it but I found this out last week. The propane man filled my tanks, only 36 gallons but it was at $4.41! I called and complained about the price, then called another company and they said they calculated by the heating degrees days as well as the history of how much I used on a given about of days. Last year given the same amount of heating degree days I used 128 gallons, this year only 36 BUT the problem with propane is the amount per gallon is figured on the amount of gallons used. They said I could get it for $3.70 a gallon if I commit to using 500 gallons this season. I still have to call but I got to get on a different plan!

No wood stove xxx degrees days = 128 gallons of propane
wood stove same xxx degrees days = 36 gallons of propane

WHAT A DIFFERENCE.

 

[Summertime]

Never did it and never understood it but I found this out last week. The propane man filled my tanks, only 36 gallons but it was at $4.41! I called and complained about the price, then called another company and they said they calculated by the heating degrees days as well as the history of how much I used on a given about of days. Last year given the same amount of heating degree days I used 128 gallons, this year only 36 BUT the problem with propane is the amount per gallon is figured on the amount of gallons used. They said I could get it for $3.70 a gallon if I commit to using 500 gallons this season. I still have to call but I got to get on a different plan!

No wood stove xxx degrees days = 128 gallons of propane
wood stove same xxx degrees days = 36 gallons of propane

WHAT A DIFFERENCE.

I had the same problem with my gas supplier and found that switching to a call as I need basis was way cheaper.

 

[Hanko]

I feel bad for you guys that have to use propane or oil as a backup. They have you right by the nuts.

 

[Dix]

Hank, here even the electric company has ya by 'em to

LIPA lowers projected rate hike after broad criticism

Play the video (12/11/08) WOODBURY - After facing backlash from ratepayers and Gov. David Paterson on its proposed 4.8 percent rate hike, LIPA announced Thursday it is lowering its rate increase.
The new rate increase for 2009 is 3.2 percent or just under $5 a month. The first proposed hike amounted to around $7.50 more a month for the average ratepayer. At public hearings last week, LIPA CEO Kevin Law was verbally pounded. At an appearance on Long Island Tuesday, Paterson called on LIPA to rethink the increase.

“It’s not fun to be hit in head by a two-by-four on a regular basis,” Law says of popular reaction to the original hike.

Law says LIPA trustees agreed the hike should be reduced and that the power authority was able to find enough savings to make the adjustment. He says it’s mainly due to projections that show decreased energy use and lower fuel costs.

LIPA’s 2009 budget also includes a 50 percent increase in spending on green technology promotion. Law says a long-term rate increase of 12.4 percent for 2010 to 2013 is still on track.



(broken link removed to http://www.news12.com/LI/topstories/article?id=222187)

I got a whatchamacallit, too. It has horses on it ;-P

 

[RedRanger]

Now there is the problem with wood heat? You very soon start getting used to 80F temps, and anything less feels kinda chilly.

Of course, you/nor/I can afford that kind of comfort unless we are burning wood,eh??

Damn, but what an addiction :lol:

 

[michaelthomas]

I got home way too late the other night to get the home fires burning and had to turn on the furnace. I cranked it all the way up to 65! Man the house felt freezing There was no way I was going to crank the thermostat up any higher but I could not believe how much nicer the wood heat is. That was the first time the furnace had kicked on for heating purposes this year. Hopefully the last!

 

[atvdave]

Our gas company measures how cold the weather is in Illinois by "degree days". This predicts how much natural gas a home will need depending on how cold it is. It also compares year-to-year, since gas usage varies not only by gas price, but by how cold it is each winter.

A degree day is defined as 65 degrees - (high temp for day + cold temp for day / 2)

SO the colder the average temp for the day, below 65F, the more gas one house uses. Winter months in Illinois over the past 3 years have varied from 900 degree days per month to 1400. I'm thinking our especially cold December in Illinois will be close to a record.

Anyone else out there measure how cold it is each month, to estimate what you WOULD have spent on natural gas or heating oil if you weren't burning wood? How do you measure cold?

Here in southern Indiana they also do that. I don't understand how they rate it. However I'm new to wood burning (first time user, LOPI FredomBay) and we got out first Gas & electric bill just a few days ago. I used 1/2 the gas I used last year with the the insert. I still have a gas hot water heater so I'm still using some gas. As time go's on, and I learn from these forums I'm sure I'll cut it down to 2/3 less gas usage.

 

[InTheRockies]

You can get a 3-year view of detailed weather information from the National Weather Service page for your region. My home page is the National Weather Service's forecast for my area. You should be able to pull up forecasts as well as past data from your area from this page (although it says to put in your city and state, you can put in your zip code in the search box in the left hand corner of the page and pull up the data for your region) --Natonal Weather Service page.