Hot Tips for Surviving a Cold Winter
By Brenda Brown-Grooms
Natural gas, heating oil, propane,
electricity, coal, and wood and pellet stoves are all means by which people
will keep warm this winter. Each method will cost more than it did last year,
substantially contributing to a cost of living that is problematic in this
economic downturn.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration
estimates that the average household expenditures for all space-heating fuels
are projected to be $1,137 this winter (October 1st to March 31st), a 15
percent increase over the estimated $956 spent last winter. The largest
increases will be in households using heating oil and natural gas. The
projected increases primarily reflect higher prices, although colder weather
than last winter will also contribute to higher fuel use in many areas.
Hurricanes Gustav and Ike caused 32
million barrels of crude oil and 165 billion cubic feet of natural gas
production to be shut down in the Gulf of Mexico. Recovery is still
ongoing.
According to the most recent projections
of heating degree-days by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA), the lower 48 states are forecast to be 2.4 percent colder this winter
compared with last winter, but 1.7 percent warmer than the 30-year average
(1971-2000). Regional heating degreeday projections vary widely, however; for
example, the west-north-central region is projected to be almost 5 percent
warmer than last winter.
Those who heat their homes with natural
gas will spend, on average, about 18% more ($155) than last winter. About 52%
of all households across the nation use natural gas as their heating fuel. The
increase in this winter’s prices is based on a projected 17% increase in
price and a 1% increase in consumption. In the Midwest, where 72% of households
use natural gas to heat their homes, the projected increase in prices is 17%,
based on a 19% increase in prices and a 2% decline in consumption.
About 7% of households use heating oil in
this country. They can expect to pay 23% more ($449) this winter. Most are in
the Northeast (where 31% of households use heating oil as the primary
space-heating fuel). An 18% increase in prices and a 5% increase in consumption
are expected to cause a 23% increase in cost from last year.
About 7% of households use heating oil in
this country. They can expect to pay 23% more ($449) this winter. Most are in
the Northeast (where 31% of households use heating oil as the primary
space-heating fuel). An 18% increase in prices and a 5% increase in consumption
are expected to cause a 23% increase in cost from last year.
Households heating with electricity are
projected to pay 10% ($89) more this winter. Ranging from 12% in the Northeast
to 59% in the South, 35% of all U.S. households use electricity as their
primary heating fuel. The 10% increase in electricity prices is based on that
amount of increase in consumption and prices.
Electric-power-sector coal consumption is
projected to grow by about 1.2 percent in 2008. Slow growth in electricity
consumption, combined with projected increases in electricity generation from
other sources (nuclear, natural gas, and wind), will lead to a slight decline
(0.9 percent) in electric-powersector coal consumption in 2009.
Pellet and wood-burning stoves are
efficient alternatives to natural gas, oil and coal. Wood pellets are generally
made from sawdust and wood shavings. Of 107 million households in the U.S.,
about 800,000 homeowners currently use pellet stoves. Although they can be used
to run a whole-house heating system, pellets are more commonly used in
fireplace inserts and freestanding stoves that serve as supplemental heating
appliances.
Because most homes do not have thermostats
in each room, users may be tempted to turn up the primary thermostat when rooms
adjacent to the heated space are cool, thus defeating the purpose of a pellet
stove. Pellet stoves, however, require loading, lighting, tending and cleaning,
as opposed to simply flipping a switch.
If you already have a fireplace, you can
increase heating efficiency and circulate the heat with a fireplace insert.
Essentially a self-contained firebox, the insert fits into the existing box and
allows the air to circulate around it, thus heating it. The insert is connected
to the chimney to vent the smoke and combustion byproducts. If you don’t
have a working fireplace, choose a freestanding stove, which you can place
nearly anywhere in your home. (Venting a freestanding stove requires punching
through the building envelope and installing a chimney of appropriate design
for wood-burning appliances.) Whichever type of appliance you choose, expect to
pay at least $750 plus installation fees of $250 and up. A National Fireplace
Institutecertified installer should install the appliance.
Heat load is measured in British thermal
units per hour, or Btu/h. You need 25 to 30 Btu/h per square foot, or at least
5,000 Btu/h for a 200-square-foot space. The actual heat loss (and conversely
the amount of heat needed) is based on where you live (outdoor air
temperature), the amount of insulation in the ceiling and exterior walls of the
space, the number and size of the space’s windows, and whether there is
heated space above and below the room. Calculate how many Btu/h you need to
heat your space and select an appropriate-sized insert or stove.
The average cost of a cord of firewood or
a ton of wood pellets is $190. A true comparison of costs involves looking at
the price of the fuel, the “heating value of the fuel,” and the
efficiency of the heating appliance. You then use the averages of all three to
determine cost. The Energy Information Administration’s Heating Fuel
Comparison Calculator estimates that it costs $14.39 to produce 1 million Btu
using pellets and $15.83 using solid wood. Compare those figures with coal
($5.35), natural gas ($19.62), oil ($22.59), propane ($27.77), and electric
furnaces, baseboards and space heaters ($30.82).
Federally funded programs administered by
states (usually through social services departments) will have their work cut
out for them this winter. While there is never a lot of money available to help
poor and disabled populations, what dollars there are will be stretched to
cover as many people as possible -- with many literally “left out in the
cold” by guidelines changed to make it harder to qualify for heating
assistance, in anticipation of more applications.
There is still time to apply for fuel
assistance for the winter season. If you think you will need help paying to
stay warm this winter, apply now. The federal Home Energy Assistance Program
(HEAP) is designed to help households that: spend a large portion of their
income on energy bills; have a child or children under age 8, adults over 60,
or disabled individuals living in the home; have an income at or below certain
established guidelines; and have run out or are in danger of running out of
heating fuel.
Those eligible must meet income guidelines
(generally 60% of a state’s median Income or below), either pay directly
for heating costs or pay rent that includes heating costs, and be a U.S.
citizen or a qualified alien.
Those with access to a computer can visit
their state’s Home Energy Assistance Program Web site. Others should call
their local social services office.
******************************* Brenda
Brown-Grooms is an independent living coordinator with the Blue Ridge
Independent Living |
