The High Cost of Heating a Canadian Home
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2008
by Gil Strachan
Electrospec Home Inspection Services
Home heating costs have doubled over the past ten years, now representing 60% of the energy spent in Canadian homes. No one can predict how high fuel costs will go, however we can be certain of one thing - the costs will go up. It's anyone's guess which fuel might be the better bargain in ten or twenty years, so it's tough to shop for a heating system today without wondering if you've made the right decision. Although we can't tell you which choice to make, we can show you how the different fuels compare today.
Oil
Oil prices can be
unpredictable; however fuel oil provides good energy content, with efficiency
ratings up to 86% with modern equipment. If you decide to upgrade your
furnace or boiler, you will also need to install a stainless steel liner in your
chimney. Older oil burners can be fitted with a "flame retention head" to
improve efficiency, and regular tune-ups will also go a long way toward lowering
your fuel costs. Decorative oil-fired stoves and fireplaces are available
for space heating, and will work without electricity. Oil-fired hot water
tanks can heat water quickly and are often used for in-floor heating, as well as
hybrid hot water forced-air systems.
Don't heat with oil
if you feel guilty about burning non-renewable resources, or if you can't afford
unpredictable costs. A central system will require ductwork or water
piping, as well as a fuel oil storage tank. Oil furnaces are priced lower
than gas furnaces and enjoy on average, a longer
lifespan.
|
APPROXIMATE ANNUAL OIL HEATING COST | |||
|
SYSTEM |
OLDER HOME |
NEW HOME |
R2000 HOME |
| OLD FURNACE | $2500 |
N/A |
N/A |
| NEW FURNACE | $2200 |
$1400 |
$800 |
|
Natural Gas and Propane Gas and propane are
cleaner than fuel oil and provide odourless heat with slightly lower energy
content than oil. Gas prices are higher than they once were, and the cost
of heating with propane is even higher. There is a greater availability of
natural gas in more densely populated areas, whereas propane is more often the
choice in rural locales where it is compressed and delivered by
truck. Both gases are
popular choices for fireplaces, space heaters and hot water tanks, are clean and
more convenient than wood-burning fireplaces however, are about 25% less
efficient than a gas furnace. If you're considering one of these
high-priced fuels, shop for an appliance that will provide the best return on
your investment. Always compare installed prices, energy-efficiency
ratings and warranties. As with oil-fired equipment, ductwork or water
piping will be required. Modern appliances vent directly to the outdoors
without need for a chimney. Don't heat with
propane unless you have deep pockets, if you feel guilty about burning a
petroleum product or if you don't want to see a submarine-sized cylinder beside
your house. |
|
APPROXIMATE ANNUAL NATURAL GAS HEATING
COST | |||
|
SYSTEM |
OLDER HOME |
NEW HOME |
R2000 HOME |
| LOW EFFICIENCY | $1900 |
$1200 |
$700 |
| HIGH EFFICIENCY | $1400 |
$900 |
$550 |
|
APPROXIMATE ANNUAL PROPANE HEATING COST | |||
|
SYSTEM |
OLDER HOME |
NEW HOME |
R2000 HOME |
| LOW EFFICIENCY | $5200 |
N/A |
N/A |
| HIGH EFFICIENCY | $3400 |
$2200 |
$1300 |
|
Electricity
Electricity is 100%
efficient. Every ounce of power leaving your electric panel is turned into
heat at the furnace or space heater, with no line loss and nothing wasted up a
chimney or out a vent. Electricity can be more expensive per unit of heat
developed, however the cost of installation is lower than with fuel-fired
heating equipment. Although the
equipment in your house may be 100% efficient, electricity isn't any greener
than gas, oil or propane; in fact the electricity you use may come from a
coal-burning power plant. Electric heat pumps are very efficient in more
southerly latitudes, however provide marginal benefit in northern areas where
temperatures are too low to extract heat from outside air, and a backup furnace
is required. Unlike electric furnaces or space heaters, heat pump
installations can be cost-prohibitive and the lifespan of the equipment is
relatively short. Don't heat with
electricity if you don't want to support the operation of big power plants and
other mega-power projects. |
|
APPROXIMATE ANNUAL ELECTRIC HEATING COST | |||
|
SYSTEM |
OLDER HOME |
NEW HOME |
R2000 HOME |
| CONVENTIONAL | $2800 |
$1700 |
$1000 |
| HEAT PUMP (AIR) | $1500 |
$900 |
$550 |
| HEAT PUMP (GROUND OR WATER SOURCE) | $1000 |
$600 |
$350 |
|
Wood
If you live in a
well-treed rural area, heating with wood can be a sensible choice. Wood is
the cheapest of all fuels (you can save as much as 70%) and is a renewable
resource - however not without drawbacks. Wood smoke can be a nasty source
of air pollution unless you dig deeper in your pockets and purchase a high
efficiency stove; they run up to about 75% efficiency when used properly.
Wood-burning furnaces rarely exceed 50% efficiency, and with much higher
emissions. Don't heat with
wood if you don't like chores, if you don't have plenty of storage space or if
firewood isn't readily available nearby (trucking costs can really chew up your
savings.) Don't heat with wood if you don't want to pay an extra premium
to your insurance company, or if you have any respiratory problems; wood heat
will drastically lower the humidity in your home. |
|
APPROXIMATE ANNUAL WOOD-BURNING COST | |||
|
SYSTEM |
OLDER HOME |
NEW HOME |
R2000 HOME |
| FURNACE OR BOILER | $1200 |
$800 |
$500 |
| COMMON WOOD BURNING STOVE | $1200 |
$800 |
$500 |
| HI-EFF STOVE OR FIREPLACE INSERT | $950 |
$600 |
$350 |
Other
Considerations:
The size,
design and insulating value of your home will have direct impact upon your
heating costs. Modern, well-insulated, air-tight homes have much lower
heat loss, and therefore require less fuel to maintain comfortable indoor
temperatures. The new generation of "smart houses" require so little heat
provision that it may not matter which fuel you use – because you'll use hardly
any of it.
Setting
thermostats lower will reduce costs. Zone-controlled heating systems, and
space heaters can also save a bundle… it doesn't make much sense to
overheat your entire house in an effort to make one person warm, in one corner
of the basement.