Has anyone sen a cost comparison of heaters for well insulated garages. I have a friend with a 24'X20" garage. He uses a kerosene heater. It takes a few hrs. to warm it up and will keep it at around 60F. Is this cheaper than gas or electric heaters?
Heater Comparisons
- Thread starter dond
- Start date
So far, our lowest cost has been those radiator-style electric-oil heater jobbies. It's for heating our basement apartment though. Cheaper than gas fireplace, cheaper than kerosene (if you use the good stuff, and you should). That may be due to the relatively low cost of electricity here as compared to NG, Kero, Fuel oil, etc.
Gary S
Well-known member
You need to look at the cost of the available fuels in your area to know what is the cheapest.
Here, coal is the cheapest fuel available, followed by natural gas. Anything else, including wood will cost more. Your area will be different due to different availability of the fuel.
Here, coal is the cheapest fuel available, followed by natural gas. Anything else, including wood will cost more. Your area will be different due to different availability of the fuel.
Scott P
Well-known member
It also depends on how cold it is outside and the space you are working with. Like a previous poster said, it also depends on your area. I used to live in an area with community electric, so electricity was wicked cheap.
foss
Well-known member
Wow , wish I had that......NG is definitely the way to go here in Canada. Electricity is very pricey here.
I have a 24x32 pole building insulated good and have been really happy with my 10,000 watt ouellet electric heater. Actually very impressed to be truthful. It heats it up quick and is cheap for me to use for 3-4 hours per evening. This winter has been a great test for it to.
jvitez
Well-known member
Which Ouellet heater do you have? A local electrical supply house sells their line. Lots of choice on their website.
And BTW, electricity prices vary considerably in Canada too. We pay ~ 6.5 cents/kWh so pretty reasonable. You are being raped in Ontario by govt mismanagement. The Maritimes and Alberta are expensive because of thermal generation. BC is pretty cheap because of hydroelectric generation.
The only way to compare costs is to compare heat output and price for each fuel. How much kerosene does your friend go through in X hours? What's the btu output of the heater? 1 watt=3.413 btu.
Here's an example:
23,000 btu/h kerosene heater. Let's say it uses 1 gallon in 5 hours, and it's $5 per gallon. Let's also say electricity is 10 cents/kWh. So.....
$5 per gallon divided by 5 hours=$1 per hour for 23,000 btu of heat.
23,000 divided by 3.413= 6739 watts or 6.7 kWh. 6.7 kWh x 10 cents= 67 cents per hour for the same amount of electric heat. Pretty straight forward arithmetic.
And BTW, electricity prices vary considerably in Canada too. We pay ~ 6.5 cents/kWh so pretty reasonable. You are being raped in Ontario by govt mismanagement. The Maritimes and Alberta are expensive because of thermal generation. BC is pretty cheap because of hydroelectric generation.
The only way to compare costs is to compare heat output and price for each fuel. How much kerosene does your friend go through in X hours? What's the btu output of the heater? 1 watt=3.413 btu.
Here's an example:
23,000 btu/h kerosene heater. Let's say it uses 1 gallon in 5 hours, and it's $5 per gallon. Let's also say electricity is 10 cents/kWh. So.....
$5 per gallon divided by 5 hours=$1 per hour for 23,000 btu of heat.
23,000 divided by 3.413= 6739 watts or 6.7 kWh. 6.7 kWh x 10 cents= 67 cents per hour for the same amount of electric heat. Pretty straight forward arithmetic.
bochnak
Well-known member
I had a 60k torpedo heater that used .5gal kero per hour, or $1.5.
My 75k NG heater uses .75 therm per hour, or $0.50 (priced from last bill).
Not to mention no stink, moisture, and I don't have to ventilate.
My 75k NG heater uses .75 therm per hour, or $0.50 (priced from last bill).
Not to mention no stink, moisture, and I don't have to ventilate.
jvitez
Well-known member
Do you have this one?
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...77?cm_sp=Upsells-_-Top Sellers-_-Product Page
I'm still racking my brain on how to heat my L-shaped garage. Oulette appears to make nice heaters. I was considering multiple 5KW heater, but one 10KW one would be less work to install.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...77?cm_sp=Upsells-_-Top Sellers-_-Product Page
I'm still racking my brain on how to heat my L-shaped garage. Oulette appears to make nice heaters. I was considering multiple 5KW heater, but one 10KW one would be less work to install.
My 45000 btu Natural gas Hotdawg type heater uses $.36 of gas per hour @ $.80 a therm cost. I'm heating a 24x34x11 3 car here in St Paul, that I keep set at 45 unless I'm working, then 55-60. Since the first week of December 2010 I've used 94 therms of gas, so just over $75 so far this winter.
Yes that is the one I have.
jvitez
Well-known member
Thanks. I'll have to put it higher on my consideration list.
