New guy

[65gto]

Hi everyone. Just bought my house in central Iowa, with a detached 25 X 30 garage, not the best insulation but insulated.

Wanting to heat it, but looks like electric is about my only option. Would cost over $2000 just to run gas to it, and propane isn't allowed in this city. The garage is on a separate 100 amp service and wired for 220. My concern is the operation cost. I am hearing that it would cost an arm and a leg, to it runs about 20 per cent more than gas. The plan is to keep it above freezing and crank it up when I want to work out there.

Any experiences with cost for electric vs gas?

Thanks all

 

[Highbeam]

You need to give us your cost per killowatt hour of electric and cost per gallon or therm for gas in order for us to do the math. These things vary throughout the world.

In my area, electric is pretty cheap at 10 cents per kwh (always divide your total bill by the kwh used) vs. propane at over 2$ per gallon so for me electric is cheaper and already piped to the shop so I use it.

In the NE part of the country, electric can be 30 cents per kwh and oil might actually be cheaper.

 

[Zeke]

Could you use a self contained propane space heater to take the chill off and get some heat into the contents and then maintain the heat with the electric after clearing out any build up of CO? I do that here in SoCal on occasion. I leave the big door up about an inch for circulation and to supply O2. A few minutes after shutting the propane down, I close everything up.

A fan forced model really gets the job done.

 

[65gto]

If I'm interpreting my bill correctly. Electric is 0.09 per kwh and gas is .62 per therm.

I guess to simplify my question, gas or propane is not an option. would electric be comparable to either the gas or propane? I've heard that electric runs about 20% higher, which would be acceptable. Just want to make sure it's not 2 or 3 times higher., or more.

 

[Randy in Maine]

I have never heard of a city where propane is not allowed.

Are you sure about that?

 

[Zeke]

Let me drop back and say welcome to the GJ. I'm sure you mean propane tanks that are permanently installed are not allowed. I don't know if I could put one in here in the city. You almost have to be allowed a patio heater, that's all I'm saying.

Electricity is pretty much always going to be more expensive. How much more is a question for your local POCO.

 

[Highbeam]

If I'm interpreting my bill correctly. Electric is 0.09 per kwh and gas is .62 per therm.

I guess to simplify my question, gas or propane is not an option. would electric be comparable to either the gas or propane? I've heard that electric runs about 20% higher, which would be acceptable. Just want to make sure it's not 2 or 3 times higher., or more.

Okay enter your numbers here, I don't think your NG price is 62 cents, more typical is way over a dollar but maybe. You don't have NG though so what is your propance cost?

http://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/fuel_cost_comparison_calculator/

In my area electric cheaper than propane. Plus, I don't have to worry about getting propane, venting it, and blowing up if it leaks.

 

[65gto]

Yes, exactly. I could use the 100 lb tanks, but I would need to haul them in to get them refilled. Not crazy about doing that.

 

[65gto]

Thanks everyone. The calculator shows that LP would actually be more than electric. Almost twice as much than gas. Gas is not an option for me due to the cost of running the pipe ($2000 +) and the cost of installing a heater. I can do electric for about $600.


so it looks like electric