Fuel Oil question

[Jerngen]

I just ordered some fuel oil for the first time in this new place (finally decided it was cold enough to want to light the furnace here in da U.P. ) and I am now in sticker shock!! LOL
200 gallons of #2 fuel oil for $570, or $2.85 a gallon.

Now we've never used fuel oil before and have NO idea how much we should be budgeting for oil throughout the colder months. It only runs the furnace (everything else here is electric).
So can anyone here give me a rough guestimate of how many gallons we'll use a month? We live in a 1100sq ft. well insulated house. It's about 750sq ft. on the main floor and 350sq ft above where the bedrooms are. No duct work to the upstairs (just the old fashioned open vents) so technically the furnace is only heating the main floor. We'll keep it at 62 during the day and down to 58 at night.
Anyone here with a similar set-up (past or present) who can give me a wild guess of how many gallons a month we'll use?? Haven't a clue if it'll be 50 gallons or the full 200 gallons. Thank you kindly!

[Jim S.]

The federal government has estimated the average American will spend $1,800 to heat the home this year.

I have heated with oil before. It is one of the highest priced ways to do it, exceeded perhaps only by electricity.

We lived in Virginia (a little warmer than you) in an 1100 sf house, and used about 100 gal every two months, if I recall.

In the future (if you can't figure out a cheaper way to heat), buy your first oil in summer or during a lull in prices if possible. Our oil company, which did automatic fill for us, would fill us during a price lull for the first fill just as a courtesy.

Best long-term advice is to get a woodstove. Next best is to go natural gas, next best is propane. We were going to convert to natural gas, but sold and moved before we got it done.

[Jerngen]

I absolutely agree with you Jim! We are renting this place while looking for land to buy and later build on. We are surrounded by wilderness and a woodstove is an absolute must at our new place. Wife also wants a wood cookstove with a small propane stove to supplement during the warmer months and busy times.
Anyhow thanks for the tip. One vote for 50 gallons a month (in a warmer climate) thus far!

[Beeman]

I have relatives in New England, not as cold as where you are, they burn about 1,000 gal per winter and pay all year on a monthly installment plan.

[Hoop]

I am very familiar with da UP weather. I live approx 25 miles south of the UP near Eagle River.

Fuel oil heat is not all that efficient, unless you've got one of those newer new fangled high efficiency units. But if the house has R38 insulation in the ceilings.....thats good. If you only have R19 in the ceilings......thats not so good.

Much depends on your dwelling. It sounds like its buttoned up pretty snug but make certain. Inspect around your doors/windows/etc and caulk accordingly. Caulk is cheap. Fuel oil isn't. Venture up into the attic with a tape measure and check how many inches of insulation exist. R19 is 6 inches. R38 is a foot.

And you're certainly not running amuck with the thermostat.

The months of December/Jan/Feb generally see heating bills of $300+ for most residents in the area. I'm inclined to think fuel oil costs would be higher.....given its lower efficiency. How much higher is strictly a guess.


Budget as much as you can for heat. I wouldn't go a dime under an ADDITIONAL $1500 for the season. An ADDITIONAL $2000 would be better.
Hopefully, it will be under this amount. Far better to budget too much than not enough.

When the first cold snap of say 10 degrees hits, read the fuel gauge each & every day. After 4 days, you'll have a good idea how much fuel oil your furnace is going through.

I wish you the very best.

[bluetick]

I have an oil fired boiler and heat a large old house. The upstairs bedroom doors are kept closed, and I don't heat the bedrooms. The thermostats are set at 64 during the day, 55 overnight, and one is at 65 during the evening. I supplement with a woodstove during the evenings, and sometimes the boiler doesn't come on then.

I use an average of about 735 gallons of oil a year. The boiler also heats my water year round. My oil company offers a locked in price in the spring, and I have taken advantage of that. This year's contract price is $2.719 per gallon, however, when the price is lower, I pay the lower amount. My tanks were filled in August at $2.659/gallon. My price will not exceed the contract price.

Hope this helps you estimate your oil needs, but I repeat - the house is old and about 2700 square feet, including the closed off rooms. I do sleep in one of those cool upstairs bedrooms!

[country_wife]

We have a high eff. fuel oil furnace, in mid-Ohio. We used half a tank last year, about 100 gallons. We have a fireplace insert (woodburning) to supplement, though, and we keep the temp set pretty low...generally around 50.

Natural gas is not always cheaper than oil. That depends on where you live. In our area, it's one of the most expensive ways to heat.

A tip for helping with the heating bill: electric blankets or mattress pads. They are the best! Nothing like climbing into a toasty warm bed, and you can lower the thermostat at night.

[rambler]

The winter months of Dec, Jan, & Feb are going to hit you _hard_. You will use much more than 50 gal those months..... I can go about 3 weeks on 220 gallons in the heart of winter.........

My drafty farm house in Minnesota won't compare to your house, but - you will average more than 50 I'm sure for real winter.

Very, very carefully watch the weather in New England. That is where most of the heating fuel is consumed in this country. The refineries plan on making 'x' amount of hreating fuel for the season. If NE ends up having a mild winter, the fuel remains the same price, there is plenty. If NE has a real cold snap, or otherwise a long cold winter, then fuel oil will cost much more. It will not relate to the price of gasoline - it will react to the temperature in New England. Plan ahead for that - if a real cold snap is predicted for NE, I top off my tank before it hits!

--->Paul

[farmerscotty]

I talked to a man in Virgina somewhere last thursday he said propane on a 500 gallon tank call was 2.47 a gallon cash price........anyone else heard of that.........it is 1.79 a gallon in Springfield MO area.

scott

[peacebaker]

Our house is around 1000 square feet and we have a forced air fuel oil furnace.

We're in southern WI, which is a little bit warmer than you I expect, and we've used an average of 275-300 gallons a year. Our electric bill is also a bit higher in winter as the fan that runs it is electric (just another factor I thought I'd mention). You should be able to get the records from the previous renter to help predict your costs, and some companies offer a budget plan to help spread the cost out over the year. Hope this helps!

When we moved here the price was 76 cents a gallon! (Jan 1999). Last fill-up was $2.38, and they haven't been here yet this year! So far it seems to be comparable with natural gas in our area for overall costs, and until we need a new furnace there doesn't seem a huge advantage in switching over. I'd like to supplement with wood heat eventually too...

[Eric Klein]

My brother lives in Calumet and has a 1400sq' house with oil-forced air, not great insulation but ok. If he uses only oil he can use 200 and up to 250 gls. a month in Jan & Feb. He's been burning wood for the last couple years with the oil as a back up so it hasn't been so bad. The wood cook stoves are great! we use ours to heat our 1700sq' house this time of year. We cook on it year round thhough. where in the UP are you?
we are near Calumet beautyfull country up here, still looking foor land though.

[Jerngen]

Thank you everyone. Helps to have a better idea, appears in this case I should just plan for HIGH and be thankful if it doesn't reach it!

Originally Posted by Eric Klein

where in the UP are you?
we are near Calumet beautyfull country up here, still looking foor land though.

We are just south of Marquette. Looking for land in the Champion/Michigamme area to build on. Just took our first trip up your way last July. Indeed is very beautiful. Of course I think this whole place is beautiful once you cross da bridge!! :baby04:

[haypoint]

In the UP, the lakes tend to hold off winter a bit, but the frozen lakes push winter into spring, too. If it helps the half way point of the heating season in the UP is around January 28th. So that should give you an idea of what you'll spend the rest of the winter. Well insulated is a relative term. Some think 6 inches of fiberglass and twin pane windows is well insulated. Keep the cost of heat in mind when you design and build your own place.