Propane heating usage per winter months...

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KM1094

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Hello, I own a 2,000 sqft colonial in New York. Over the past two years I feel like I have been racking up overy expensive gas bills during the winter months. My home, which was built in 2001 has forced air heating and a hot water heater that are powered by propane. My termostat is set to an average of 58* (60* max due to the amount of my heating bills are if set higher). My hot water heater is set slightly higher the the middle / "suggested" temperature markings. This week I received a bill for $855.00 from my propane company for a billing period of Jan 16th - Feb 5th. with a usage of 316 gallons of propane. A little more home information is that I live alone, so my water usage is limited to two showers a day and sink usage (cleaning, cooking ect.) My heating is only one zone for the enitre house, and all of my windows and exterior doors were replaced in 2012. My attic is insulated on the celing of the second story of my house, but not on the roof. Is this type of usage average? We have had a cold winter this year, but since December I have used a little over 600 gallons of propane. any information would be appreciated, Thanks.
 
Is it the quantity or cost that your questioning. Keep in mind your water heater maintains a temp not just using gas during/after a shower.
 
It is the quantity I am questioning. As for the water heater, I want to switch over to an on-demand system once my current one goes bad.
 
If there is simular houses in the area about the same age with same heating I would compare bills and see if they are comparable.
A well insulated attic will have snow on it longer than one that is poorly done or has air leaking into the attic from the house.
 
I think you are about 3 times high.
https://hrt.msu.edu/Energy/Notebook/pdf/Sec4/Heating_Bill_Comparison_by_Schilling.pdf
http://www.lpea.com/pdf/products/ETS/2014heating_costs.pdf

I would be looking for a leak or checking that your supplier is calibrated correctly. I can’t believe a 2001 home would leak heat that bad. Does your furnace seem to run non stop?

There is no way.... there is a leak, somewhere..or a really big crook of a company. Have another service company come out and do a test of your system, and have a look at any heat loss.. Way cheaper than the next bill your going to get.
 
Actually I think your usage should have raised a red flag with your supplier. There were several people involved on the suppliers end that should have said “Wait a minute” first being the guy on the truck coming out monthly filling your tank. He does this day in and day out and should have asked what you were running to be sucking up so much product. Then there are the billing people they have past history and comparable usage in your area.

Something isn’t adding up.
 
Some locations offer a low cost or free energy audit. Your gas supplier, local power company should know who to contact.
It should consist of a blower door test to check for air leaks.
In your attic there should be at least R-50 and 60 would be even better.
That's 12" of insulation.
Air sealing around all plumbing and wiring holes through the top and bottom plates in the attic and basement or crawl space, and around any ceiling fixtures that are in the attic from the room below.
Insulate the rim joist with 2" thick foam.
Should be R19 in the floor joist under the house.
Just because there now windows does not mean they where installed correctly. Where they new construction or replacement windows that where installed?
Often times I've found when someone installed the replacement windows they did not apply caulking to the back side of the outside stops, and foam the gaps around the window frames.
 
That is WAY excessive, in my mind!!!!! I am heating 4900 sq. ft. of space here. House was built in 1999. And my propane bill for this winter is $2200 which is actually for the entire calendar year of Sept 2014 to Sept 2015. I keep the temp at 68 degrees all the time, and live in NE Ohio. I always buy my propane on a pre-buy agreement, and my gallon cost for this term is $2.20. You are paying $2.71 per gallon and someone is robbing you. I just called my supplier, and the market price for propane is $2.15.

You need to call around and compare prices. And maybe consider a pre-buy agreement in the summer in order to lock in a consistent price.

However, pay attention when you're at your tank to detect leaks. Propane smells like a dead animal. I had a leak, one year, at my tank.
 
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Thank you for everyone's feedback. I will absolutely have an energy report done asap. I'm going into the poor house due to this heating bill. and yes my heat kicks on non-stop it seems.
 

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