Need advice on propane/electricity usage for a potential home (fireplace, pool)

[baruchel23]

For the past few months, I've posted several threads about potentials homes that we're interested in purchasing. In my last thread, even though we came across a beautiful home, we found out that the subdivision has the possibility of converting to an HOA once completed. Sadly, we moved on.

However, we're on the verge of putting an offer for a beautiful home. I'll try to provide all the information that I have available for you guys.

Location: New Hampshire
Square Footage: About 3500
Energy Star Rated (built in 2007)
Heating: Propane (gas stove, 2 propane fire places, gas dryer)
Rinnai Water System r53 (On Demand)
Electricity
Current Owner: Family of 5 (3 kids)
Average Electricity Usage $200-250 per month; August $350
Propane Usage 2000 Gallons over 1 year period

At the current pricing for propane, we find this to be a very high cost for heating and cooling. I am afraid of spending 500+ per month for this, let alone $750. It will be just the 2 of us moving into the home. Any estimates on what our heating/cooling expenses would be compared to this family? Any advice on how to minimize the expenses?

I really appreciate all of the advice given as this could be a possible deal breaker on a home.

[GaryH3]

There are too many variables to give you a definitive answer of course, but the reduction in energy use you'll see won't be in exact proportion to the number of residents. We also have an energy star rated house and when we went from 4 occupants to 2, our electricity costs declined 16%.

[Ellwood]

Our home is 2200 sq. ft. in upstate NY. We had a tankless water heater installed two years ago and it has shown a huge savings for us. Like you, there are only two of us. We do travel frequently in the winter, so our costs are less. We keep our heat low, shut off rooms we don't use. Wear fleece vests instead of turning heat up. Rarely use the gas fireplace. Your costs might be less due to the reduction in people.

Check if you own the propane tank or the company that installed it owns it. We bought ours out from the company and reduced our per gallon cost by $1.

We have energy star house and our A/C runs infrequently during the summer. We have ceiling fans in every room which help. Although we have inground pool, with a heater, costs in summer are about $100 month more than winter.

[WRXFlyer]

The house may be Energy Star rated, but I don't see how one can truly conserve any energy with only two people living in a 3500 sqft house. Find a smaller home and you'll find your energy savings.

[baruchel23]

Originally Posted by Ellwood

Check if you own the propane tank or the company that installed it owns it. We bought ours out from the company and reduced our per gallon cost by $1.

Will do! Completely forgot about this!

Originally Posted by WRXFlyer

The house may be Energy Star rated, but I don't see how one can truly conserve any energy with only two people living in a 3500 sqft house. Find a smaller home and you'll find your energy savings.

In most cases, I'd certainly agree with you! In our circumstance, we're thinking about having kids in the near future so we would much rather grow into the home versus having to move in a few years.

[harry chickpea]

For the northeast and that size house, the propane usage sounds about right. Having grown up in Vermont, I can tell you than many, if not most of the houses are much much smaller than in the south. Heating costs alone force many people out of the northeast. In New Hampshire, heating and property tax are the two huge expenses. I wouldn't buy a house that large unless I had an assured income of well over $150K/yr, with COLA increases. If you are planning to have kids, you will be looking at a lot more than housing costs for the next 25 years. I'll try to put this gently. If you are seriously concerned about heating costs now, you can't afford the place. Sorry.

[Coldjensens]

Dont let Hank Hill tell you otherwise. Propane is a very very expensive way to heat a house. Our gas company told us that it woudl cost $8000 to install a gas line to the house that we moved. I was so mad that I decided to switch to propane. However after comparing the cost difference over five years, I wrote the gas company a check with a smile and told them Thank you.

In comparing costs you have to look at enrgy output per dollar. It is a difficult calculation becuase they do not measure propane and gas the same way and they have different energy outputs when burned.

[WRXFlyer]

Originally Posted by baruchel23

In most cases, I'd certainly agree with you! In our circumstance, we're thinking about having kids in the near future so we would much rather grow into the home versus having to move in a few years.

That is certainly a weighty consideration. But consider this too, my family of 4 lives in a 1200 sqft house. Mind you, this is in SoCal where our heating needs are minimal, but even in the hot summers, all of our utilities combined are easily under $100. I'm not telling you to take my route at all, but just to keep in mind, 3500 sqft is a lot of space to heat and cool, period.

[baruchel23]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

For the northeast and that size house, the propane usage sounds about right. Having grown up in Vermont, I can tell you than many, if not most of the houses are much much smaller than in the south. Heating costs alone force many people out of the northeast. In New Hampshire, heating and property tax are the two huge expenses. I wouldn't buy a house that large unless I had an assured income of well over $150K/yr, with COLA increases. If you are planning to have kids, you will be looking at a lot more than housing costs for the next 25 years. I'll try to put this gently. If you are seriously concerned about heating costs now, you can't afford the place. Sorry.

Income isn't an issue. Considering the types of threads that are posted on city-data I can understand you thinking we're afraid of how we're are going to pay our bills. But our concern is about whether the heating costs of a home this size was normal. We have a home in Mass close to the NH border of equivalent size and it doesn't cost nearly as much to heat the home.

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Dont let Hank Hill tell you otherwise. Propane is a very very expensive way to heat a house. Our gas company told us that it woudl cost $8000 to install a gas line to the house that we moved. I was so mad that I decided to switch to propane. However after comparing the cost difference over five years, I wrote the gas company a check with a smile and told them Thank you.

In comparing costs you have to look at enrgy output per dollar. It is a difficult calculation becuase they do not measure propane and gas the same way and they have different energy outputs when burned.

I would use natural gas if we could but unfortunately all of the new construction now a days is using propane. There has to be a reason for this, no? (lower upfront builder costs, more energy efficient, lower usage costs, etc)

Originally Posted by WRXFlyer

That is certainly a weighty consideration. But consider this too, my family of 4 lives in a 1200 sqft house. Mind you, this is in SoCal where our heating needs are minimal, but even in the hot summers, all of our utilities combined are easily under $100. I'm not telling you to take my route at all, but just to keep in mind, 3500 sqft is a lot of space to heat and cool, period.

Again, I agree with you. But with family usually visiting, it makes it easier for family to stay. I grew up in a bi-level home about 1700 square feet and because of the setup, we always had issues about where people were going to stay.

[Coldjensens]

If the propane is delivered, that is another concern. We could get free delivery becuase the propane company delivered to a factory about four miles away. However if that factory closed down, it might become unavailable, or we would have have to pay a huge special delivery fee.