Energy Conservation Project Am I sending my landlord to the poor house keeping my house “tropical?”

The Main Question: For the 4-5 hours I spend at home a day “awake,” how much more expensive is it to heat my house to 70 degrees, rather than just keep it at 60 ?

For the 4-5 hours I spend at home a day “awake,” how much more expensive is it to heat my house to 70 degrees, rather than just keep it at 60 ?

Why? Because I prefer spending my evenings in 70 degree weather… ….rather than 60 .

Because I prefer spending my evenings in 70 degree weather…

….rather than 60 .

How am I going to show how much my landlord is paying for heat? Pay attention to the operation of my furnace over time and see if I can discover any trends that may minimize fuel consumption From my findings, try and determine how much more it would cost to heat my apartment 70 degrees instead of 60 .

Pay attention to the operation of my furnace over time and see if I can discover any trends that may minimize fuel consumption

From my findings, try and determine how much more it would cost to heat my apartment 70 degrees instead of 60 .

Initial Assumptions The colder it is outside The longer the furnace will stay on The more frequently the furnace will turn on The outside temperature might fluctuate making data less accurate

The colder it is outside

The longer the furnace will stay on

The more frequently the furnace will turn on

The outside temperature might fluctuate making data less accurate

How to collect the Data Using a clock, I will set the time when the furnace turns on Time how long the furnace stays on Time how long until the furnace turns on again Record: All of the above and the temperature outside, and max and min of inside temperature

Using a clock, I will set the time when the furnace turns on

Time how long the furnace stays on

Time how long until the furnace turns on again

Record: All of the above and the temperature outside, and max and min of inside temperature

Accurate Data? Computer / electronics Refrigerator Pilot light on stove / cooking Lights My own body heat The sun through the windows Other things that help heat the apartment:

Computer / electronics

Refrigerator

Pilot light on stove / cooking

Lights

My own body heat

The sun through the windows

Data Collected http:// spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pI7xEJgzMJemnkfIyVIxHUA Energy Consumption Project Date Research start time Research end time Thermostat setting min Inside temp max Inside temp Outside temp furnice turns on furnice turns off furnice time on time between intervals November 25, 2008 8:00 11:40 66 66 69 40 8:38 8:50 0:12 66 69 39 9:28 9:38 0:10 0:38 66 69 39 10:25 10:36 0:11 0:47 66 69 39 11:21 11:33 0:12 0:45 November 26, 2008 10:43 1:32 71 71 74 40 10:31 10:43 0:12 71 74 40 11:21 11:31 0:10 0:38 71 74 40 12:17 12:28 0:11 0:46 71 74 40 1:21 1:31 0:10 0:53 November 27, 2008 10:11 61 60 64 40 10:11 10:21 0:10 by 1:45 didn't turn back on 5:50 9:05 61 61 61 41 never turned on December 1, 2008 8:30 10:22 70 69 71 32 8:45 8:58 0:13 10:10 10:20 0:10 1:12 December 7, 2008 9:00 69 68 72 40 9:15 9:27 0:12 69 68 72 40 10:41 10:54 0:13 1:14 December 16,2008 8:19 60 60 62 28 8:19 8:31 0:12 60 60 62 30 9:27 9:39 0:12 0:56 60 60 62 31 10:49 11:00 0:11 1:10 60 60 62 36 12:15 12:26 0:11 1:15 December 17, 2008 7:00 70 70 74 23 9:00 9:13 0:13 9:50 10:03 0:13 0:37 10:39 10:51 0:12 0:36 11:32 11:44 0:12 0:41

Data collected (zoomed in) Outside temp furnace turns on furnace turns off furnace time on time between Furnace off/0n 40 8:38 8:50 0:12 39 9:28 9:38 0:10 0:38 39 10:25 10:36 0:11 0:47 39 11:21 11:33 0:12 0:45 40 10:31 10:43 0:12 40 11:21 11:31 0:10 0:38 40 12:17 12:28 0:11 0:46 40 1:21 1:31 0:10 0:53

Unrecorded Variables Opening the door to the apartment How long have I been “priming” the apartment before collecting data

Opening the door to the apartment

How long have I been “priming” the apartment before collecting data

Interesting note from Data: Outside temp 40 degrees, inside thermostat 60 degrees: furnace never turned on in the two 3.5 hour intervals of recording This makes me think that there is an extra 20 degrees of heat that is generated without the furnace. This could be from me, computer, cooking, refrigerator, etc.

Outside temp 40 degrees, inside thermostat 60 degrees: furnace never turned on in the two 3.5 hour intervals of recording

This makes me think that there is an extra 20 degrees of heat that is generated without the furnace.

This could be from me, computer, cooking, refrigerator, etc.

How Fuel Consumption was Calculated Note: The .6 represents the amount of fuel (in gallons) the regulator on the furnace burns per hour.

Finding fuel consumed per Hour Using the plotted points, slope was calculated using the following equation: Inside Temperature Outside Temperature Slope (gas consumed/hour) 70 degrees 20 degrees .1224 60 degrees 30 degrees .0846 68 degrees 40 degrees .0929 70 degrees 40 degrees .1156

Using the slope to find extra fuel consumed over a month (4 hours a day) Averaging the two rows for Inside Temp of 70 degrees: I’m saving 14.28 – 10.2 = 4.1 gallons keeping the temperature at 60 instead of 70 degrees, when the outside temperature is around 30 degrees. Inside Temperature Outside Temperature Slope (gas consumed/hour) Gas Consumed (one month) 70 degrees 20 degrees .1224 14.7 60 degrees 30 degrees .0846 10.2 68 degrees 40 degrees .0924 11.1 70 degrees 40 degrees .1156 13.9 70 degrees 30 degrees .1190 14.28

How much extra fuel per Winter I use considerably more gas during the 6 months of November thru April. During this time of year, the average temperature is roughly 33.6 degrees. If I round down to 30, it will be an overestimation, which my landlord will prefer. 85.68 – 61.2 = 24.5 gallons difference At the current rate, this means an extra $100 over the winter to be extra comfortable Inside Temperature Outside Temperature Gas Consumed (one month) Extra Gas over the winter 70 degrees 30 degrees 14.28 85.68 60 degrees 30 degrees 10.2 61.2

I use considerably more gas during the 6 months of November thru April.

During this time of year, the average temperature is roughly 33.6 degrees.

If I round down to 30, it will be an overestimation, which my landlord will prefer.

Since I’m at it…. How much is my landlord paying a month to heat my place for those other 20 hours. Averaging the two rows for Inside Temp of 70 degrees: Inside Temperature Outside Temperature Slope (gas consumed/hour) Gas Consumed (one month) 70 degrees 20 degrees .1224 73.4 60 degrees 30 degrees .0846 50.8 68 degrees 40 degrees .0924 55.4 70 degrees 40 degrees .1156 69.3 70 degrees 30 degrees .1190 71.4

Total Monthly Bill during the Winter ( 30 degrees ) for my Landlord I will always heat my place to 60 degrees, day and night: 50.8 gallons * ($3.75/gallon) = $190.50 With extra 4 hours: @ 60 degrees: 10.2 gallons * ($3.75/gallon) + $190.50 = $228.75 @ 70 degrees: 14.3 gallons * ($3.75/gallon) + $190.50 = $244.13 Difference: $244.13 – $228.75 = $15.38

I will always heat my place to 60 degrees, day and night:

50.8 gallons * ($3.75/gallon) = $190.50

With extra 4 hours:

@ 60 degrees: 10.2 gallons * ($3.75/gallon) + $190.50 = $228.75

@ 70 degrees: 14.3 gallons * ($3.75/gallon) + $190.50 = $244.13

Difference: $244.13 – $228.75 = $15.38

Conclusion / Final Results Am I putting my landlord out by sliding the thermostat bar a little Warmer? The results seem to be in my favor, but the data could have been collected in a more accurate manner. In the future I should take more data for better averaging results and over a greater outside temperature range.

Am I putting my landlord out by sliding the thermostat bar a little Warmer?

The results seem to be in my favor, but the data could have been collected in a more accurate manner.

In the future I should take more data for better averaging results and over a greater outside temperature range.

Problems, Questions for Further Study What will happen to gas prices? Data could be collected with different fuel nozzle sizes. Next time I should take more data and make notes during collection to account for possible contradictions later.

What will happen to gas prices?

Data could be collected with different fuel nozzle sizes.

Next time I should take more data and make notes during collection to account for possible contradictions later.

References Average yearly temp for SE Alaska: http://weather.uk.msn.com/monthly_averages.aspx?wealocations=wc:USAK0125 Warm weather picture: http://www.resortsinluxury.com/images/pictures/hammockcarribean.jpg Cold weather picture: http://www.qm-supply.com/zenstore/images/extremecoldcoat.jpg First tropical picture: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2046/1930470383_5584d21be5.jpg Bright Idea: http://www.fixthatproblem.com/lightning_20bug2.jpg All line and bar graphs plotted in Matlab

Average yearly temp for SE Alaska: http://weather.uk.msn.com/monthly_averages.aspx?wealocations=wc:USAK0125

Warm weather picture: http://www.resortsinluxury.com/images/pictures/hammockcarribean.jpg

Cold weather picture: http://www.qm-supply.com/zenstore/images/extremecoldcoat.jpg

First tropical picture: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2046/1930470383_5584d21be5.jpg

Bright Idea: http://www.fixthatproblem.com/lightning_20bug2.jpg

All line and bar graphs plotted in Matlab