Before the summer fades, I need to get some heat figured out for my shop.
First, I want to make sure that natural gas is really much cheaper than
electric before I commit. My gut feeling is that natural gas IS much
cheaper than electric heat here in Saint Paul. Both gas and electricity are
supplied by the regulated utility NSP. I have a recent bill here which
gives the rates as:
$.0635 per kwh for electricity. I presume this to mean 6.35 cents per
Kilowatt*hour.
$.47727 per therm for gas. What the heck is a "therm"?
It looks like a therm is some sort of heat-content measurement. A therm
seems pretty close to a CCF (hundreds of cubic feet), but there is a
variable conversion factor which seems to hover around 1.025 or so. For
instance, one month I used 63 CCF and they called it 65 therms.
Anyway, can one of you folks who is hip to heat compare the cost of electric
to gas in my market with this data?
Second question:
Assuming I go with natural gas, I will need to run a gas line from the house
to the garage. The buildings are 12.5 feet apart. There is a full
concrete-block basement under the house. The garage is built on a slab.
The garage builder has provided me with a hole in the slab under the singe
course of concrete block and a matching hole in the treated-lumber sill
plate which sits atop the concrete block.
I assume I must dig a trench, punch a hole through the basement wall, and
run a line underground to the slab, and thence up into the insulated wall.
The line would leave the wall to go to a direct-vent (both combustion air
and exhaust go through the wall to the outside) heater hanging from the
ceiling. I understand that the powers-that-be don't want a floor-level gas
heater in a garage.
What material should I use for the gas line? I don't want it to rot or rust
or break, obviously.
Black pipe? I don't have a threader, and I am concerned also that this will
rust underground.
Galvanized pipe? I am told this is a no-no for some dangerous
chemical-reaction reason.
Plastic? Special kind for gas, I suppose.
Copper? Can you use copper and sweat-solder the fittings?
Phil Ethier Saint Paul Minnesota USA
Lotus Europa, VW Quantum Syncro, Chev Suburban
LOON, TCVWC, MAC
pethier@isd.net http://www.visi.com/mac/
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