Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - Furnace sizing issue?

Please help!

Just purchased a new home in August. January gas bill was $400.00 (live in NW Chicago). The gas usage was 385.05 Therms. We keep the thermostat at roughly 72 when people are home and it drops down to 65 from 10PM to about 6AM.

A neighbor in the same subdivision who has same model has same bill.

The home is 2586 square feet. The furnance is 110,000 BTUH and rated at 80% efficiency. The venting system is, I believe, "central return" where there is one large 22x22 inch metal return vent on the main floor.

Question: Is the furnance the right size? Is this normal or not? Does anyone have any suggestions?

Your reply is greatly appreciated,
Mike

Without a lot more information, there is no way anyone can tell you if the furnace is sized properly or not. The amount of time & space it would take to collect that data makes it impractical to do online.

I dont know what the mean temp is up there where you are. In Mo. we say 72o at -5o that means at -5o out side we will hold the house temp at 72o. So does the furnace hold the house when its cold outside??? If so its ok. Now fuel cost You say set back ok. Filter clean every 30 to90 days??. What do you have in the attic for insulation should have a R 38 or better. What about the walls do you know what is in them for insulation? All windows and door are they caulked in good?? Do you have a good humidifier on the furnace. That will save you $$$ if you get the humidity up you will push the tstat down and feel warmer.Look around at all this and come back in the same post here. To see if we can help more.

ED ;)

As far as mean temp, the bill says the average daily temprature for January was 24 degrees F. and the Average Therms used at 12.03.

I change the filter regularly, every 2-3 months. I bought ones that look like a paper fan from Home Depot.

Insulation - I've been in the attic and the insulation is blown in and is higher than the rafters. Looks pretty good - a lot more than my previous home that was 'warmer' so I kind of doubt that the insulation is the problem.

I'm told insulation is in the walls. They are cool to the touch but not cold, even when it's freezing out. Windows are fine. I've checked them too.

I even have a humidifier.

I do have a two story living room with a fireplace.

If you want to check the size here is a great tool. I'm not sure how good the free demo is but I've heard you can use it one time but the homeowner version is the best out. www.hvaccomputer.com and I think there is one here also www.warmair.net if not there is tons of great info.

I do have a two story living room with a fireplace.

Now do you burn it a lot???? Does it have it own make up air right to it?????? Is the damper good in it and closed??
I find a lot where they had to big of fire in them and the damper is warped so it dont close all the way check it for sure. Have had many where they burnt the firplace cause of fuel cost . Then next year didnt and the fuel cost was less with out the firplace going.

ED :thinker:

I don't burn the fire a lot - I'd say an average of once every two weeks or so. The damper is new and it closes but I don't leave it closed.

I do have a two story living room with a fireplace.

While not necessarily a solution to your problem, in my experience a significant amount of cold air enters through the fireplace even though you might have the damper completely shut (I've seen this with 2 other fireplaces so I assume it's pretty common). You might not be able to feel the draft but if you hold an incence stick in front you can see the air movement or if you mostly block the face of the fireplace leaving a smaller opening, you can feel the draft especially if it's windy outside.

What I did was cut some 3/4" angle aluminum to fit along the perimeter of the fireplace. Sandwiched some foam weather stripping between the aluminum and the fireplace bricks and anchored it in place. Had a piece of 1/4" plexiglass cut to fit the opening so that it fits up against the aluminum. Then I ran some more weather stripping around the aluminum and then screwed the plexiglass in place.

The fireplace is now air tight. I can remove this stuff if I want to start a fire but I'm usually more inclined to leave it in place and do without having a fire.

Might not help your bills much but if it saves only 2% per month, it'll pay for itself in a season.

The damper is new and it closes but I don't leave it closed.

If this is true the flue sucks all the hot air you paid to heat. Right up and out of the home. This is why I like to use glass doors and get them closed as tight as you can. Thats like at night you go to bed with a fire in the fireplace. The fire goes down No more heat but the flue keeps on sucking heat out of the home.

ED :wall: