Heat source cost comparison spreadsheet

[backpack09]

You all are completely missing the point of this SPREADSHEET... it is so you can plug in your numbers and see how you do.

Here in the Brockton area of mass, a csd of hardwood sold for 250 last season. This year, numbers are looking to be close to 300.

A cord of log length hardwood was 85$ last season, this year 90$ if you can find a supplier with that is not backlogged until september.

A cord of log length softwood can be had for about 40$

I payed 255 for a ton of envi blocks in february, but expect them to be closer to 280 this season.

Personally, I have been scrounging and cutting trees from out in the back forty (s.f.) and hope that I will have enough stocked away by the end of the summer for the next few years. So that cost is just the cost of fuel and tool maintenance and time. I do not consider the tools an added expense, as I would need a saw even if I wasnt processing wood, the saw burns about 1 gallon of gas a cord. The maul and axes have been handed down through the generations, and the time I spend out in the back woods is great time to spend with my son (3 months old now) All in all, I would say I spend about 10$ a cord to stack and process it myself.

 

[begreen]

Fuel cost calculators are really helpful. It was the cost calculator and ratings that first brought me to hearth.com. For those looking for it, here's a link:

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/fuel_cost_comparison_calculator/

 

[SteveT]

I don't think we have all missed the point of the spreadsheet or the post. The initial post contained the statement, "Surprisingly, oil, electricity and propane are close to the same price, if the prices I have found are accurate". Many of the subsequent posts were solely to point out that some of the listed prices were not rationale to their particular circumstance.

 

[Highbeam]

The spreadsheet (or actually a photo of a spreadsheet) is a tool that is not new to this site. The thread's main (only?) use then would be to discuss the input variables and conclusions drawn.

These calculators are great tools, and especially great when you can include duct loss and efficiency figures.

 

[bcnu]

Since I'm a University of Oregon fan I hate it when any of my Ducks lose. I see a CL posting that is about 5 miles away. 10 cords of cut not split Doug fir. $100 cord and must take it all. I have room for it. How do I tell if it's really 10 cords? The calculator is interesting but I know what the price of heating oil is right now and I'm sticking with wood.

 

[WonderingWoman]

Thanks, this is interesting.

 

[webbie]

BTW, for those hackers and programmers among us.....

Googles spreadsheets now have some sort of feature where you can embed the input part and the results into a web page - which is really cool. I don't have the time to fiddle with it, but if anyone wants to try:

Oh, they also have an email form which ties to their spreadsheet and then emails the person their results.....

Just google - embed google spreadsheets and start reading.
(broken link removed to http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2008/02/stop-sharing-spreadsheets-start.html)

 

[webbie]

Ah, another little short cut for BG and everyone else (me too!) so we don't have to look up that long URL for the fuel comparison calculator:

https://www.hearth.com/compare

or, even easier, in the browser bar - hearth.com/compare

That will redirect to the fuel cost calc.