the high cost of heating your house - the seattle times€¦ · the high cost of heating your house...
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G R A P H I C S B Y M I C H E L E L E E M C M U L L E N / T H E S E AT T L E T I M E SResearch and reporting by Seattle Times staff researcher Gene Balk and reporter Emily Heffter
Who qualifies for help:energy assistance in Washington
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded grant that helps low-income households pay for heating. The state distributes assistance to about 72,000 households a year through LIHEAP funds. That's about 24 percent of the eligible population. The average household benefit last winter was $350.
For more information: http://www.liheapwa.org/e-mail [email protected] or call 360-725-2866
ELECTRICITY
The high cost of heating your houseGo put on a sweater. Turning up the thermostat means turning up the
heating bill -- and it is getting more expensive to heat your home every year.
Costs for the heating fuels used by more than 95 percent of the
Seattle metro area -- electricity, oil and natural
gas -- are rising while
consumption is staying
about the same. The
average home that heats
with gas or oil has seen its
costs more than double
since 1990. The cost of
electrically heating a
home has gone up about
50 percent since 1990,
according to the U.S.
Energy Information
Administration.
Home-heating prices are going up no matter how you heat your home. And they're not projected to go back down.The Northwest is seeing smaller increases than parts of the country where hurricanes affected refineries. But limited production and increased demand for fuel worldwide has pushed fuel prices higher. Higher natural-gas and oil prices drive up demand for electricity, raising the cost of that, too, according to the Energy Information Administration.
NATURAL GAS
The efficiencyfactor
Your home-heating costs depend on many
factors, including how big and drafty your
home is, how efficient your heater is, and
how often you use it.
Paying the bills: then and now
Most of Washington's fuel oil comes from Alaska as crude oil and is processed here. Washington has five refineries that can process fuel oil.
Where it comes from
Alaska75% Foreign
sources*25%
* Canada, Argentina, Saudi Arabiaand others
Washington's crude oilsources in 2003
How much more we will pay this winterAverage consumer prices by region for the three most popular heating fuels
Consumption percent change Average price percent change
OIL
+1.1%
+29.1%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
+2.7%
+28%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
-2.3%
+28.3%
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
+3.9%
+30.6%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
What we paid in the past 15 yearsWashington residential prices
OILIn dollars per gallon, excluding taxes
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
$2.5
'05'04'03'02'01'00'99'98'97'96'95'94'93'92'91'90
1990 average$1.03/gallon
July 2005$2.25/gallon
NATURAL GASIn dollars per thousand cubic feet
3
6
9
12
$15
'05'04'03'02'01'00'99'98'97'96'95'94'93'92'91'90
Jan. 1990$4.91
July 2005$13.30
Nearly half of us use it for heat
34.2%79.1%
Ownedhomes
Rentedhomes
An occupied home is a house, an apartment, a mobile home or trailer, a group of rooms or a single room occupied as separate living quarters. Total housing number: 991,900
An occupied home is a house, an apartment, a mobile home or trailer, a group of rooms or a single room occupied as separate living quarters. Total housing number: 991,900
An occupied housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home or trailer, a group of rooms or a single room occupied as separate living quarters. Total housing number: 991,900
6.5% 2.2%
Oil: 5.1%
All other fuels94.9%
All other fuels94.9%
A small percentage still use it
52.8%16.4%
Natural gas: 40.7%
All other fuels59.3%
All other fuels59.3%
More new homes use it
Source: American Housing Survey, 2004; U.S. Energy Information Administration; AGA Gas Utilities Statistics System; Puget Sound Energy; Western States Petroleum Association; Seattle City Light; Washington Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, Western Electricity Coordinating Council
OIL
The top three fuels we use to heat our homes
ELECTRICITYAverage, in cents per kilowatt hour
0.50.60.70.80.9
0.10¢
'05'04'03'02'01'00'99'98'97'96'95'94'93'92'91'90
20059.7¢/KwH
19907.2¢/KwH
Electricity Oil Natural gas
01020304050607080
Snohomish CountyKing CountySeattle
What we paid last yearWashington median monthly costs as of 2004
$46
$69
$47$57 $56
$70$61
$56$72
ELECTRICITY
+2% +0.7%0
10
20
30
40
50
60
+2.6% +5.3%0
10
20
30
40
50
60
-1.4%
+2.4%-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
+0.6% +3.3%0
10
20
30
40
50
60
NATURAL GAS
+1.2%
+39%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
+5.2%
+37.2%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
+45.8%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
-2%
+29.4%
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
+2.5%
Natural gas is the most common fuel in new houses, while most apartments and rentals use electric heat. Oil heat is used mostly in older homes, so that kind of heat is concentrated in historically residential parts of the area.
Seattle
Woodinville
Issaquah
Federal Way
Everett
VashonIsland
BainbridgeIsland
Where it's used the mostPercentageby Zip code
0% - 36%
37% -53%
54% -68%
69% -100%
0% - 5%
6% -10%
11% -20%
21% -30%
Where it's used the mostPercentageby Zip code
Seattle
Woodinville
Issaquah
Federal Way
Everett
VashonIsland
BainbridgeIsland
Where it comes fromThere are four natural-gas utilities, seven refineries and no gas reserves in Washington. Natural gas travels here through 21,000 miles of gas pipelines and mains.
Depending on the year, anywhere from 60 to 70 percent of our natural gas comes from Canada. The rest comes from Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado andNew Mexico.
0% - 14%
15% -35%
36% -55%
56% -79%
Where it's used the mostPercentageby Zip code
SeattleSeattle
Woodinville
Issaquah
Federal Way
Everett
VashonIsland
BainbridgeIsland
Where it comes fromSeattle's city-owned hydro-electric plants use rain and snow for fuel. When there is a lot of precipitation, the plants can provide almost all of Seattle's power. In dry years, however, the city has to make up the difference by buying power from outside the region.
Puget Sound Energy has 1.3 million electricity customers in Western Washington and buys about two-thirds of its electricity. The company generates the rest at company-owned plants, including dams near Snoqualmie Falls and on the Baker River near Concrete in Skagit County.
Electricity generationby major fuel type,
Western states, 2001
Coal36.1% Natural
gas27.1%
Hydro 21.2%
Nuclear10.9%
Other4.7%
Other fuels we usePercentage of occupied housing in the Seattle metro area using the following as primary heat:
Wood 2.4Propane 2.0Other or none 0.5
Total housing 991,900
%%%
Percentage of occupied housing in the Seattle metro area using electricity as primary heat, for 2004
Total homesOwnedhomes
Rentedhomes
Total homesOwnedhomes
Rentedhomes
Total homes
Electricity: 49.2%
All other fuels50.8%
Percentage of occupied housing in the Seattle metro area using oil as primary heat, for 2004
Percentage of occupied housing in the Seattle metro area using natural gas as primary heat, for 2004
No area has more than 30 percent of homes using oil for their primary heat source.
No area has more than 79 percent of homes using natural gas for their primary heat source.
All other fuels50.8%