Instructions
Water heating savings calculator
This calculator can help you understand the cost differences between heating water with fossil fuel or with electricity on one of Otter Tail Power Company's low controlled service rates.
To use this calculator you will need to know:
- what type of fuel you currently use to heat your water or, what type of fuel you wish to compare with electricity.
- the cost of that fuel.
Fuel type: Select the fossil fuel type your current water heater uses or the type of fuel you wish to compare to electricity.
Fuel cost: Enter the price you pay or would expect to pay per gallon of propane or fuel oil, or per MCF of natural gas.
Do you have electric space heating? Indicate whether your home's primary heating system is electric. Otter Tail Power Company's dual fuel electric heating rate will be applied to calculate your water heating costs and savings as compared with fossil fuel.
If you do not have electric space heating our controlled service water heating rate will be applied to this calculation.
How many people are in your household? The energy requirements vary according to how much hot water is needed. The larger the number of people in the household the higher the energy use will be.
Is your hot water use high, medium, or low? Teenagers, babies, many showers or baths, place a high demand on hot water supplies and thereby affect the energy requirements to supply hot water. Consider the number of loads of laundry, the number and length of baths or showers, and the number of loads of dishes done each week and estimate your hot water use as high, medium, or low.
State: Select the state where your home is located. This information is required to select the proper electric rate table.
