Paul M. Eldridge wrote:

With specific regards to Oregon, the average retail cost of natural
gas per therm/CCF...

2006 $1.453 [/0.9x3.41KBtu/kWh/100KBtu = $0.0551/kWh of heat]

Source: http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/ng/hist/n3010or3A.htm

The average residential cost of electricity per kWh...

2006 $0.0748 [3.41/8.5 = 0.0300/kWh of heat]

Source: Table 8,
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electri...es/oregon.html

Assuming an AFUE of 90 per cent and a HSPF of 8.5, the average cost
per kWh(e) of natural gas and electric heat in each of these years is
as follows (the third column represents the cost premium of natural
gas heat versus the aforementioned heat pump):

2006 $0.0551 $0.0299 1.8 X

Then again, we could run a $200 unvented gas heater with a 100% AFUE and
11% latent heat and run an $80 window AC with an HSPF = EER = 10 indoors
when the house RH exceeds 50% to convert that to sensible heat...

Or forget the gas heater and run a few ACs with a heating thermostat when
the house drops below 70 F and use a humidistat and a solenoid valve and
a soaker hose to wet a basement floor when the house RH drops below 50%.

Nick