On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:13:09 GMT, James Sweet wrote:
It's really easy to take the cost shown on the sticker and extrapolate the
actual cost in your area. Cost per year on sticker/cost per therm on sticker
= X/Your cost per therm, solve for X.

Hi James,
You're right.

I guess what I meant was I can "solve for X" without looking at the
sticker. I can call Sears, Home Depot, or Lowes and just ask for FHR & ER
and, from that (and my known cost/therm), I can compare two heaters side by
side:

CHOICE A:
Sears 33154 (marketed as Kenmore but made by AO Smith) FHR=97 EF=0.63
(41,045 btu/0.63)($1.21106/therm * 1 therm/100,000 btu) x 365 = $288/year

CHOICE B:
Home Depot 183-717 (marketed as GE but made by Rheem) FHR=80 EF=0.58
(41,045 btu/0.58)($1.21106/therm * 1 therm/100,000 btu) x 365 = $313/year

But, you are right. If I were in the store, I could basically double the
annual operating costs shown and I'd be in the ballpark.

Thanks! We learned a lot in this thread, didn't we!

Donna