"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in
m:


"JustCallMe Norman" wrote in message
news:3397-41D880AC-

ME: Whether you want heat or not, the pilot flame cost SOMETHING
additional to keep it lit ; Whenever you have natural gas being used
(a flame)...it is allowing the gas meter to turn.

-Why would it add cost.?

Because some percentage of that heat is being wasted. The pilot light by
itself may not have as good an efficiency as when the furnace is turned on.

[snip]
Heat is heat no matter the source. Light bulbs, the TV, computer
monitor all add heat to a room and in the winter it is supplementing
the central heating system. Go ahead, toast that bagel and warm the
house a bit! Its physics. We can't change it.

However, the amount you pay for that heat differs dramatically. Electrical
energy is more expensive than that obtained by natural gas.