High heat bills

[flcruising]

The common suggestion here is to take off your vent covers and shine some light into them while looking down the trunkline with a mirror from another vent. I don't have floor vents, but that seems like the easiest method to help diagnose your issue.

Even if you can't afford to replace the ducts right now, saving $200 per month by not having this problem will help you save enough to properly fix or replace once the heating season is over. I would see if you can get the friend who stuck the boards in there to help you open up the belly all the way down the length of your home and seal up every seam of the trunks. Foil tape (even duct tape for now) and mastic would go a long way here.

How is the heat output once the unit turns on from the vents closest to the unit? If you shut off the vents in the rooms furthest away from it, do you get more forceful airflow from the closest vents? This method would also help you diagnose leaky ducts.

[jpingram5]

I wouldn't rule out the duct work but there is probably other things feeding to it. Perhaps incorrectly sized unit. Just because your keeping thermostat low does not mean you will likely have lower heating bills. When your heat runs does it do a lot of turning on and off, on and off frequently. It could be short cycling which would certainly cause it to eat up more propane.

I mean the list could go on on, incorrect t-stat location and etc...

But anyways I'm sure theres other things that add to your high bill. I live in north eastern PA, closer toward Allentown to be specific. Send me a message where you live and if your not too far out of my reach I can surely help out for sure. I have plenty off misc duct board sizes laying around in my storage that could be used for a new duct system.

[USAbassist]

Firstly, I need to apologize, because even though I've been checking back here from time-to-time, apparently, I stupidly didn't realize there was a second page to this thread, and didn't see the last two entries until just now.

Regarding the guy who initially checked my ducts (I think in late 2006 or early 2007) -- I asked him a few times after that to look at something for me, and he doesn't respond. I'm guessing he's seen enough of the underside of my trailer, and I don't blame him.

Regarding shutting various vents, unfortunately, most of them are rusted in the opened position. I do know that the furthest toward the front of the house has the weakest flow, though. Formerly, (prior to the new furnace installation the end of February), the room adjacent to the furnace used to get really warm. However, since the new furnace was installed, now they're as cold as the rest of the house, which makes no sense to me. And I'm sure the right size furnace was put in by the county. While I have little confidence in government workers, I don't think they'd be that incompetent to put in the wrong-sized unit. At least, I hope not.

It doesn't seem to turn off and on frequently, although I don't know what you mean by "frequently". In the coldest temperatures it would run for 4 minutes, then be off for 15 minutes, and so on.

The thermostat is in the hallway (in the middle of the trailer), on the interior wall.

If I can get someone to shore-up the rotten bathroom/middle room floor and replace the missing insulation there, that might go a long way, too. But none of the people I trust to do the work are willing to do it. No one, absolutely no one, wants to go under my trailer. And I can't blame them.

[1987Commodore]

I still think you have to be losing heat through the duct work somewhere. Before my furnace was upgraded, the room adjacent would be unbearably hot with the door closed. Now it is the same temp as the rest of the home. The farthest room does get the least airflow through the vent, but it is sufficient to heat it. If your floor vents are rusted, you could temporarily place a heavy book over them for testing purposes. New vents are available at most hardware stores/home centers, though my vents were changed at the same time as the furnace.

[USAbassist]

I agree. Wish I knew someone with one of those cable cameras (like chimney sweeps and plumbers use) to properly inspect it.

Saddest part of this whole thing is that the weatherization people from the county *should* replace/fix my vents for nothing. Last time they were here, though (5 years ago) they didn't even look under the trailer. It would be like getting blood out of a stone.

[1987Commodore]

Just use a regular digital camera. If you don't have one, see if a neighbor will loan you one. The pics can then be loaded on to your computer, so you don't need to buy a camera. You can then upload the pics to some place like photobucket, and post the links here.
Remove the vent grille from the floor in at least 2-3 rooms, and shoot pictures facing each direction from each vent. You should be able to set the camera in the duct and take the picture easily enough. Post the pictures here, and maybe someone can be of help. It will either confirm or shoot down at least one theory.
If your furnace is burning $4-500 in propane a month, it is producing more than enough heat to keep you warm. We need to find out where that heat is really going. Of course, we are assuming the propane is being burned, and not leaking out of a line somewhere.
See if you can take some pictures of the belly, too. If you can't get under there, pay a neighbor kid a couple bucks to duck under and take a few shots.

I think we need pictures to be of any more help than what has already been suggested. Maybe a couple general pics of the home, to show walls, windows, etc.

We were initially told our people wouldn't be under the trailer also -- but they did go under, probably because they had to access the intake for the gas water heater, and while they were there, they fixed the insulation problems there and sealed the belly wrap.

[1987Commodore]

So your furnace is running only 4 minutes on/15 minutes off? That is only on 16 minutes of each hour, which doesn't seem like much. Mine runs for 7-10 minutes at a time, then is off for 10-20 in cold weather. How much propane do your neighbors use in comparison? I know propane is more costly than natural gas, which is what I use.

[USAbassist]

So your furnace is running only 4 minutes on/15 minutes off? That is only on 16 minutes of each hour, which doesn't seem like much. Mine runs for 7-10 minutes at a time, then is off for 10-20 in cold weather. How much propane do your neighbors use in comparison? I know propane is more costly than natural gas, which is what I use.

Don't forget. I only have my thermostat set at 57 to 59 degrees.

And that $440 was for January. It's not like that every month. But still, $440 to maintain 57 to 59 degrees over such a small area is the problem. It averages about $1500 to $1600 a year (I don't know how high propane is now, as I haven't had a delivery since Mar. 1st. It's probably higher).

[USAbassist]

Remove the vent grille from the floor in at least 2-3 rooms, and shoot pictures facing each direction from each vent. You should be able to set the camera in the duct and take the picture easily enough. Post the pictures here, and maybe someone can be of help. It will either confirm or shoot down at least one theory.

I no longer have a camera, but knowing those who do, I can't imagine one being able to properly focus it with the camera sitting down on the bottom of the vent. Also, the base of my vents is horrid, and I wouldn't set someone's camera on the surface of it.

If it worked, I already know how to put them in the computer, etc. But with the cameras I've used, I don't think they'd take a focused photo which would show much of anything.

[1987Commodore]

Well, you have received advice from several people, some homeowners and some professional service people, and you have dismissed all of it. If you will not actually TRY something, I guess it is time to abandon this thread and move on.
Good Luck.

[USAbassist]

Well, you have received advice from several people, some homeowners and some professional service people, and you have dismissed all of it. If you will not actually TRY something, I guess it is time to abandon this thread and move on.
Good Luck.

Well, I have actually been looking into getting someone to come out and check it.

Regarding the camera advice, while it may work, as I said, I don't have a camera, and I don't want to borrow someone else's camera and place it in my filthy vent. And from having used their camera once before, I already know it's hard to focus when someone is actually looking through it, much less sticking it down into a vent without being able to see what one is taking and expecting it to focus on what I need. If it does focus at all, it will more than likely be a very narrow depth of field, and not show the entire distance between each vent.