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Gas configuration Question
QUESTION:I have a gas/water heater/boiler configuration question. The history
first.
I bought a 3 floor townhouse in Brooklyn NY that was configured as a
lower duplex and a top floor rental. It was configured with 2 gas
meters one for the duplex and one for the rental. I reconfigured the
house so that the rental is on the first floor and the duplex is now 2nd
and 3rd floors (I pay the gas for the rental).
There are 4 adults living in the house (no children), 2 in the rental
and 2 in the duplex.
There are two hot water heaters (one on each gas meter). #1 is for a
washer, 3 bathrooms, 2 dishwashers and 2 kitchen sinks. #2 is only for
1 bathroom (where the 2 people from the duplex shower).
There are also two boilers (both gas). #1 is a hot water boiler heating
the basement, first and second floors (each floor on a separate zone).
#2 is a steam boiler only for the top floor. The top floor boiler is
barely used (~ 2 hours before going to bed in the winter), as when I
converted to an upper duplex all the doors on the top floor are now open
and the heat from the second floor rises and keeps the top floor rather
warm.
The current gas bills are: for meter #1 ~$65.00, and for meter #2
~$45.00. This is for a two month period (no heat) and includes a
minimum charge of ~$25.00 per meter.
I believe that the thermostat on water heater #2 (bathroom only heater)
is broken as a bill for $45 is for 2 people showering, yet $65 is for
everything else.
The first thing that I thought to do, was to just replace the thermostat
-- cost: of thermostat $65.00 - cost of thermostat installed $350.00
Then I thought to get rid of hot water heater #2 and run the whole house
off #1 (it is large enough) - cost $550.00
Either of these options should lower the $45.00 bill by about $10.00 per
month (remember that the billing is every two months and that there is a
minimum charge of $25)
The other option is to remove water heater #2 (run the whole lhouse off
#1) AND run the steam boiler off the same meter. With this option I
could eliminate the second gas meter entirely. I have not gotten a
price from a plumber for moving the gas for the boiler, but the gas
company will remove the second meter for no charge.
ANSWER: Leave it the way it is. There is probably nothing wrong. Showers can use
up a lot of hot water. If you and the tenants don't use the dishwasher and
washer that often (two adults each, probably a correct assumption), the
showers could be using the bulk of the hot water which is the only thing the
gas is used for in the summer (you make no mention of a gas stove or a gas
dryer). You could try turning down the thermostat on the "offending"
heater.
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