The Average Gas Stove Usage

Ovens

• Gas stoves that are used for cooking tend to use less energy than a fireplace, because hey only need to heat a small space. For extra-large and double ovens, however, natural gas use quickly increases. A roasting oven, for example, uses about 400 cubic feet of gas per hour. However, BTUs -- or British thermal units -- per hour are a more common expression of the heat produced, and a roasting oven produces an average of 30,000 BTUs in the same amount of time.

Fireplaces

• A typical gas log fireplace produces around 80,000 BTUs per hour of operation. In mild climates, a fireplace may be used for only an hour or two a day in winter. In cold climates without other sources of heat, the fireplace may be used for several hours per day, greatly increasing the amount of gas used. A furnace, by comparison, expels 120,000 BTUs per hour. Natural gas produces a little over 1,000 BTUs per cubic foot.

Costs

• The average cost of natural gas use for a gas stove can be difficult to determine. Natural gas prices are often based on the current market and the location of the stove (some areas have higher prices than others). In general, natural gas stoves cost between 7 and 21 cents per hour to run.

Liquid Propane Usage

• Propane or liquid propane (LP) gas is a more efficient fuel than natural gas, so it will take less of the fuel to produce the same amount of heat if you have an LP stove. However, LP tends to cost more than natural gas, raising costs for the heat produced. A stove with LP will consume about half as much propane as it would need in natural gas.