Although the study with these figures is nearly 10 years old, the proportions are unlikely to have changed significantly; State Energy Commission spokesman Percy Della told the Sonora based Union Democrat. For those attempting to choose the cheapest method of keeping the home warm and cozy, be prepared for a complex undertaking. Factors include the current price of each fuel, the quality of the fuel, the efficiency of your heating equipment, the cost of installing new equipment if necessary, and the cost of labor to set it up and keep it running.  

Using an equation provided by the Calaveras County University of California Cooperative Extension office, the most effective choice is one few use exclusively in the county: wood. A $25 U.S. Forest Service permit allows carriers to harvest two-and-a-half cords of wood, which comes out to less than five cents per 100,000 BTUs — a unit used to compare the cost of energy typically in dissimilar units, like gallons vs. cubic feet.  A lot of that savings is spent in harvesting, splitting and stacking, but a precut cord of wood at $225 still figures to only $1.07 per 100,000 BTU. Both equations assume an average fuel value for the wood, while pine yields far less and oak yields a little more. By contrast, electric heating costs $3.52 per 100,000 BTUs at today's median price and propane costs about $2.52 per 100,000 BTU at today's average price.The Union Democrat contributed this story