Table HC6.4 Space Heating Characteristics by Number of Household Members, 2005

Total..................................................................... 111.1 30.0 34.8 18.4 15.9 12.0

Do Not Have Space Heating Equipment............ 1.2 0.3 0.3 Q 0.2 0.2

Have Main Space Heating Equipment............... 109.8 29.7 34.5 18.2 15.6 11.8

Use Main Space Heating Equipment................. 109.1 29.5 34.4 18.1 15.5 11.6

Have Equipment But Do Not Use It................... 0.8 QQQQQ

Main Heating Fuel and Equipment

Natural Gas....................................................... 58.2 15.6 18.0 9.5 8.4 6.7

Central Warm-Air Furnace............................. 44.7 10.7 14.3 7.6 6.9 5.2

For One Housing Unit................................ 42.9 10.1 13.8 7.3 6.5 5.2

For Two Housing Units............................... 1.8 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 Q

Steam or Hot Water System.......................... 8.2 3.0 2.3 1.0 1.0 0.9

For One Housing Unit................................ 5.1 1.4 1.6 0.6 0.7 0.7

For Two Housing Units............................... 3.1 1.5 0.7 0.3 0.3 Q

Floor, Wall or Pipeless Furnace..................... 2.3 0.9 0.6 0.4 Q 0.2

Room Heater................................................. 2.0 0.7 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.2

Other Equipment........................................... 0.9 0.3 0.2 0.2 Q Q

Electricity.......................................................... 33.7 9.9 10.1 5.4 4.7 3.5

Built-in Electric Units...................................... 5.0 1.9 1.7 0.7 0.4 0.4

Central Warm-Air Furnace............................. 16.0 4.8 4.0 2.8 2.5 1.9

For One Housing Unit................................ 15.2 4.4 3.8 2.6 2.4 1.9

For Two Housing Units............................... 0.9 0.4 QQQQ

Heat Pump.................................................... 9.2 2.2 3.6 1.5 1.2 0.7

Portable Electric Heater................................. 1.6 0.4 0.3 0.3 Q 0.3

Other Equipment........................................... 1.9 0.6 0.5 Q 0.3 Q

Fuel Oil............................................................. 7.7 2.0 2.5 1.6 1.0 0.7

Steam or Hot Water System.......................... 4.7 1.4 1.3 0.9 0.5 0.5

For One Housing Unit................................ 3.3 0.9 1.0 0.7 0.4 0.4

For Two Housing Units............................... 1.4 0.5 0.3 0.3 Q Q

Central Warm-Air Furnace............................. 2.8 0.6 1.0 0.6 0.4 0.2

Other Equipment........................................... 0.3 N Q Q Q N

Wood................................................................ 2.9 0.4 1.1 0.6 0.5 0.2

Heating Stove................................................ 2.0 0.3 0.8 0.4 0.3 Q

Other Equipment........................................... 0.9 Q 0.3 Q Q Q

Propane/LPG.................................................... 6.0 1.3 2.5 0.9 0.9 0.5

Central Warm-Air Furnace............................. 4.1 0.8 1.7 0.7 0.6 0.4

Room Heater................................................. 0.9 0.2 0.3 Q Q Q

Other Equipment........................................... 1.0 Q 0.5 Q Q Q

Kerosene........................................................... 0.7 0.4 QQQQ

Other Fuel......................................................... 0.6 Q 0.3 Q Q Q

Housing Units Served by

Main Heating Equipment

One Housing Unit.............................................. 101.0 26.2 32.3 16.7 14.5 11.3

Two or More Housing Units............................... 8.8 3.6 2.2 1.5 1.1 0.5

Do Not Have Heating Equipment....................... 1.2 0.3 0.3 Q 0.2 0.2

Space Heating Characteristics

 Million U.S. Housing Units

Number of Households With --

Housing 

Units 

(millions)

1

 Member

2

 Members

3

 Members

4

 Members

5 or More 

Members

Energy Information Administration

2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Preliminary Housing Characteristics Tables
Table HC6.4 Space Heating Characteristics by Number of Household Members, 2005

Space Heating Characteristics

 Million U.S. Housing Units

Number of Households With --

Housing 

Units 

(millions)

1

 Member

2

 Members

3

 Members

4

 Members

5 or More 

Members

Age of Main Heating Equipment

Used by One Housing Unit

Less than 2 Years.......................................... 11.7 2.6 3.8 2.1 1.5 1.6

2 to 4 Years................................................... 13.8 3.0 4.6 2.4 2.3 1.4

5 to 9 Years................................................... 20.6 4.2 7.1 3.5 3.3 2.5

10 to 19 Years............................................... 24.8 7.0 7.8 4.1 3.7 2.2

20 Years or More........................................... 21.5 7.0 7.0 3.0 2.4 2.1

Don’t' Know................................................... 8.6 2.3 2.1 1.5 1.3 1.4

Used by Two or More Housing Units

Less than 2 Years.......................................... 0.3 Q Q N Q N

2 to 4 Years................................................... 0.4 QQQQQ

5 to 9 Years................................................... 0.6 QQQQQ

10 to 19 Years............................................... 1.1 Q 0.4 0.3 Q Q

20 Years or More........................................... 2.7 1.2 0.6 0.3 0.3 Q

Don't Know.................................................... 3.7 1.7 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2

Proportion of Heat Provided by

Main Heating Equipment

All or Almost All................................................. 98.9 27.3 31.2 15.8 14.2 10.4

About Three-Fourths......................................... 5.8 1.4 1.8 1.2 0.8 0.6

Closer to One-Half............................................ 4.3 0.8 1.4 1.0 0.5 0.5

Do Not Use Main Heating Equipment................ 2.0 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.4

Secondary Heating Fuel and Equipment

No..................................................................... 76.2 22.6 22.4 11.6 10.8 8.8

Yes (More than One May Apply)....................... 34.9 7.5 12.4 6.8 5.1 3.2

Natural Gas................................................... 5.0 0.7 2.2 0.9 0.7 0.5

Fireplace.................................................... 2.7 0.4 1.2 0.5 0.3 0.3

Room Heater............................................. 0.5 Q 0.3 Q Q Q

Central Warm-Air Furnace......................... 1.1 Q 0.4 Q Q Q

Other Equipment........................................ 0.8 Q 0.3 Q Q Q

Electricity....................................................... 19.7 4.7 6.3 3.8 3.0 1.9

Portable Heater.......................................... 16.0 3.9 5.1 3.0 2.3 1.6

Built-in Electric Units.................................. 2.2 0.4 0.9 0.4 0.3 Q

Heat Pump................................................. 0.6 QQQQQ

Other Equipment........................................ 1.3 0.4 0.3 0.3 Q Q

Fuel Oil.......................................................... 0.4 Q 0.3 N Q Q

Wood............................................................. 8.9 1.6 3.4 1.9 1.5 0.6

Fireplace.................................................... 6.7 1.2 2.5 1.5 1.2 0.5

Heating Stove............................................ 2.2 0.4 0.9 0.5 0.3 Q

Other Equipment........................................ QQQQQN

Propane/LPG................................................. 2.3 0.4 1.0 0.4 0.4 Q

Kerosene....................................................... 0.9 Q 0.3 0.2 Q Q

Other Fuel..................................................... 0.2 Q Q Q N N

 Q = Data withheld either because the Relative Standard Error (RSE) was greater than 50 percent or fewer than 10 households were 

sampled.

 N = No cases in reporting sample.

 Notes: ● Because of rounding, data may not sum to totals. ● See Glossary for definition of terms used in these tables.

 Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Forms EIA-457 A, B, C of the 2005 

Residential Energy Consumption Survey.

Energy Information Administration

2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Preliminary Housing Characteristics Tables