How much does it cost to run pipe heat tape?
pipe heat tape drawing 180 watts, used 12 hours a day, uses about 2.16 kWh per day and costs about $0.42 per day, $12.76 per month, and $153.03 per year at the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh. Enter your own wattage, hours, and state below for an exact figure.
Estimates only — based on typical wattages and average state rates, not your actual bill.
What drives the cost
Heat tape (heat cable) draws roughly 5-9 watts per foot, so cost scales directly with how much you install. Self-regulating cable reduces output as pipes warm and is markedly cheaper to run than constant-wattage cable left plugged in all winter. Many households leave it energized for months when it is only needed during freezes.
Cost at different daily usage
Same pipe heat tape at 180 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.4¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 h/day | 1.08 kWh | $0.21 | $6.38 | $76.51 |
| 12 h/day | 2.16 kWh | $0.42 | $12.76 | $153.03 |
| 18 h/day | 3.24 kWh | $0.63 | $19.14 | $229.54 |
| 24 h/day | 4.32 kWh | $0.84 | $25.52 | $306.06 |
Cost by model power draw
Not all models are equal. At 12 h/day, here is what the range costs.
| Model | Power | kWh/day | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-draw model | 60 W | 0.72 kWh | $0.14 | $4.25 |
| Typical | 180 W | 2.16 kWh | $0.42 | $12.76 |
| High-draw model | 500 W | 6.00 kWh | $1.16 | $35.45 |
Cost by state
pipe heat tape at 180 W for 12 h/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.8¢ | $0.36 | $11.03 | $132.21 |
| Alaska | 28.2¢ | $0.61 | $18.56 | $222.57 |
| Arizona | 15.2¢ | $0.33 | $10.01 | $120.07 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢ | $0.31 | $9.44 | $113.21 |
| California | 33.2¢ | $0.72 | $21.86 | $262.14 |
| Colorado | 16.2¢ | $0.35 | $10.63 | $127.41 |
| Connecticut | 27.4¢ | $0.59 | $18.00 | $215.79 |
| Delaware | 19.4¢ | $0.42 | $12.74 | $152.79 |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢ | $0.55 | $16.70 | $200.25 |
| Florida | 15.2¢ | $0.33 | $9.97 | $119.60 |
| Georgia | 15.8¢ | $0.34 | $10.41 | $124.88 |
| Hawaii | 52.0¢ | $1.12 | $34.19 | $409.97 |
| Idaho | 12.3¢ | $0.27 | $8.12 | $97.37 |
| Illinois | 23.9¢ | $0.52 | $15.68 | $188.03 |
| Indiana | 18.1¢ | $0.39 | $11.93 | $143.09 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $0.31 | $9.30 | $111.48 |
| Kansas | 15.1¢ | $0.33 | $9.95 | $119.28 |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢ | $0.32 | $9.85 | $118.10 |
| Louisiana | 14.2¢ | $0.31 | $9.30 | $111.56 |
| Maine | 28.6¢ | $0.62 | $18.82 | $225.72 |
| Maryland | 21.8¢ | $0.47 | $14.31 | $171.63 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8¢ | $0.62 | $18.95 | $227.22 |
| Michigan | 22.0¢ | $0.48 | $14.47 | $173.53 |
| Minnesota | 16.9¢ | $0.37 | $11.14 | $133.63 |
| Mississippi | 16.2¢ | $0.35 | $10.63 | $127.41 |
| Missouri | 13.7¢ | $0.30 | $8.99 | $107.85 |
| Montana | 14.7¢ | $0.32 | $9.65 | $115.66 |
| Nebraska | 13.6¢ | $0.29 | $8.94 | $107.14 |
| Nevada | 13.6¢ | $0.29 | $8.94 | $107.22 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3¢ | $0.59 | $17.97 | $215.47 |
| New Jersey | 23.3¢ | $0.50 | $15.30 | $183.46 |
| New Mexico | 14.1¢ | $0.30 | $9.28 | $111.32 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $0.65 | $19.68 | $235.97 |
| North Carolina | 15.1¢ | $0.33 | $9.92 | $118.97 |
| North Dakota | 13.6¢ | $0.29 | $8.95 | $107.30 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $0.42 | $12.83 | $153.90 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4¢ | $0.29 | $8.80 | $105.49 |
| Oregon | 16.3¢ | $0.35 | $10.70 | $128.27 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6¢ | $0.47 | $14.17 | $169.90 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5¢ | $0.64 | $19.37 | $232.26 |
| South Carolina | 16.2¢ | $0.35 | $10.64 | $127.56 |
| South Dakota | 15.7¢ | $0.34 | $10.34 | $124.02 |
| Tennessee | 14.5¢ | $0.31 | $9.51 | $114.08 |
| Texas | 16.4¢ | $0.36 | $10.81 | $129.61 |
| Utah | 13.0¢ | $0.28 | $8.52 | $102.18 |
| Vermont | 24.9¢ | $0.54 | $16.37 | $196.23 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $0.38 | $11.58 | $138.84 |
| Washington | 14.9¢ | $0.32 | $9.83 | $117.87 |
| West Virginia | 16.8¢ | $0.36 | $11.05 | $132.45 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7¢ | $0.43 | $12.98 | $155.63 |
| Wyoming | 14.8¢ | $0.32 | $9.73 | $116.68 |
How to cut the cost
- Use a thermostat or freeze-triggered plug so it energizes only below about 38°F rather than all winter.
- Choose self-regulating cable, which throttles its own output as the pipe warms.
- Insulate the pipe over the cable — insulation does the job for free once the cable has warmed things.
- Unplug in spring; forgotten heat tape running through summer is a common invisible cost.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.4¢/kWh.
Questions
Should heat tape be left on all winter?
Only when freezing is actually possible. A thermostatic or freeze-sensing plug cuts run time dramatically compared with leaving it energized from November to March.
How do you calculate what pipe heat tape costs to run?
Multiply its wattage by the hours it runs per day, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours, then multiply by your electricity rate. For pipe heat tape: 180 W × 12 h ÷ 1,000 = 2.16 kWh per day, which at 19.4¢/kWh is $0.42 per day.
How many watts does pipe heat tape use?
Typically 180 watts, with most models falling between 60 and 500 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.