What heat tape costs to run, per foot and in every state
Last updated · Prices: U.S. EIA, August 2026
How these numbers are madeReport an error
A 12 ft pipe heating cable rated 7 watts per foot costs up to $10.98 a month at the U.S. average electricity price if its thermostat keeps it on around the clock, or $0.92 per foot. A built-in thermostat switches it off in milder weather, so most months cost less. Ratings are from each maker's product page; prices are the residential averages the U.S. Energy Information Administration published for August 2026.
Quick answers at the U.S. average of 18.16¢ per kWh, on 24 hours a day for 30 days
| Cable | Per foot / month | 12 ft / day | 12 ft / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 W/ft (Frost King HC automatic heat cable kit) | $0.92 | $0.37 | $10.98 |
| 2 W/ft (Wrap-On pipe heating cable) | $0.26 | $0.10 | $3.14 |
| 3 W/ft (Wrap-On Pipe-Guard self-regulating cable) | $0.39 | $0.16 | $4.71 |
Ceilings: the thermostat cable only draws power while its thermostat is on, and the self-regulating cable is costed at its rated output.
By kit length
Frost King's HC kits at 7 W/ft, on 24 hours a day, at the U.S. average price.
- 3 ft$2.75 / month
- 6 ft$5.49 / month
- 9 ft$8.24 / month
- 12 ft$10.98 / month
- 18 ft$16.47 / month
- 24 ft$21.97 / month
- 30 ft$27.46 / month
Cost in every state
A 12 ft run on 24 hours a day for 30 days, most expensive first.
| State | Price/kWh | 7 W/ft | 2 W/ft | 3 W/ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HawaiiHawaii electricity bill & rates | 47.18¢ | $28.53 | $8.15 | $12.23 |
| MaineMaine electricity bill & rates | 32.11¢ | $19.42 | $5.55 | $8.32 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48¢ | $18.43 | $5.27 | $7.90 |
| CaliforniaCalifornia electricity bill & rates | 29.75¢ | $17.99 | $5.14 | $7.71 |
| Alaska | 29.41¢ | $17.79 | $5.08 | $7.62 |
| New York | 28.65¢ | $17.33 | $4.95 | $7.43 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18¢ | $17.04 | $4.87 | $7.30 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64¢ | $16.72 | $4.78 | $7.16 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98¢ | $15.71 | $4.49 | $6.73 |
| New Jersey | 24.61¢ | $14.88 | $4.25 | $6.38 |
| Connecticut | 24.51¢ | $14.82 | $4.24 | $6.35 |
| Vermont | 23.84¢ | $14.42 | $4.12 | $6.18 |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $13.90 | $3.97 | $5.96 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77¢ | $13.17 | $3.76 | $5.64 |
| Maryland | 21.40¢ | $12.94 | $3.70 | $5.55 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41¢ | $11.74 | $3.35 | $5.03 |
| OhioOhio electricity bill & rates | 19.38¢ | $11.72 | $3.35 | $5.02 |
| Illinois | 19.32¢ | $11.68 | $3.34 | $5.01 |
| Delaware | 18.70¢ | $11.31 | $3.23 | $4.85 |
| Virginia | 17.64¢ | $10.67 | $3.05 | $4.57 |
| Minnesota | 17.20¢ | $10.40 | $2.97 | $4.46 |
| Colorado | 17.17¢ | $10.38 | $2.97 | $4.45 |
| Iowa | 17.06¢ | $10.32 | $2.95 | $4.42 |
| Indiana | 17.02¢ | $10.29 | $2.94 | $4.41 |
| New Mexico | 16.51¢ | $9.99 | $2.85 | $4.28 |
| Alabama | 16.33¢ | $9.88 | $2.82 | $4.23 |
| West Virginia | 16.31¢ | $9.86 | $2.82 | $4.23 |
| Missouri | 16.02¢ | $9.69 | $2.77 | $4.15 |
| Oregon | 15.92¢ | $9.63 | $2.75 | $4.13 |
| TexasTexas electricity bill & rates | 15.91¢ | $9.62 | $2.75 | $4.12 |
| Georgia | 15.90¢ | $9.62 | $2.75 | $4.12 |
| South Carolina | 15.76¢ | $9.53 | $2.72 | $4.08 |
| Montana | 15.57¢ | $9.42 | $2.69 | $4.04 |
| Kansas | 15.47¢ | $9.36 | $2.67 | $4.01 |
| South Dakota | 15.15¢ | $9.16 | $2.62 | $3.93 |
| Arizona | 15.05¢ | $9.10 | $2.60 | $3.90 |
| FloridaFlorida electricity bill & rates | 14.99¢ | $9.07 | $2.59 | $3.89 |
| North CarolinaNorth Carolina electricity bill & rates | 14.95¢ | $9.04 | $2.58 | $3.88 |
| OklahomaOklahoma electricity bill & rates | 14.82¢ | $8.96 | $2.56 | $3.84 |
| WashingtonWashington electricity bill & rates | 14.63¢ | $8.85 | $2.53 | $3.79 |
| Mississippi | 14.43¢ | $8.73 | $2.49 | $3.74 |
| WyomingWyoming electricity bill & rates | 14.43¢ | $8.73 | $2.49 | $3.74 |
| Arkansas | 14.37¢ | $8.69 | $2.48 | $3.72 |
| Kentucky | 13.80¢ | $8.35 | $2.38 | $3.58 |
| Nebraska | 13.54¢ | $8.19 | $2.34 | $3.51 |
| Tennessee | 13.42¢ | $8.12 | $2.32 | $3.48 |
| Idaho | 13.37¢ | $8.09 | $2.31 | $3.47 |
| North Dakota | 13.31¢ | $8.05 | $2.30 | $3.45 |
| Utah | 13.31¢ | $8.05 | $2.30 | $3.45 |
| Louisiana | 12.87¢ | $7.78 | $2.22 | $3.34 |
| Nevada | 12.72¢ | $7.69 | $2.20 | $3.30 |
Prices are EIA's average residential figures for August 2026; your utility's rate may differ.
Thermostat cable vs self-regulating cable
Constant-wattage cable with a thermostat draws its full rating while the thermostat is on and nothing while it is off. Frost King says its kit's thermostat turns ON the cable when the pipe temperature is below 38 F and turns off the cable at above 45.
Wrap-On says of its 2 W/ft cable: A built-in thermostat turns the cable on at 38ºF.
For these, the hours the thermostat is on set the bill, which is why the tables above are a cold-snap ceiling.
Self-regulating cable has no single wattage. Wrap-On says The self-regulating design reacts to changes in temperature along the entire length of the cable
, and quotes its rating at one temperature: Pipe-Guard™ cable is rated at 3 watts per foot at 40ºF (9.8 watts per meter at 4ºC).
The figures here use that rating, so treat them as an estimate rather than a ceiling.
How the numbers are worked out
Watts per foot times feet gives the cable's draw in watts; divided by 1,000 and times the hours it is on, that gives kWh; times your price per kWh, that gives the cost. If you know your own rate, a 7 W/ft cable uses 5.04 kWh per foot over 30 days of nonstop running. For the rest of the house in a freeze, see what a space heater costs to run and what a 240 V garage heater costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does heat tape cost to run per foot?
- A 7 watt per foot cable costs $0.92 per foot over 30 days if it is on around the clock, at the August 2026 U.S. average of 18.16¢ per kWh. A 2 watt per foot cable costs $0.26. Both have built-in thermostats, so in milder weather the cable is off and the month costs less.
- How much does a 12 foot heat cable cost per month?
- Up to $10.98 for a 12 foot, 7 watt per foot cable that stays on all 30 days (60.48 kWh), at the August 2026 U.S. average of 18.16¢ per kWh. That is the worst case: Frost King says its thermostat “turns ON the cable when the pipe temperature is below 38 F and turns off the cable at above 45.”
- Does heat tape run all the time?
- Not if it has a thermostat. Frost King says its kit’s thermostat “turns ON the cable when the pipe temperature is below 38 F and turns off the cable at above 45.” Wrap-On says of its cable: “A built-in thermostat turns the cable on at 38ºF.” Self-regulating cable is different. Wrap-On says “The self-regulating design reacts to changes in temperature along the entire length of the cable”, and rates Pipe-Guard at 3 watts per foot at 40ºF, so its real cost depends on the weather.
- How do I find my heat cable’s wattage?
- Check the package or the instructions. Makers give it either as watts per foot or as total watts. Total watts divided by the length in feet gives watts per foot; total watts divided by 1,000, times hours on, times your price per kWh gives the cost.
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