From natural gas and electricity to heating oil and propane, homeowners have a lot of different options to choose from when it comes to home heating. However, while many may not think much about how they keep their homes warm, the benefits and drawbacks inherent to each fuel are something that every homeowner should consider.
No one wants to get stuck paying more than they should have to to keep their homes warm, and with environmental concerns to think about as well, homeowners want a fuel that is both as efficient and environmentally friendly as possible.
Propane excels in both of these areas, making it one of the most promising home heating options available. So, just what is propane, and how does it compare to all of the other most popular heating options?
What is Propane?
Propane, otherwise known as liquified petroleum gas or LPG, is a gas fuel commonly used in everything from home heating and cooking to fueling heavy machinery like forklifts. It’s non-toxic and colorless, making the potential for harmful spills a nonfactor, and because it’s a byproduct of the natural gas and crude oil refinement process, it doesn’t take much additional energy or infrastructure to produce.
Propane is widely known for its energy efficiency and safety, and it’s relatively cheap when compared to other heating options, but that’s not all. Propane also releases far fewer harmful hydrocarbons into the air when burned compared to other heating fuels, making it one of the best options for the more environmentally conscious homeowner as well.
How Does Propane Compare to Other Home Heating Options
There’s no doubt that propane is one of the best fuels you can use to heat your home, but with so many other more common heating options, just how does propane compare? Well, that may largely depend on your specific situation.
One of the biggest things to think about is the heating equipment your home uses. Propane can’t be used to power your typical gas furnace or electric heat pump, so the upfront installation costs of making the switch are definitely a big factor you’ll need to consider.
That being said, once you get past any potential installation expenses, propane offers a variety of benefits over all the other alternative fuels. So, if you’re thinking about making the switch to propane heat, here is everything you need to know about how propane stacks up to the competition.
Propane vs. Electric Heating
Electric heating is one of the most common heating methods used in homes all over the country. However, while it is incredibly common, electric heating systems simply don’t compete with the efficiency and eco-friendliness that propane brings to the table.
For reference, the heating power a fuel has is measured using the British Thermal Unit (BTU), and while a kilowatt hour of electricity will produce about 3,412 BTUs a gallon of propane produces around 91,500 BTUs making it by far the more efficient option.
Propane is also the much more cost-effective option as well. Even though one kilowatt-hour of electricity costs significantly less than a gallon of propane, it would take almost 27 kilowatt-hours to produce the same amount of heat as one gallon of propane. This means that all other things being equal, it will cost about half as much to heat a home with propane as it would with electricity.
Propane vs. Natural Gas
Natural gas is by far the most popular home heating fuel, being used by over 50% of American households. Still, natural gas’s immense popularity and widespread availability don’t necessarily mean that it’s the best choice for the job.
Just like electricity, natural gas simply can’t compete with propane efficiency, with propane producing about 2.5 times the BTUs per unit. This again means that all else being equal, it will take over double the amount of natural gas to get the same heating results, making propane the much more efficient option. And that’s not even to mention that propane releases far fewer harmful emissions than natural gas does.
Still, propane is generally more expensive to buy than natural gas, but considering that propane is just that much more efficient, you’ll still end up paying less on your energy bills if you switch to propane.
Propane vs. Heating Oil
Heating oil is another popular heating option, especially in the northeastern part of the country, but again, propane offers a number of benefits of heating oil that generally make it the better option.
Heating oil is incredibly energy-dense, making it the sole heating fuel more efficient than propane, producing about 1.5 times the BTUs per unit. However, propane still produces much fewer harmful emissions, which makes it much better for the environment.
This, combined with the fact that propane heating systems require far less costly maintenance and propane prices tend to be lower and far less volatile than heating oil, make it easy to see why propane-powered heating is the best option for many.
MAZ Propane: The Leading Name in Chester County Propane Conversion and Delivery
Are you a Chester County homeowner thinking about switching to propane heating? MAZ Propane is here to help.
As the leading propane company in Chester County, MAZ Propane aims to make it as easy as possible for homeowners all over southeasten PA to save money and the environment by converting to propane power.
They specialize in installing high-efficiency propane furnaces and tanks and with a variety of convenient and affordable propane delivery options to choose from once the installation is complete, you can trust MAZ Propane to give you everything you need to keep your home warm all winter long.
Contact Maz Propane Today
Are you ready to make the switch to MAZ Propane? Give MAZ Propane a call! Their friendly team is always there to answer your questions and will happily tell you more about how they can help you convert your heating system to propane power. They’ll even offer you a free estimate so that you know exactly how much your conversion will cost upfront. So, don’t get stuck paying more to heat your home than you have to. Call MAZ Propane and make the switch today!