What Many Americans Don’t Know About Propane Heating

If you’ve heard of liquefied petroleum gas, LP-gas, or LPG before, then you’ve heard of propane before. These are all alternative names for this clean and cost-effective gas. If you’re not already using it, then you should probably start now. We talked to a representative of http://md.gvpropane.com and asked them to tell us about some of the advantages of using propane over natural gas or electricity.

Propane Is Capable of Powering a Range of Appliances

Propane is pretty versatile as energy sources go. It’s used in fireplaces and to heat water, heat homes, dry clothes and cook, among other things. It can also be used outdoors for such things as lighting, barbecue grills and heat pools, hot tubs and spas. It can also power a generator for when there’s a blackout in your home.

Propane Doesn’t Have a Smell

Propane is odorless and nearly colorless when in its natural state. Don’t worry about detection problems, however. Manufacturers give it a strong smell that helps in its detection. The chemical added to give it that smell is mercaptan. The National Propane Gas Association, upon request, will send you a brochure with the scent that you can scratch and smell.

Propane Is Clean

Compared to natural gas, propane is very clean. In fact, it is part of the 1990 Clean Air Act. Using propane as your chief source of fuel is clean for the environment when used for both your home and for vehicles. Vehicles using propane have been shown to emit fewer toxins and smog-inducing gases than those that use gasoline. Propane is also harmless to the soil and water.

Propane Saves You Money

A report by the United States Department of Energy estimates that using propane will enable you to save 30% in energy costs every year. The results are even better when you use propane to dry your clothes: 50%. You can also reheat a tank in only 20 minutes with propane whereas it would take you an entire hour if you were using electricity.

Propane Appliances Require Less Maintenance and Last Longer

Propane appliances have quite a reputation for being durable. A gas furnace that runs on propane will easily last for up to 20 years. Meanwhile, a heat pump that runs on electricity will do 14 years at best. The maintenance costs are pretty low as well. An electric heat pump will cost you a lot more to repair than a propane gas furnace. The same works for boilers that work on propane.

Propane Is More Efficient

Propane will heat up your room far more efficiently than wood when used as the fuel source in a furnace. Another advantage is that it will burn much longer than wood. We’re not talking about a few times longer here; propane will burn up to 40 times as long as a similar amount of wood and won’t produce even close to the same amount of emissions. The most maintenance-free fireplaces are well-known to be propane fireplaces. You won’t have to deal with any ash or soot.