Ask some people what propane is used for, and they’ll immediately think of the white cylinder under their barbecue. While it is true that propane is the perfect fuel for grilling, that’s only scratching the surface of propane’s possibilities in your NJ home.
In this week’s blog, we’ll take a look at three of the most common questions we get about propane – one of the most efficient, green, and versatile home energy fuels around.
Q. What can I use propane for?
A. You can use propane to power just about any type of home comfort equipment inside or outside your home. Not only will propane do the job of running your appliances, it will often do it better than other energy sources – especially electricity.
You can use propane to power your:
- Furnace or boiler
- Tankless or storage water heater
- Clothes dryer
- Fireplace, fireplace insert, or log set
- Cooking cooktop or range
- Patio heater
- Spa or pool heater
- Outdoor fire pit
- Outdoor gas lights
- Outdoor kitchen grill
And remember: no matter how many appliances you have, they can be supplied from a single propane tank – and with volume discounts, the more propane appliances you have, the less you pay per gallon of gas!
Q. Is propane safe?
A. Like any energy source, propane is perfectly safe if used with proper care. In fact, because federal, state, and local propane handling and use laws and codes are so strict, propane may actually be safer for home use than other forms of energy. Consider these propane safety facts:
- Most propane equipment shuts off automatically if a problem develops.
- Because of its rotten egg smell, a propane leak is easy to detect; if a propane leak does occur, the gas simply dissipates, leaving no mess or cleanup.
- Propane has the lowest flammability rating of any alternative fuel.
- Propane cylinders are equipped with a device that cuts off the filling process when the tank reaches 80 percent of its liquid capacity during a propane delivery – a safety measure designed to allow propane gas to expand harmlessly when a tank is in a hot environment (outside in the sun, for example).
- Carbon steel propane tanks are 20 times more puncture resistant than tanks filled with ethanol, methanol or gasoline.
Q. Is propane expensive?
A. To evaluate any fuel source, you have to consider the total cost of ownership of choosing one over its alternatives – which includes the cost of the fuel, the efficiency of the equipment, the lifespan of the equipment, and other factors. When you consider this bigger picture, propane is one of the most cost effective energy choices around.
Propane heats fast and effectively, with many propane appliances reaching efficiencies of 98 percent. And because propane is clean burning, investing in propane equipment saves you money: your equipment will need less maintenance and last longer.
Considering making the switch to propane in your New Jersey home? We can help. Contact us today to learn more, or get a FREE, no obligation estimate on a professional propane tank installation!