With many energy options available for rural and urban residences, homeowners might be left wondering which would best serve their various needs. For clean, green energy produced entirely in the United States, propane offers a safe and cost-effective alternative for energy needs, free from the city's natural gas grids. Butch’s Propane offers its homeowners customer-centered installation, cleaning, filling, and other service needs at a reasonable cost with top-notch customer service! Propane use offers value and peace of mind that cannot be achieved using any other standard energy source.
Why Use Propane in My Home?
Designated as a clean-burning fuel in the 1990 Clean Air Act and the Energy Policy Act of 1992, propane is a cleaner and more environmentally-friendly way to meet your energy needs than natural gas. Propane is safe for local water and oil sources, and tanks can be installed without the hassle and red tape involved in connecting with local natural gas lines.
Propane is also a more efficient and cost-effective choice than natural gas. Propane burns at a temperature of 3,614 degrees Fahrenheit versus the burn temperature of natural gas at 3,254 degrees. Because of these burn points, it takes less fuel to produce heat using propane than it does using natural gas. This efficiency translates into monetary savings for homeowners as well as the peace of mind of knowing appliances are using the most efficient means available to perform their essential functions.
Safety also must be a primary concern for energy consumers. Propane offers a much safer alternative than natural gas, as propane is released from the pressurized tank as a vapor instead of a liquid. This offers a narrower range of flammability, giving homeowners a sense of security about the safety of their energy use.
Finally, propane offers an ease of connection and use that does not often exist when connecting to local natural gas lines. Installing natural gas lines can often mean coming up against stringent local regulations and practical distance from the source, whereas homeowners can install a 500- or 1,000-gallon propane tank directly on their property with flexibility of location.
Which Household Appliances Can I Fuel with Propane?
The most common uses for propane in the home are furnaces, water heaters, generators, and gas fireplaces. Making up the majority of propane use in the United States, these appliances are often propane-fueled in order to offer the highest level of safety and efficiency.
In addition to these appliances, however, others are also available. Propane can be used to effectively fuel pool and hot tub heaters, stoves and ranges, clothes dryers, outdoor fire pits, and refrigerators and freezers. By using propane to fuel these appliances, homeowners increase their cost-effectiveness and ease of use over other energy sources. Propane appliances are available for sale in many of the same retailers that provide other appliances, such as Home Depot and Lowe’s, among others.
How Much Propane Will My Home Use?
Propane use depends on many factors including home size, connected appliances, personal use, and even the climate of the area. On average, a propane-fueled furnace will use 1,000 gallons of propane a year, while a propane-fueled water heater will use an average of 250 gallons. A gas fireplace might use up to 200 gallons annually. Other appliances consume far less propane, with a propane stove only consuming an average of 35 gallons and a clothes dryer will average of 20 gallons per year.
Home and family size can create variations in these estimates. For example, a 1,000-square-foot living space might only consume about 450 gallons of propane annually, while a 3,000-square-foot house might use more than 1,500 gallons.
How Will My Propane be Serviced?
Though it is tempting to believe that connection to city natural gas lines is the easiest option with regards to service and maintenance, this is not necessarily true. From the initial installation of your 500- or 1,000-gallon propane tank on your property to refilling and maintenance, Butch’s Propane offers an ease of service that will leave homeowners confident in the reliability of their energy source.
From initial contact, the professionals at Butch’s Propane will help you decide how best to meet the energy needs of your home. If the homeowner’s property does not have a propane tank installed, Butch’s Propane will rent or sell you a tank along with trench and bury a line. Homeowners may choose between two options for refilling their tanks throughout the year: wireless OTO data monitors which will alert technicians to come to your home and refill, or periodic reminders to homeowners who prefer to monitor propane levels manually and call technicians when needed.
As long as the propane tank is not allowed to fully empty and service is not interrupted, Butch’s Propane never charges additional fees for tank refills. At the time of refills, Butch’s Propane will conduct leak and pressure checks to ensure that your service is safe and reliable all the time.
Homeowners who choose propane to run their home can rest easily knowing they have chosen a clean, efficient, safe, and cost-effective option. Butch’s Propane looks forward to serving homeowners to the highest industry standards of professionalism and customer service. Please contact us for more information and an estimate for your home’s services!
