When you think about propane, what comes to mind? Grilling or home heating? While these are some of the most common uses for propane, there are other applications for propane in your home—and most of these options are also more efficient and cost-effective than using electricity or heating oil. Below are our top five home appliances that use propane.
1. Range
Cooking with propane can be significantly more efficient than using electricity. With an electric stove top, it takes some time for the coils to warm up, then additional time on top of that to heat the food. With propane ranges, the initial heat-up time for the coils is removed as the flame from the propane burner can begin heating the food instantly. This helps to reduce the amount of energy used to heat food.
2. Water Heater
A benefit to a propane water heater is that it can rapidly heat water faster than electricity. With water heaters counting for 25% of energy consumption per year on average, a faster method of heating the water will help consume less energy and save more money. A faster heat-up time is also more convenient as the farther away the faucet is from the water heater the longer it takes for the hot water to reach the faucet. Propane water heaters tend to be smaller than electric water heaters, which require less storage space and less energy to operate.
3. Clothes Dryer
Similar to a propane water heater, a propane clothes dryer offers more precise temperature control and a faster heat-up time than electric clothes dryers. Propane clothes dryers also are about half the cost of electric clothes dryers to operate, on average. Drying a load of laundry using electricity costs roughly 32-41 cents per load, while using propane costs roughly 15-33 cents per load.
4. Fireplace
With a traditional, wood-burning fireplace, dampers are used to vent the fireplace. This allows for heat to escape, which extends the amount of time it takes to warm up the room. With a propane fireplace, vents are built into the fireplace insert sealing the fireplace and preventing heat from escaping. This helps to heat the room faster by using all of the heat that’s produced by the fireplace. Propane fireplaces also ignite faster and easier than a wood-burning fireplace, which saves you time and money by not needing to restock a wood pile.
5. Furnace
Propane furnaces are known for their longevity as they can last up to 15 to 20 years. On average, that’s an additional five to 10 years longer than electric heat pumps. Not only do propane furnaces tend to last longer, but they’re also more efficient than a heating oil furnace with an efficiency rating of around 90 percent.
For more information on home appliances that use propane, or for switching your home energy to propane, check out the residential section of our website or call us at 1-800-427-8545.