January 14, 2019

High Propane Heating Cost

 

High Propane heating costs are a concern for those who heat their homes with Propane. Ever rising costs really add up in Winter. It may be time to consider other alternatives. Propane is a fuel made from natural gas or petroleum. It is a gas in it’s natural form, but converted to liquid in order to more easily store and utilize it.

Propane Molecular Structure

Forty eight million households in the United States have something that runs on propane. Whether it is a furnace, stove, grill or other appliances. Ten million homes in the United States heat their homes with propane heating.

The biggest problems with heating your home with propane are the high and fluctuating costs and supply.

Propane Furnace

Oftentimes these cost variations are unknown to the consumer when they receive their deliveries. You should understand the cost of the propane before taking delivery each time. Prices can fluctuate at any given moment and without warning.

Propane heating fuel is not government regulated and so the prices can vary greatly and can lead to overcharges of as much as $500/ year for an average home.

Consumers who own their own propane tanks will be better able to price shop from various suppliers. The downside is they would need to maintain their own tanks. By leasing a tank, their supplier options are more limited.

Propane heating supply can be subject to supplier shortages and for customers who are locked in to their supplier (either by contract, tank lease or geographical limitations) this can mean no propane delivery for periods of time which can prove a major hardship when heating fuel is needed most.

Propane Heat Alternatives

This year it is estimated that propane heating and heating oil may be up to 10.5% higher than last year. Forbes (Aug 2018) reports that there can be significant savings by converting existing oil and propane furnaces to electric or natural gas heat. Natural gas is most efficient and the least volatile on a dollar to BTU (British Thermal Unit) comparison. The BTU measures the amount of energy required to produce heat.

Propane is So Expensive

Contact Air Doctor Heating and Air so we can provide you with a no cost estimate to convert your home to an energy efficient and lower heating cost furnace or heat pump system.

 

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