Why Propane?
Safe. Reliable. Propane.
Propane is a clean, safe and efficient source of energy that can be used throughout your home or business for all your heating, cooking, backup power and transportation needs.
- Environmentally Friendly – Propane is an extremely clean energy source that gives off less than half of the greenhouse gases that electricity does, considering that more than half of the nation’s electricity is produced by coal-fired power plants. Propane gives builders points under green building programs such as the National Green Building Standard and LEED for Homes. Rebates and other incentives are often available at both the state and federal level for propane powered homes.
- Efficiency – Energy costs will be reduced significantly with propane relative to electricity. A home or business with all propane appliances can see a reduction in annual operating costs of as much as 50%, versus an all electric home.
- Safety – Propane is nontoxic and is not harmful to soil or water if accidentally released. Because propane is compressed as a liquid, with a chemical odorant added to help detect leaks, it is safely transported and stored until it is used in its gas form. All installation and service personnel are trained and licensed through state and company training programs.
- Desirable – All of the above would be irrelevant if propane wasn’t such a desirable fuel source for builders, homeowners and business owners. Builders love the marketing advantage, flexible constructions uses and the green building benefits it offers. Homeowners enjoy the comfort, convenience and cost savings that propane allows. Business owners use it for office heating, fuel for their forklift fleets and crop drying.
Benefits for Residential Customers
Propane provides an environmentally friendly and cost efficient fuel for powering all of your residential needs, such as follows:
- Home Heating – Propane or natural gas furnaces will not only improve efficiency and reduce energy costs, but they are also typically preferred over their electric counterparts because of the quality conditioning they provide. Offering flexibility in design because they can be vented either vertically or horizontally, a propane furnace will also heat air up to 25 degrees warmer than an electric heat pump. Because of its transportability, propane-fueled patio heaters can offer homeowners hundreds of additional square feet of usable outdoor living space.
- Water Heating – The most modern technology in water heating is the tankless (or hybrid) water heater. Propane tankless water heaters can reduce energy costs by as much as 60% and operate at up to 98% efficiency. A typical tankless water heater will last 5 to 10 years longer and save 12-16 square feet of floor space relative to the standard 50 gallon electric water heater.
- Indoor and Outdoor Appliances – Chefs demand it and homeowners deserve it. According to the American Gas Association, 96% of chefs prefer cooking with gas. Providing better heat control and more even heat distribution, instant on and off gas burners allow cooking to start immediately and cool quickly thus improving safety.
- Pool and Spa Heating – Propane pool and spa heaters can bring water to the desired temperature more quickly and efficiently than an electric heater.
- Fireplaces and Log Inserts – The convenience of flipping a switch or clicking a remote to turn that cozy fire on and off is causing more homeowners to choose a propane fueled fireplace with log inserts. Offering a virtually maintenance free fireplace and a design flexibility of direct venting, the propane fueled fireplace will also provide the function of efficiently heating the room.
Benefits for Commercial Customers
Propane provides an environmentally friendly and cost efficient fuel for powering all of your business needs, such as follows:
- Forklift Fuel – Propane cylinder exchange programs power a forklift fleet. Beginning in 2011, all forklifts used in the state of Texas will require a vehicle emissions test. Propane is a certified clean alternative fuel.
- On The Farm – Many uses of propane include crop drying, flame cultivation, fruit ripening, space heating for barns, chicken houses, nurseries, stock tanks, running of a variety of engines and natural processing of feed for all your livestock needs.
- Commercial and Industrial Buildings – More than 1 million commercial establishments, such as hotels, restaurants and laundromats use propane in the same way a homeowner does – for heating and cooling air, heating water, cooking, refrigerating, drying clothes, barbecuing, and lighting. More than 350,000 industrial sites rely on it for space heating, brazing, soldering, cutting, heat treating, annealing, vulcanizing, and many other uses.
- Petrochemical Industries – use propane in the manufacture of plastics.
- Recycling Yards – Propane is a portable source of fuel for torch cutting through many types of metal, making it an easy to use fuel for all end users.
- Road Crews – Crews rely on propane for the fuel of choice and efficiency for vehicles, as well as the heating source of asphalt and patching material.
For more about propane, visit www.buildwithpropane.com or www.propane.tx.gov
Sources: Railroad Commission of Texas, Propane Education and Research Council
