It is combustible and as with any flammable gas a leak can be potentially devastating.
Cons of propane energy.
Typically propane furnaces have a rating of 90 percent efficiency or higher while other furnace types run at about 78 to 82 perfect efficiency.
So when choosing a heating fuel it is easy to spot the winner however when comparing the king of the liquid fuels with the queen of the gases the energy industry throws a complicating factor into the ring.
One of the biggest benefits of propane is that it s non toxic.
Propane is more efficient than natural gas.
Propane is another name for liquified petroleum gas which is widely used to fuel furnaces stoves dryers generators heaters and barbecue burners.
This truth began to fluctuate as the propane industry dealt with shortages and rate increases but it still has a lot of potential as a lower cost energy source.
But let s have a look at both sides of the coin.
Propane can be a great choice if you want a dependable and efficient source of energy that can be installed anywhere on your property.
One cubic foot of propane equals 2 516 btus while one cubic foot of natural gas equals 1 030 btus.
Propane heaters and things to know about them.
Before you make the switch it s a good idea to take a look at the pros and cons of propane as a source of fuel for your home.
The major types of home heating in the northeast include propane heating oil and natural gas but if your home or your prospective home runs on propane here are the top three pros and cons you should know.
Potential cheaper energy costs.
Here are some of the pros of heating with propane.
Although propane is cheaper than gasoline and comes.
While the cost per gallon is less for natural gas you ll use more of it to heat the same appliances.
Propane is quite a safe energy source but it does have risks.
Propane takes a little longer to vanish in the air.
Energy efficiency one positive aspect of propane furnaces is that they are more energy efficient.
Of the liquid fuels available to the consumer heating oil is by far the most efficient.
At one time propane was a significantly cheaper alternative especially to electric heat.
It s safe and it burns clean.
Transferring propane from a large tank to a smaller tank is simple with an adapter.
Even though we use it for cooking and clothes drying things most grid tied homeowners do with electricity we can get by with so little propane primarily because we heat our home with wood and use a propane fired on demand water heater that requires a fraction of the fuel standard tank type heaters need.
It is heavier than air so any propane leak in an enclosed area will sink and become concentrated at the floor level where it may avoid detection.
That means propane is more than twice the energy of natural gas.