Loving Propane on Valentine’s Day

 
Ah, the magic of Valentine’s Day that comes each February 14 often conjures up images of Cupid fluttering about with bow and arrow in hand, long-stemmed red roses, delectable chocolates, and propane of course! If you haven’t fallen in love with propane yet, here are 14 fantastic reasons you should.

1. Environmentally friendly

Burning coal, wood, gasoline, heating oil and natural gas produce carbon, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Propane has a lower carbon content than fuel oil, gasoline, diesel, kerosene and ethanol, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 15% and carbon monoxide by over 40%. With its tiny carbon footprint, high efficiency can play a major role in fighting climate change.

2. Convenience

Propane can power a variety of appliances within your home. From water heat, to cooking appliances, to heating your entire home, propane provides exceptional comfort and efficiency — the one-stop fuel source.

3. Versatility

It’s hard to think of another fuel source with so many uses. Just to name a few, there are propane heaters, grills, ranges, ovens, grills, water heaters, pool heat and spa, outdoor living spaces, decorative lighting, space heating, fireplaces and hearths, lawn mowers, forklift, and the list goes on and on. Propane tanks come in assorted sizes and can be installed just about anywhere.

4. Reliability

Especially important for Northeast generator and heat consumers, propane generators start more easily in very cold weather because they won’t thicken and gel like gasoline. Propane heating systems don’t require annual maintenance like oil models, are cleaner, typically last longer and provide superior performance.

5. Clean

Propane is an approved alternative fuel recognized by the Clean Air Act and the Energy Policy Act of 1990. Insoluble in water and when released, propane takes form as a gas, with never a worry about spills or residues. If liquid propane leaks, it vaporizes and dissipates into the air. If you still use oil for fuel heat, these large eyesores not only take up valuable real estate in your basement but the dirty and messy beasts require inconvenient and expensive maintenance.

6. Low Maintenance

Propane appliances require little maintenance to keep running at their best. For example, a gas-burning fireplace is a real convenience, and compared to wood burning, has a low maintenance factor with no chimney cleaning and leftover soot to deal with. How about fuel oil? Large, dirty and messy beasts, oil boilers require inconvenient and expensive maintenance; and oil efficiency itself is extremely low, especially compared to propane. These factors have resulted in surging popularity of oil-to-propane conversions.

Like any other energy appliances, to keep them running safely and efficiently we highly recommend their regular maintenance servicing as recommended by the manufacturer.

7. Safe & Secure

Propane is a safe, reliable and clean energy source. With strict regulations developed by the National Fire Protection Association, propane fuel is one of the safest fuel alternatives available. As with any fuel source, understanding how to properly use and store propane, basic safety tips and how to detect warning signs of a gas leak can significantly reduce a risk of a propane-related hazard in your home. With propane, you get security and need never lose heat. During storms and power outages, propane’s reliability will keep you comfortable and safe. With the right propane set up, you’ll still be able to operate your lighting, furnace, and appliances during power outages.

Colorless, odorless and non-toxic, propane won’t hurt water, soil or ecosystems. As previously mentioned, propane is an approved alternative fuel recognized by the Clean Air Act and the Energy Policy Act of 1990. Click More for additional information on propane safety.

8. Affordable

Home heat, pool heat, dryers, water heaters, outdoor living spaces and more can run on propane — more affordably and efficiently. Here are just a few examples of the savings you can reap.

Oil furnaces, especially older ones, have a typical efficiency rating of about 60. This means that only 60 cents of every dollar you spend goes to producing heat for your home. A typical propane furnace operates at 90 percent efficiency or higher, which means saving at least 30 cents for every dollar spent on propane heat; and that’s before you calculate the lower per-gallon cost of propane. The bottom line is LPG boilers are cheaper to install than oil boilers, less expensive to maintain and won’t spill dirty oil all over your basement floor. So what about electricity? Propane beats electricity hands-down. A propane furnace does the job for about half the cost of electricity. Propane-fueled furnaces are smaller and can last 15 to 20 years; nearly 50% longer than electric heat pumps!

Propane and summer go hand in hand. Yes, nothing is better than a refreshing swim in your backyard pool powered by propane to beat those dog days of summer. Heating your pool with propane is faster and less expensive than electric models. Propane and natural gas heaters heat faster because they have a much higher output than electric heat pumps. The BTU, (British thermal unit) is the traditional unit of heat and defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. A conventional residential-size propane or gas heater is 400,000 BTUs (British thermal units), while the largest electric heaters are just over 100,000 BTUs. That means it takes around four times as long to heat water using electric models. The availability of high-efficiency products has kept pace with an increasingly energy-conscious society. Now, homeowners can enjoy a comfortable dip in their pools without drowning in pool heat expenses.

Did you know professional landscapers and companies are converting their equipment to run on propane? Residential consumers too can convert lawnmowers to propane. This not only benefits the planet by decreasing pollution and stinky fumes, but also increases your lawnmower’s motor efficiency, so it can run better and last longer.

9. USA Supply, Demand and Jobs

The United States is propane’s leading producer, producing more than enough to meet demand. Propane production keeps quality jobs in our country with more than 145,000 workers across our country employed in propane trade, wholesale and sales.

10. Residential Uses

Choice, style and options matter. Compared to oil and electricity, propane is the cleanest, greenest, most versatile option for homeowners. Savvy, discriminating consumers take advantage of propane as their one-stop fuel source for all appliances like ranges, ovens, water heaters, dryers, furnaces, fireplaces, hearths, outdoor living spaces, decorative lighting, lawnmowers, and more. In today’s world, there are increasingly more designs and options than ever, with the perfect fit for you.

11. Landscaping

Green-minded customers prefer to operate landscaping equipment with low-emissions propane. Compared with gasoline mowers, propane reduces greenhouse gas emissions by over 15% and carbon monoxide emissions by over 40%. Another savings speaks directly to your wallet — propane equipment is secure, closed-loop fuel system saves money by virtually eliminating the opportunity for messy spills, which comes with the benefit of no smelly exhaust fumes.

12. Commercial Uses

Uses for propane don’t stop at the home front or backyard. Propane popularly supports commercial uses like forklifts, restaurants, building and construction, autogas, and agricultural/industrial needs. Forklifts – there are over 600,000 propane-fueled forklifts in use across US industrial markets today. Restaurants – of 100 professional chefs surveyed, 96 preferred cooking with propane, providing instant heat, responsive control and quicker, more even cooking. Building & Construction – clean and green, propane delivers the most in efficient, high-performance building. Autogas – over 17 million vehicles are using autogas all over the world due to its cost effectiveness, reduced vehicle maintenance, safety and ease of refueling. Agriculture & Industrial – around 830,000 farms in the US use propane and agricultural experts rely on it. Better than electric, diesel, and natural gas on emissions, it works just as well watering the trees and crops farmers need to need to grow their business. Propane does this economically, with lower maintenance requirements, too. Farmers can reap additional cost savings when they enroll in the Propane Farm Incentive Program, sponsored by The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).

13. Economical Storage

Propane is 270 times more compact as a liquid than as a gas, making it economical to store and transport in liquid form. Propane also does not have a shelf life, (oil, gas and diesel do), which means it can be stored for years without worry of becoming compromised or need to be changed out.

14. Comfort & Peace of Mind

It’s pretty clear that clean and green propane provides many benefits, like reliability, versatility and convenience. Consumers who choose propane to fuel their daily lives reap the many of its advantages, enjoying the daily comforts that propane appliances provide, and feel good knowing they can always rely on propane to be there when and where it’s needed most.

Contact Paraco today! Our staff of propane professionals can help you take advantage of all the benefits available when using propane in your home! Propane, the fuel that keeps giving with Paraco fueling your every day.

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