June 1, 2021 – Home Owners, Propane Answers
Propane, also known as liquid propane gas (LPG) is a high-energy alternative fuel known for its low emissions because of minimal carbon levels. Propane can power many things, from portable stoves to complete home standby generators, home heat, outdoor living and more.
Buying propane is easy. The process for purchasing propane depends on the size of the tank.
Smaller propane tanks, like 20-pound cylinders are used to fuel things like patio heat and barbecue grills. These cylinders can be found and exchanged at most gas stations, home improvement, convenience stores, hardware stores and your local propane supplier. Many of these stores offer tank exchanges or propane exchanges. Usually with these smaller cylinders, the empty tanks can conveniently be filled or exchanged.
Larger tanks such as 120-pound, 500-pound and 1,000-pound cylinders fuel hot water heaters, space heaters and pool heaters, up through full-home and appliance needs. These larger cylinders can be purchased or leased through a distributor/supplier like Paraco, which will sell or lease a tank, deliver propane to you, and service your propane equipment.
Propane can be sold either by liquid volume or by weight, and the price for propane will vary depending on usage and the overall market cost of steel and propane. Propane is dispensed in liquid form, so gallons can be measured as the LPG passes through the pump. Though propane is commonly measured by gallons, it can also be measured by pounds. And one gallon of LPG equals 4.2 pounds.
A meter at the pump is used to determine the amount of propane that has been filled into a tank when measured in gallons.