Equipment
Rebates
Despite propane being used to fuel appliances and gas heating equipment for about 100 years, people who may have only used this fuel for their backyard gas grills often have misconceptions about how safe it is, how it can be used and other wrong beliefs. With that in mind, here are some facts you may not know about propane.
Propane can run your home’s heating system, heat your water, dry your clothes, power your fireplace and run stoves and cooktops. Beyond outdoor propane grills, propane can fuel patio heaters, fire pits, pool and spa heaters, outdoor fireplaces and more! Propane is also invaluable as a versatile fuel for just about any farm or commercial application. It is also widely used a motor fuel, known in this case as propane autogas.
Propane is perfectly safe when it is used with proper care, just like any other heating fuel. Propane has a remarkable safety record, due in large part to the stringent codes and regulations developed by the propane industry and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
And in Tennessee, your professional propane dealers and their technicians, drivers and staff, comply with state regulations that require periodic testing and training in order to ensure your safety. Read more about propane safety.
Propane has a lower carbon content than fuel oil, gasoline, diesel, kerosene and ethanol – a big part of the reason it was added to the Clean Air Act as a clean fuel in 1990.
Propane also emits less than half the greenhouse gas emissions of electricity to produce the same amount of energy. That’s primarily because more than 40 percent of the electricity used in our country is produced by coal-fired plants.
Propane-powered appliances are typically much more efficient than electric models of similar size and output. Less energy used equals less environmental impact. Consider this: propane generates much more Btu’s than an equivalent amount of electricity. Put another way, you need much less propane to produce the same amount of heat energy. For example, just one gallon of propane equals 27 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity.
Read more about propane benefits over electricity.
To evaluate the economics of any fuel source, you have to consider the big picture, which includes the cost of the fuel, the efficiency of the equipment, the lifespan of the equipment, and other factors. When looked at from this this perspective, propane is one of the most cost-effective energy choices around.
Propane heats fast and effectively, with many propane appliances reaching efficiencies of 98%. And because propane is clean-burning, investing in propane equipment saves you money since your equipment will need less maintenance and last longer.
The story of propane does not end here. The industry is committed to using less energy and improving our air by way of carbon reduction, sustainable practices and diminishing—or eliminating—our carbon footprint. The advent of renewable propane is part of that solution. Read more about renewable propane.
