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While some homeowners may be wishing for lower energy bills, families that use propane in their home are living that reality every day. As a highly efficient, clean, and cost-effective energy source, propane powers essential home appliances more effectively than other energy sources, helping homeowners save money in both the short and long term.
Beyond the efficiencies, propane offers stable pricing, long-lasting appliances, and the ability to operate independently of the electric grid to avoid unexpected costs associated with power outages. These benefits quickly add up to reduce energy costs.
Efficiency That Translates to Savings
One of the best ways to reduce home energy bills is to increase the efficiency of your appliances. Whether for home heating, water heating, cooking, or other tasks around the home, there are several propane-powered appliances that can increase efficiency to lower costs.
Furnaces
A high-efficiency propane furnace operates at up to 98 percent efficiency, heating air to 115-125 degrees Fahrenheit to make the indoor environment feel warmer and more comfortable than heat from air-source heat pumps. This efficiency outperforms many electric systems that can struggle to maintain warmth in cold temperatures.
As studies show, better performance also leads to higher cost savings. Research from Newport Partners, LLC found that homeowners using high-efficiency propane furnaces spend up to 10 percent less on heating compared to standard-efficiency air source heat pumps and up to 14 percent less than heating oil furnaces.
Homeowners can also install hydronic heat pump solutions that feature hybrid technology to bring the comfort of propane to newly installed or pre-existing electric heat pumps. Working with an existing thermostat, an air handler module communicates to a propane tankless water heater to circulate hot water through a hydronic coil that has been installed at the air handler. The result is improved efficiency, more cost savings, and consistent warmth and comfort for homeowners. Compared to all-electric systems, hybrid heat pump solutions reduce operating costs by 35 percent.
Water Heaters
Homeowners may associate high energy bills with their water heating. But just like with home heating, propane tankless water heaters provide a cost-effective solution. These systems offer on-demand hot water with top-of-the-line efficiency. In cold and mixed climates, propane tankless water heaters have the lowest annual cost of ownership when compared with electric, heat pump, and heating oil-fueled water heaters. Propane-powered tankless water heaters can save a typical family $100 per year compared with electric heat pump water heaters, which have less than one-third the hot water flow rate of a tankless system.
Fireplaces
It’s not just furnaces that offer efficient warmth for homeowners. Propane fireplaces operate at over 90 percent efficiency compared with just 15 percent for wood-burning fireplaces. This is largely because wood-burning fireplaces lose most of their thermal heat from combustion through the chimney.
Homeowners can also feel good about incorporating propane fireplaces as a heat source in their home because the units carry a lighter environmental footprint than wood-burning models, producing fewer particulate emissions and less carbon monoxide to help maintain healthy indoor air quality.
Propane fireplaces are also more environmentally friendly than electric models. The power used in electric fireplace units is often generated by coal-fired power plants, which produce significant carbon emissions along with other pollutants.
Clothes Dryer
Laundry is another area where propane can help cut costs. Propane clothes dryers have a higher heating capacity, shorter cycle times, and use 20 percent less energy than electric models. These benefits ultimately reduce wear and tear on clothing while lowering overall energy use.
Ranges and Ovens
Even cooking with propane can lead to cost savings. During peak demand periods on the electric grid, like in the late afternoons of hot summer days, electric cooking is a major energy load. In fact, the energy factor of electric cooking — which compares its overall energy use to its energy use in peak demand times — makes it the second-most significant load in the home, behind air conditioning. Switching to propane cooking can ease peak load issues with the electric grid, reducing electric bills in the process. It’s no surprise that most professional chefs prefer cooking with gas.
Beyond the Energy Bill
It’s not just propane’s efficiency that translates into savings. As a reliable and stable energy source, propane goes beyond the energy bill to provide cost savings.
A propane standby generator ensures homeowners aren’t left with surprise costs during power outages. If the power grid fails, propane standby generators can keep the lights on, the fridge running, and heating systems operational. That means no spoiled food, no frozen pipes, and no unexpected repair bills when storms hit. Best of all, since propane doesn’t degrade over time like diesel fuel does, propane generators are always ready to save the day when homeowners need them most.
Propane appliances, from furnaces to fireplaces, also require less maintenance and last longer than electric alternatives. A propane furnace, for example, has an expected lifespan up to 50 percent longer than an electric heat pump. That translates to cost savings on repairs and replacements.
Homeowners that choose propane can also enjoy energy independence and the reduced costs that come with it. Unlike electricity, which fluctuates in price based on grid demand, propane offers homeowners the ability to store fuel on-site, providing a stable supply and more predictable pricing. Some propane suppliers may also offer homeowners payment plans or fuel contracts to lock in a set price per gallon over a set period to further insulate from fluctuating energy costs.
Best of all, for those considering an upgrade to propane appliances, financial incentives may be available. Many state, regional, and local programs offer incentives to offset the purchase costs of new propane furnaces, water heaters, and other appliances. Homeowners can check here to see what rebates may be available in their area.
Take Control of Your Energy Costs
Waiting for energy prices to drop won’t lower your bills, but switching to propane will. By incorporating propane-powered home heating, water heating, cooking, and other essential systems, homeowners can enjoy greater efficiency, long-term savings, and peace of mind. Visit Propane.com/For-My-Home to see how propane can make a difference in your home and your wallet.
