5 Tips on How to Use Propane and Reduce Your Energy Costs

Propane can be used not only for outdoor barbeques, but also for powering cooking ranges, ovens, dryers, water heaters, refrigerators, and even automobiles. While the prices of gasoline, natural gas, and propane all rise, propane is still relatively less expensive than the other two. The cost of propane mostly depends on the season; as the demand for this gas goes up during winter, so does the price. Propane is also more cost-efficient than other energy sources, but you can reduce your energy costs further with these tips:

1. Turn off pilot lights. During summer, it’s best if you turn off the pilot light of your furnace. A pilot light can cost you as much as $15 for propane each month. Do the same thing with your dryer if it uses a pilot light. Instead of doing your laundry every day, you might want to just do it once a week and turn off the pilot light between your laundry days. Better yet, you can just buy a new dryer model that makes use of a “sparker” instead of a pilot light. 

2. Winterize your home. To reduce your energy consumption especially during the cold months, it’s important that you upgrade your insulation. Use necessary tools to reduce the leakage of air at your windows, such as thermal curtains and storm windows. The best time to get these tools is during the first few summer months since they tend to be sold at discounted prices.

3. Try to buy propane during summer. The cost of propane during summer months are usually lower. If possible, buy as much propane as you can during periods where the demand is low. Doing so can save you as much as $100 to $700 per year.

4. Set the temperature of your water heater at 120-130 degrees. That heat is already sufficient for most household requirements and can help you save around $5 to $30 per month.

5. Some providers of propane tend to overcharge. Don’t fall into their traps. Get your propane gas from a reputable supplier and make sure that your provider offers it at a reasonable price.

Know the Best Ways to Find the Best LPG Gas Suppliers

What makes an LPG supplier better than others? There are many different factors that will define the reputation and trustworthiness of LPG gas suppliers in your area, and it is important that you know them, so you can make an informed decision. Likewise, you should consider your propane requirements, such as your budget and the applications of the fuel in your home (i.e. cooking, clothes drying, and heating). With those factors in mind, here are some of the things you should consider when finding a propane gas supplier:

• Automatic delivery – This is a service that ensures your home has enough supply of propane every month. Some companies can track your usage by installing a device on your tank, so you do not have to obsess over checking the gauge.

• Payment plans – Reputable LPG gas suppliers offer payment and billing options that are tailored to the needs of every customer, as they understand that no two customers will have similar propane requirements. Be sure to go over their plans and pick a plan you can commit to. For instance, a monthly payment plan can be adjusted to your actual usage and the prices of propane in the market, or it can be budgeted for an entire year to prevent you from worrying about price hikes.

• Expertise – An established propane supplier will be knowledgeable in every aspect of LP gas, including its benefits and how to price its services. Hence, they are able to provide consistently fair prices and value-added services, such as reliable advice and assistance when you are upgrading your oil or electric heating and cooking systems to propane. They have an excellent track record of providing dependable services to commercial customers, too. One of the most established LPG gas suppliers in the US has been in business for more than 70 years, making them trusted by many different customers.

• One-stop shop for all propane needs – A good supplier does not stop at delivering and providing propane. They offer 24/7 emergency services and repair, too, so you do not have to look for other providers.

Choose a Mendota Fireplace, The Right Fireplace to Warm Your Room Evenly

A fireplace is not merely installed for aesthetics. It is important for the room’s heating, too. Therefore, it is crucial to pick a high-quality fireplace from a respectable provider. Mendota is one of the most highly recommended fireplaces offered by reputable propane service providers. The brand’s fireplaces are not only aesthetically pleasing, but capable of warming a room evenly, as well. Mendota makes propane fireplaces, which are important investments in a home. In fact, when buying a fireplace, it is essential to treat it as if you are buying as it is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase that will be installed permanently in the home.

When choosing a Mendota fireplace, make sure that it is from a reputable and authorized dealer. Some propane service providers in the US are authorized to sell authentic Mendota products. Keep in mind that every fireplace from the manufacturer is custom-made in limited numbers, making the product unique and luxurious to own. The fireplace is unlike conventional builder box units you can find in low-cost apartments, condos, and housing, as the manufacturer uses only the finest materials, like stainless steel and NeoCeram glass for the burner systems and 18-gauge aluminized steel for the outer casing. Mendota gas fireplaces can be modified to burn propane. Be sure to tell an authorized dealer about the conversion before ordering.

A Mendota fireplace is seamlessly welded to prevent heat from escaping or leaking. This way, it should help maintain a consistent temperature in your room to keep your surroundings evenly heated. When you buy from authorized propane service providers, you can be sure that the product is certified and tested to the safety standards of ANSI/AGA for high-efficiency wall furnaces. Mendota gas fireplaces offer wide temperature ranges and offer the look and feel of a traditional wood-burning fireplace, without the harmful emissions, ash, and soot. Each unit comes with a heat management option, which lets you redirect heat.

5 Important Things to Know When Choosing a Propane Provider

Your experience in using propane to fuel your home or business will depend on various factors, such as the price, reliability, quality of the service, and the perks offered by the propane service providers. However, you will need to look at a few factors to help you narrow your choices down to only the best companies. Keeping these considerations in mind can save you time in picking the best company. Here are five things to know when selecting propane gas providers:

• Experience – Choose the most experienced provider with at least two decades in business, but make sure they are reputable and have an excellent track record in providing propane in your area.

• Flexible payment plans – Seasoned providers understand that no household or business is the same. Hence, they offer flexible payment plans, which can be tailored to your unique propane needs. Consider a provider who can adjust monthly payments based on actual propane prices and your actual usage. Some propane service providers offer plans that can budget your monthly costs with 12 equal payments to eliminate market spikes.
  
  
• Emergency services – Equipment and appliances running on propane can fail when you least expect them. Hence, it makes sense to choose propane gas providers that can provide 24/7 emergency services. That way, you can rely on them and get your systems up and running again, even after office hours or on holidays.

• Competitive pricing – Compare service providers and choose the company that can provide the most competitive price. Get a quote and find out the breakdown of expenses you would have to pay for each time you buy propane from them.

Propane equipment supplier – If you are switching to propane, find out if the propane gas providers can help you upgrade your equipment and appliances. Some of them can provide the equipment, too, such as propane fireplaces and heating equipment.

Find A Propane Gas Dealer Near Your Home

Propane may be an energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective fuel in the long run, but you can only enjoy these benefits when you work with an LPG retailer that is committed to providing high-quality and reliable service. Hence, you need to choose a propane gas dealer that has a good track record of supplying propane at reasonable prices to your area. While it is easy to choose the dealer that can provide the cheapest service, price should not be the only factor when finding and selecting a propane supplier. Keep in mind that not all propane dealers are the same, so here are a few tips to help you find the best one near you:

• Look for an experienced company – Choose a propane gas dealer that has been in business for at least two decades. The most experienced business is usually capable of understanding that no customer is unique, so they offer custom propane payment plans and other services that will mean a lot to every homeowner. One of the leading propane dealers in the US has been trusted by its customers for more than 60 years.
  
  
• Explore the payment plans – Go for an LPG supplier that offers flexible payment plans, which can be adjusted to suit your individual residential propane requirements. Go for a payment plan that is adjustable according to your monthly usage and the actual prices of propane, or a plan that can help you budget monthly costs regardless of fuel price spikes.
  
  
• Look for automatic delivery – This service will ensure that your home will have enough supply of fuel, even if you fail to check your tank. Some companies can track your usage with a monitor or a specially developed device, so you do not have to worry about doing it yourself.
  
  
• Mind their other services – Consider a propane gas dealer that provides 24/7 emergency services and repair. That way, you can rely only on one service provider for all your propane needs.

Calculate Your Propane Savings for Benefits of Fair Propane Pricing

Understanding what makes fair propane pricing can be unusually complicated if you are not aware of the factors that can affect it. Hence, if you want to be sure that you are able to save money with propane, you need to take some time to determine the quality of the service of your preferred supplier and identify the expenses that are part of your monthly propane bill. Keep in mind that your propane savings may depend on what is included and excluded in the services offered by a particular LPG provider. For instance, some providers may offer fixed prices and automatic delivery, or a budget payment plan, which may prevent you from paying for the refilling service in one go.

When quoting a propane company, always ask for a breakdown of their propane pricing to know exactly what you will be paying for each month. Compare that with the price of propane from another supplier to find out which provider can help you save more money in the long run. When determining how much propane savings you will get, always make sure that you understand what comes with your payment plan and what it covers. For instance, some companies may offer a level monthly billing program in which monthly payments change according to actual propane prices and your actual usage.

Some propane providers offer payment plans that may help you achieve propane savings by eliminating spikes in the LPG market. In this case, monthly costs are budgeted for the propane service through equal payments each month. Regardless of which payment program you choose, always make sure that the propane pricing is fair and ideal for your needs. Consider getting in touch with a reputable and established propane provider to learn more about their pricing structure and for assistance in choosing the best payment plan will suit your budget and your needs in the long run.

Choose Home Heating Propane to Keep Your House Warm and Have Affordable Bills

If you are constantly going over your budget for monthly heating bills, it may be time to consider switching to home heating propane and start saving and maintaining a consistently warm household. Even the Department of Energy recommends propane if you want to save money on your heating costs. According to them, you could be spending up to twice as much when you operate your furnace with electricity instead of liquefied petroleum gas. Apart from being economical, propane is environmentally friendly, too, as it is among the cleanest burning fossil fuels. Hence, it is approved by the 1990 Clean Air Act and listed in the Energy Policy Act of 1992.

The Department of Energy added that you could save up to 30 percent each year with home heating propane to heat your water. On average, a tankful of water can be heated by a propane heater in just 20 minutes, which is significantly faster compared to the one hour with an electric heater. If you base your home heating costs on a BTU basis, propane should save you money in that aspect, too. The fuel is an ideal source of energy for liquid-based or hydronic radiant heating, which involves heating water with propane and making it go through a tubing system under the floor. This way, consistent heat is closer to the floor and efficiently delivered throughout the home.

Home heating with propane may reduce your carbon footprint and energy costs by up to 68 percent. As long as your propane furnace is rated 95 or higher on its AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency), it should generate air that is up to 25 degrees warmer than what an electric heat pump can produce. Propane heaters are able to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the room, so they eliminate the need to use supplemental heat sources, which may be necessary when you feel that some areas of your room feel cold and drafty.