Propane is a type of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stored as a liquid and used for heating, cooking, and fueling certain vehicles. Unlike natural gas, which is delivered via pipelines, propane is stored in tanks and can be transported to various locations.
Yes, propane is a safe energy source when used properly. Propane appliances and tanks are manufactured with strict safety standards. Additionally, an odorant is added to propane, giving it a distinct smell to detect leaks easily.
Propane has a distinctive odor added to it, similar to rotten eggs or a skunk smell, which helps detect leaks. If you smell propane, evacuate the area, avoid open flames, and contact your propane supplier or emergency services.
Propane is widely used for home heating, water heating, cooking, clothes drying, and outdoor grilling. It’s also used for fireplaces and backup power generators.
Propane is highly efficient for heating applications, often providing faster and more consistent heat than electric options. Appliances that run on propane are generally more energy-efficient and have lower operating costs than their electric counterparts.
Propane tanks come in various sizes, from small 20-pound tanks used for grilling to large 1,000-gallon tanks for whole-home heating. The appropriate size depends on your usage needs, property size, and the appliances you plan to fuel.
Yes, propane is an excellent backup energy source. It can fuel generators, heating systems, and cooking appliances, ensuring you have reliable power and heat during an outage.
The lifespan of a propane tank depends on the size of the tank, how full it is, and your usage rate. For example, a 500-gallon tank used for home heating may last several months, while a small 20-pound tank for grilling may last for hours.
Propane is a cleaner-burning fossil fuel, emitting lower levels of carbon dioxide, particulate matter, and other pollutants compared to gasoline, diesel, and even some electricity sources. Its use helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
For safety and compliance, propane appliance and tank installations should always be done by a licensed professional. They will ensure correct installation, leak testing, and compliance with local and federal regulations.
Compared with gasoline mowers, propane mowers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent, SOx emissions by 16 percent, and NOx emissions by 19 percent. Because of propane mower’s environmental benefits, they are a good fit for golf courses.
Propane can fuel many commercial building applications including space heating, water heating, standby generators, cooking equipment, fireplaces, clothes dryers, and outdoor living amenities.
Propane can be used in nearly any type of business or organization that is being built off the natural gas line. Restaurants and retail buildings, schools, religious buildings, hotels and resorts, hospitals, apartments and condos, and recreation facilities can all reap the benefits of propane.
Propane systems offer the versatility and dependable performance needed in large-scale projects. Propane fuels high-performance amenities that maximize a building’s value and protect your bottom line.
Propane offers construction professionals design flexibility to meet code and above-code recognition programs. For example, a builder who includes a propane tankless water heater and high-efficiency furnace can scale back on window efficiency or avoid costly design changes to add thicker insulation. Because of its efficiency levels, propane-powered appliances can also be integrated into Zero Net Energy projects to further lower a home’s annual energy consumption, as measured by the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index.
With an all-propane home, you’ll enjoy greater efficiency and energy savings compared with all-electric homes. Propane also offers comfort, reliability, and peace of mind for your family.
Yes. Propane is used in 48 million households for home heating and water heating, indoor and outdoor cooking, clothes drying, fireplaces, backup power, and outdoor living.
Before you call us, go through the troubleshooting steps below to make sure a service call is really needed. It will save you the cost and inconvenience of an unnecessary service visit, and will ensure our technicians are working where they are most needed.
If at this point you still don’t get heat, call P. Gagnon & Son immediately.
When a service technician arrives, let him know everything you did to the system before he begins working on it. You should also let him know if anything out of the ordinary happened, like an unusual noise, a strange smell or smoke.
In many cases, this will help the technician find the problem—and get your heat back on again—faster.
Heat is generated by burning oil or propane inside the furnace. This happens in the combustion chamber, which gets very hot. Air absorbs this heat in the furnace’s heat exchanger. Next, the blower sends the heated air through a system of ducts, and warm air circulates through the home.
Heat is generated by burning oil or propane inside the furnace. This happens in the combustion chamber, which gets very hot. Air absorbs this heat in the furnace’s heat exchanger. Next, the blower sends the heated air through a system of ducts, and warm air circulates through the home.
The basic heating principle is the same. The difference is that a furnace heats air and a boiler heats water. With a boiler, a circulator pumps the hot water through a system of pipes, distributing the water to radiators, baseboards or air handlers throughout the home. Some boilers are designed to create steam, which circulates by means of a system of pipes. The pipes are connected to steam radiators throughout the home.
The heat exchanger is the main component of your furnace. If the heat exchanger has a crack or a rust hole, combustion fumes (including carbon monoxide) can contaminate the air in your home. This is a potentially deadly situation and should be addressed IMMEDIATELY. A cracked heat exchanger usually requires replacing the entire furnace. If you suspect that you might have a cracked heat exchanger, or a carbon monoxide problem caused by your furnace, turn the system off immediately. Then call us right away for service.
There are two indicators of efficiency.
Different people feel comfortable at different temperatures. Pay less attention to the number on the thermostat display (or the position of the temperature indicator on a nondigital display) and more to how comfortable the room feels to you. When you feel comfortable, check the setting. That’s the right temperature for you.
Absolutely! Programmable thermostats are especially useful for people who are away from home at regular intervals. They allow for customized comfort settings around-the-clock, and they can cut heating and cooling costs by as much as 10%!
If you’re like many people, the frustration of an equipment breakdown can make it tempting to solve the problem with a quick-fix repair that doesn’t cost you a lot of money. That way you can get on with your busy life in relative comfort. BUT, while a quick fix may be the least expensive solution in the short run, it may not give you the most value in the long run.
It’s a fact of life: Older systems are more likely to break down. That means a bigger chance of emergency service calls and repairs—and paying for them. Worse, a breakdown could mean extensive damage to your home (no heat on a cold winter day can allow your pipes to freeze).
There’s also an ongoing cost factor. Repairing an old system can only restore it to something less than its original level of efficiency. After you’ve recovered from the repair bill and the frustration of a system breakdown, you’ll still be battling high energy bills. What’s more, even if a system doesn’t break down, it loses efficiency as it ages. A 15-year-old system doesn’t operate anywhere near the efficiency it had when it was new!
Plus, when compared with modern, technologically advanced equipment, 15-year-old heating and cooling systems are considered inefficient by today’s standards. The average homeowner can save up to 40% on heating and cooling costs with new high-efficiency equipment.
Here are some rules of thumb to help you decide whether to replace or repair.
Replace your system if:
Repair your system if:
Don’t wait for an emergency breakdown—like losing your heat in the middle of the night when temperatures are below zero.
Proper design and replacement of heating systems requires thought and planning. Not all models are in stock and immediately available. It is better—and most times less expensive—to schedule equipment installations in the off-season when we have the luxury of time and warm weather.
