With our cold winters, choosing a home heating system that’s both effective and efficient makes all the difference. When you compare propane to electricity, you’ll see that propane is often the smarter option—especially in our chilly, damp climate. Propane burns cleanly, produces fewer emissions, and delivers consistent warmth. Plus, when it comes to keeping your home comfortable without sending your energy bills soaring, propane can be a better bet than electric heat.
One question we are hearing a lot is how electric heat pumps compare to propane for heating.
Electricity is great for lights, computers, televisions, and some appliances. And heat pumps are touted as an efficient way to cool and heat your home, especially when central air is not an option. And they are great for cooling. And sure, they can be used for supplemental heat. But when it comes whole-house heating, they are just not as effective as a propane furnace or boiler. Particularly here in New England.
That’s because electric heat takes much longer to reach a comfortable temperature and maintain it—driving up your energy usage. And because electric heat pumps rely on outdoor air, the lower the temperature falls, the harder they need to work, and the more electricity they need to use to keep your home warm.
That means, even without our high electric rates, electricity costs you more. Think about how cold it gets around here, and imagine the impact on your utility bill.
Propane generates more Btus than an equivalent amount of electricity, and it delivers more than twice the Btus of natural gas, so you need much less propane to produce the same amount of heat or energy. It also works quicker. Propane water heaters work faster to heat your water than their electric counterparts. Propane clothes dryers can dry your laundry 25% faster than electric dryers and cause less static. Propane space heaters are also significantly more efficient than electric heaters.
Appliances that run on propane are extremely efficient and therefore cost less to run. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save $174 yearly just by using a propane water heater versus an electric one.
Propane is delivered to you by truck and safely stored in a tank at your home. That’s handy when a tree takes out the power in a storm. A propane generator can keep your house humming—and your heat on—no matter how long it takes for the utilities to get to you. In addition to heating your home, propane is great for cooking, drying your clothes, and heating your water. You can also use propane outside your home to BBQ, power a firepit, warm your deck or patio, light your outdoor space, and keep your pool or spa at just the right temperature.
There are a range of factors to consider when it comes to heating your home. Talk to the pros at Jack Corse Fuels. We can explain your options and help you make the best choice for your home.
There’s a reason folks in Lamoille and Franklin counties trust Corse Fuels for dependable propane deliveries, as well as tank installations, maintenance and more. We’ve got the knowledge, skills and resources and can answer all your questions about the benefits of propane for your home.
Contact us today to learn more.