4 Common Myths About Propane

For a fuel that’s been heating homes for more than a century, propane sure carries around a wagon-full of misconceptions in the minds of most people. We’re here to set the record straight so you don’t miss out on all the incredible things that propane can do for you in your Central Maine home.

Here are four common myths about propane gas, and the truth behind them.

Myth #1: Propane is camping and BBQ fuel.

Fact: Sure, propane can tackle those tasks (and do them well), but it’s capable of so much more than camping and cooking! Propane can power just about any appliance inside or outside your home, including your:

• Clothes dryer
• Indoor or outdoor fireplace
• Furnace or boiler
• Space heater
• Water heater
• Patio heater
• Spa or pool heater
• Cooking range
• Outdoor lighting
• Outdoor grill
• Backup generator

Believe it or not, there are even propane-powered refrigerators!

Best of all, propane will usually perform better than other energy sources (especially electricity) when it comes to powering these appliances – and no matter how many devices you have, they can be supplied with gas from a single, convenient propane tank.

Myth #2: Propane isn’t safe.

Fact: Propane is as at least as safe to use as any other home energy source – and safer than most. Consider these propane safety facts:

• Most propane equipment shuts off automatically if a there is a malfunction.
• The smell of propane makes a leak easy to detect – and if a leak does occur, the gas simply vaporizes, leaving no mess or cleanup.
• The entire propane industry is strictly regulated by federal DOT, OSHA, and EPA compliance codes, along with state and local fire and safety laws. Propane contractors (including ours) must undergo extensive training to ensure their work complies with every one of those laws and codes.
• Propane tanks and cylinders include a device that cuts off the filling process when the tank is 80 percent full – a safety measure designed to allow propane gas to expand harmlessly when a tank is in a hot environment (outside in the sun, for example).
• Propane has the lowest flammability range of all alternative fuels, and it won’t ignite until the air reaches 940° F. Even then, it must be combined with oxygen in particular ways to ignite.

Myth #3: Propane is expensive.

Fact: When you consider total cost of ownership, propane is one of the most cost effective home energy choices around. Propane heats fast and effectively, with many propane appliances reaching efficiencies of 98 percent – and because propane burns clean, your equipment will last longer and require fewer repairs and less maintenance.

Myth #4: Burning propane is dangerous for the environment.

Fact: Propane emits less than half the carbon of heating oil when burned, and less than electricity that has been produced by coal-fired generation plants. Propane is the only alternative fuel listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act and the National Energy Policy Act of 1992; neither the process by which propane is produced nor the combustion of propane gas produces significant acid rain contaminants. And because it is nontoxic and doesn’t pool, a propane leak cannot contaminate water or soil.

Considering converting to propane, or using propane appliances to supplement your current oil-fired heating system? We can help. Contact Murray-Heutz Oil and Propane today to learn more, or get a FREE, no obligation estimate on propane installations for your Maine home.