If you heat with propane, the furnace or boiler uses most of it. Everything else in the house is a distant second. Here is how the appliances rank, roughly from the most fuel to the least.
1. Furnace or boiler
Heat is usually well over half of a home’s yearly propane, and nearly all of it is burned between November and March. The size of the house, the insulation and the thermostat setting matter more than anything else. Turning the thermostat down a couple of degrees and sealing drafts are the cheapest ways to save gallons.
2. Water heater
The water heater runs every day of the year, which makes it the second largest user in most homes. A tankless unit heats water only when a tap is open, so it uses less than a tank that keeps 40 or 50 gallons hot around the clock.
3. Pool and spa heaters
These are seasonal, but they are big. Heating a pool for a few weeks in May or September can use more propane than the kitchen does all year. A cover makes a real difference.
4. Standby generator
A generator uses almost nothing most of the year, just a short test run each week. In a multi-day outage that changes fast: a whole-house unit under load can burn a couple of gallons an hour. If a big storm is in the forecast, check that the tank is not low.
5. Dryer, fireplace, range and grill
These are the small users. Even a range that gets used every day burns very little. A fireplace depends entirely on how often you light it.
What changes your number
- How cold the winter is
- The size of the house and how well it is insulated
- The age and efficiency of the equipment
- How many people live there, which drives hot water and laundry
Planning your deliveries
If your heat runs on propane, expect to use several times more in January than in July. On automatic delivery we track the tank with a monitor, at no charge, and schedule the fill. If you call in your own orders, call when the gauge reads about 30 percent.
Quick answers
What uses the most propane in a home? The heating system, by a wide margin.
Does a propane water heater use a lot? It is usually the second largest user because it runs every day.
Does a propane stove use a lot? No. Cooking is one of the smallest uses.
Current prices are on our propane delivery page. For help estimating what your house will use, call (203) 265-4328.
