Heating Your Home with Propane
Propane furnaces offer you warmer air than electric heating systems. A gas furnace heats air to about 120°F and operates in short intervals to minimize operating costs. An electric heat pump produces heat below body temperature, so the air actually feels cool when placing your hand in front of a vent.
People Warm Up to Propane Very Quickly.
A propane furnace can heat air up to 25 degrees warmer than electricity.- A propane furnace emits nearly 70% less CO2 than an electric furnace (Energetics, June 2007).
- Propane produces significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions per Btu than electricity in its life-cycle (Energetics, June 2007).
- Propane furnaces last 15-20 years — that’s 5-10 years longer than electric heat pumps, on average.
- Propane heating systems can be vented vertically or horizontally, eliminating the need for chimneys.
- New propane furnaces are smaller than previous models and provide greater placement flexibility.
- Propane can keep your home warm and comfortable during electrical power outages.
- Ultra-efficient propane heating equipment can be used in forced air or standard hydronic and in-floor heat applications.
- Propane radiant heat can improve air quality in a home by cutting down on dust and allergens.
Propane Space Heaters: Warmth and Efficiency
Vent-free, propane-fueled space heaters are incredibly efficient. In fact, based on manufacturers’ data, they’re 99.9 percent efficient.
These heaters also include a smart-safety feature called an oxygen depletion sensor. This device protects against the dangers of carbon monoxide by automatically turning off the heater if oxygen levels drop below specified thresholds. Some models also offer thermostats and heat distribution blowers for more efficient operation.
Don’t Heat up the Environment.
Mother Nature also prefers propane-fueled space heaters. They produce fewer air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions than space heaters using fuel oil.
Residential Space Heating Facts
Tons of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Released Per Year
Source: Energetics, June 2007*
*Estimated useful heat delivered by a propane furnace was 38 million Btu, and was based on an average energy consumption of 52.6 million Btu per year of propane in a region with 4000-5499 heating degree days (EIA 2001) after estimated average efficiency (15%) and duct losses (15%) were applied. Energy efficiencies based on the highest annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) reported in the GAMA Directory of Certified Efficiency Ratings (GAMA 2006) for gas and fuel oil furnaces with greater than 60,000 Btu-hour ratings. Assumed 100% conversion efficiency of electric heaters and electric furnaces.