Propane vs. Electricity: The facts

You may not know this, but just about any home comfort equipment that runs on electricity in your Delmarva home can also run on propane – and more than that, it will usually operate more effectively, economically, and with less environmental impact than it’s electric powered equivalent.

Consider this toe-to-toe comparison of electricity and propane*:

• When you consider the total cost in energy to produce each fuel (energy consumed to extract, produce, process, and transport it to the point of use), propane is 87 efficient; electricity is 32 percent efficient.
• You need 27 KW hours of electricity to produce the same amount of energy as burning a single gallon of propane.
• A propane water heater can heat water almost twice as fast as an electric water heater; that means faster recovery times for hot water in your home.
• On average, propane water heaters cost 30 percent less to operate than electric ones—up to 50 percent less if you use a tankless propane water heater.
• Overall, a propane tankless water heater produces about half the carbon emissions than storage-type electric water heaters.
• The average home saves about $174 a year using propane vs. electric water heaters, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (D.O.E).
• Today’s clean-burning, high-efficiency propane furnaces can operate at 95 percent efficiency or more. If electricity is produced by a coal-fired power plant, more than half the energy used to produce and deliver your energy is wasted.
• The average lifespan of a propane gas furnace is about 20 years; the average electric heat pump? About 13 years, according to the D.O.E.

Still using electric appliances? Consider making the switch. Our experts install, maintain, and repair propane gas-fired boilers, furnaces and water heaters – contact us today to learn more!

* Sources: National Propane Gas Association; Propane Education Research Council, unless otherwise stated.