It’s always a challenge to predict how much propane you’ll use in the summer. There are so many variables to consider, after all.
That’s especially true when you have several propane appliances in your Delmarva home. Weather, summer activities, travel plans, stay-cations, visiting family and friends, and more can each affect how much propane your home will use in a given season.
If you see a spike in your propane usage, you might worry that you have some sort of propane leak because of the increase in propane usage. If you truly do suspect a propane leak, have your system tested immediately. And if you don’t have propane leak detectors installed, we strongly recommend that you do. If you smell the distinct rotten-egg odor or propane, get everyone (including the pets) out of the house immediately and follow all propane safety instructions.
But in all likelihood, that increase in your propane usage (and your propane bill) isn’t being caused by a leak. It’s simply that you underestimated how much propane you and your family have actually been using.
Don’t want any more big surprises like that? We’ve put together some numbers that can help you keep better track of your propane usage this summer.
You are probably not running all your propane appliances at 100% for 24 hours a day. So, we’ve set up an example, which estimates propane usage for running them at 25% and 50% capacity for 2 to 6 hours per day.
The estimate for potential propane use can vary a great deal, between 1.2 and 7.2 gallons a day. Between more hot showers, more running of the dishwasher, and more laundry, company visiting for a few days can raise your propane usage way more than you’d think. Here’s an example of that:
For a gas water heater, clothes dryer, and range run at 25% capacity for 2 hours a day:
220,000 BTU/hours (the total for all the appliances) ÷ 91,547 BTU/gallon of propane = 2.4 gallons per hour
2.4 gallons x .25 (25% capacity) = .6 gallons per hour
.6 gallons x 2 hours = 1.2 gallons
This number can then be used to calculate greater use of propane appliances:
If you have a propane pool heater (at 425,000 BTU/hour) that operates for one hour a day at 75% capacity, which adds about 3.5 gallons to your daily usage:
425,000 BTU/hour ÷ 91,547 = 4.64 gallons/hour
4.65 x .75 = 3.48 gallons
Pool heaters use a lot of gas. That’s why we advise that you a swimming pool cover to help retain, as much of the pool’s heat as possible as not to leave it running more than it needs to.
Mother Nature can throw a wrench into your propane usage guesswork if you use a propane whole house backup generator. That’s because you don’t know when or if you’ll be using it in a power outage, or for how long. Keep track of any time your propane whole house generator is in use so you can prepare for any spikes in your propane delivery bills.
Make sure you know the size of your propane tank when doing your estimates too – it will help you have a good idea of just how much you have left after you crunch the numbers!
With Poore’s Propane, you can be assured that you’ll always have the propane you need this summer. Contact us to enroll in Automatic Delivery – and see what other convenient payment options are a good fit for you, including: SmartPay Budget Plans, Autopay, and more!
