What Is The BTU of Propane?

A look at the fuel’s efficiency

Let’s say you use propane to perform a specific job around your southeastern Massachusetts home. If this applies to you, your understanding may be that you, are, therefore, using gas. You are not wrong in making that assumption. However, there are specific differences between propane and natural gas. If you are curious to know what they are, W.H. Riley & Son can tell you!

The differences between propane and natural gas

One of the differences between propane and natural gas is how many British Thermal Units (BTUs for short) each one produces.

Natural gas makes about 1,012 BTUs of heat. One cubic foot of propane produces about 2,520 BTUs of heat. This means that propane produces considerably more heat unit-for-unit than natural gas goes. This helps explain why and how propane-powered appliances tend to be more efficient and work at a faster speed than their counterparts.

How else propane and natural gas differ

The BTU of propane and the BTU of natural gas is not the only difference between the two energy sources. Natural gas and propane also differ because:

• An odor is added to propane while it’s being made. This is intentionally done so that a propane leak or spill is easy to detect (it will smell like rotten eggs).
• You tend to get more value out of propane than you do out of natural gas thanks to the fact that it is a more efficient fuel.
• Becoming a propane customer is easy – all you need is a professional service to install a tank on your property, which is a fairly simple process. To utilize natural gas, you need a piping connection, which tends to be more complicated.
• Propane is the more environmentally friendly option when you compare it to natural gas.
  Propane is produced during the crude oil refining process. In fact, it is a by-product of either crude oil or natural gas. Natural gas is produced from sedimentary rocks.

Commonalities between propane and natural gas

Despite their fair share of differences, propane and natural gas do have certain things in common. Here are some similarities between the two energy sources:

• When they are in their natural form both propane and natural gas have no color or odor.
• Most appliances that can be powered with natural gas can also be powered with propane.
• Both propane and natural gas are alternatives to using electricity.

Additional facts about propane

Here are some additional and hopefully informative facts about propane:

• It is the only alternative fuel that is included under the 1990 Clean Air Act and the 1992 National Energy Policy Act.
• Not only does propane lose any of its efficiency over time, but also it never expires. Its shelf life is virtually limitless!
• A majority of the propane that is used in the United States is also produced here in the United States.

Propane from W.H. Riley & Son

Whether you need propane for your southeastern Massachusetts home or business, W.H. Riley & Son can help. After all, we are a full-service propane provider.

Contact W.H. Riley today to learn more about the propane services we offer around the area.