How Much Propane Will I Use This Summer?
When most people think of periods of heavy propane use, they think about the winter months, when they’re using propane to heat their Massachusetts or Rhode Island homes.
But there are plenty of propane appliances that continue to work hard throughout the summer – propane water heaters, for example, or propane outdoor living equipment such as built-in grills, propane fire pits, and pool heaters.
If you get a propane bill that’s higher than you expected this summer, you might assume you have a propane leak somewhere in your system. By all means check for warning signs of a propane leak – safety should always be your top priority, as it is for us – but most of the time you won’t have a leak. More often than not, you simply underestimated how much propane you would need.
Calculating Propane Use By Appliance
Keep in mind usage rates like these when you’re calculating the amount of propane you’ll use in the coming months (all values approximate):
- Pool Heater (average size about 21,000 gallons): = 4 gallons/hour
- Gas cooktop/range @ 65,000 BTU/hour = 5 to 10 gallons per month
- Built-in propane grill (four burner) = .75 gallons/hour (all burners on medium)
- Tankless water heater @40,000 BTU/hour = 1.5 gallons per day
- Gas clothes dryer @ 35,000 BTU/hour = less than one gallon per day when in operation
As you can see, those propane gallons add up quickly – so keep an eye on your propane gauge!
Better yet, let us do it for you: With our Automatic Delivery plan, you won’t have to check your propane tank gauge or remember to make an appointment or a propane delivery – we’ll simply estimate your delivery date based on your past use and the current weather, delivering your propane when your tank reaches about one-quarter full. Easy!
For reliable propane delivery in southeastern MA and northern RI, nobody beats W.H. Riley & Son. Contact us today to become a W.H. Riley customer!