Propane vs. Natural Gas

November 30, 2017

Propane and Natural Gas are similar, but have significant differences as well.

While natural gas has historically been the default fuel for heating homes and powering appliances in the greater Seattle area, Propane has quickly been gaining in popularity. In some cases, natural gas isn't an option because the natural gas pipeline does not run in some areas outside the city limits. In these instances, most people are choosing propane because of it's similarities to natural gas. But as similar as propane and natural gas can be, there are also significant differences. If both are available in your area, we would encourage you to look at the pros and cons of both to determine which fuel is the best choice for your home.Ultimately you have the choice. However, since we are in the business of propane, here we will present our case for propane.

4 Reasons Why Propane is the Better Option

1. Efficiency
2. Propane contains more than twice the energy of natural gas as measured in BTU's. This means that on a per unit basis, you will get two times as much heat from propane as you will natural gas, which results in using less fuel.
3. Environmentally
4. Propane is clean burning and non-toxic or damaging to the environment, which makes it a "green fuel". Natural gas is a carbon product and a greenhouse gas which is very damaging to the environment. Want to reduce your carbon footprint? Choose Propane.
5. Versatility
6. Like natural gas, propane can be used for all appliances. These include cook tops, clothes dryers, fire places, barbecues, and even for heating your backyard swimming pool. However, the argument for propane here circles back to the BTU's and efficiency. Since Propane has twice as high of a BTU rating, it provides higher heat. This makes propane better for cooking, barbecuing, and running all your appliances more efficiently.
7. Flexibility
8. This day and age, people are wanting more and more control over their own energy supply. With natural gas, one does not have the option of choosing their provider. Depending on your neighborhood, you are forced to use whichever utility company supplies the natural gas through the pipeline to your house. In the case of propane, a storage tank on your property allows you to not only choose your provider, but also monitor your usage with greater accuracy. An increasingly common phrase these days is "going off the grid". While going off the grid is not as simple as choosing propane, it is one way people are able to allow themselves more options.