Many things can affect just how much propane you need to properly heat your home. One big factor is the climate. Another is the size of your home. So, let’s say you have a 2,000 square-foot-home. On average, you’d need about 73 gallons a month to heat a home of that size. But there are a lot of other factors that can affect that number, too.
If your home is well-insulated, your home will retain heat better, thus improving efficiency and using less propane to stay warm. On the other hand, if your home is prone to drafts, as much as 35% of the air you are paying to warm can escape—and that goes for cool air in the summer, too! Not only will you need to burn more propane to make up for the loss of heated air, but your heating system also needs to work a lot harder to keep up.
A brand-new home with a high-efficiency furnace or boiler might use less propane, while an older, draftier house with less-efficient equipment might need to burn more propane to keep you and your family comfortable.
Keep in mind that most homes using propane for heating also use it for other appliances, such as water heaters, ranges, fireplaces, and clothes dryers. Generally, water heaters need about two-thirds of a gallon per day—but high-efficiency tankless water heaters can use less. How much propane you need for those other appliances can depend on variables like how much you cook and how many people are home and can change depending on the season.
Here in Ulster, Duchess, and Sullivan Counties of New York State, we can count on a pretty cold winter, with cold snaps as early as late October. That means you’ll be running your heating system for at least six or seven months. But the water coming into your home is colder in the winter, so your water heater may need to work even harder to do its normal job. If you have a gas fireplace, consider whether you are using it regularly for supplemental heat or more occasionally, when entertaining or for ambiance.
A great way to estimate how much propane you’ll need—and how much you should budget for—is to look at your bills for the past few years. Maybe make a spreadsheet and include average temperatures for the season.
Or you can simply and easily take advantage of our Worry-Free Budget Plan, where we do the calculations for you! We use the previous two years’ worth of fuel records to predict what your usage will be for the following year. If you’re a new customer, we can make an estimate based on the size and style of your home and the type of equipment you have. We’ll then spread that total cost evenly throughout the year—we can also account for equipment protection plan costs in this monthly budget payment, too!
Combine that with our convenient automatic delivery service and you don’t have to keep tabs on your propane level OR schedule deliveries. It doesn’t get any easier than that!
Not everyone has predictable usage patterns. Maybe you own a rental property with varying stays. Maybe you’re a snowbird who goes south to the Carolinas or Florida for the winter. In either case, our wireless tank monitoring system gives you the ability to check your tank level from anywhere, at any time. And when levels are low, our Odata tank monitor will let you—and us—know it’s time for delivery without you having to do a thing. It all but eliminates the worry of runouts.
Nowadays, everyone is looking for ways to better manage their energy costs. Let the pros at Depew Energy help! We can help assess your needs and show you your options if you think you’re burning through more propane than you think you should be.
From our budget-friendly payment plans to expert technicians who can help maintain your equipment and keep it running efficiently, Depew has options and expertise to help you save money—all while keeping your home and family more comfortable. Contact us for more info today.