3 COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PROPANE

If you ask people what they know about propane, most often the answer will be about propane and BBQ grilling.

While grilling with propane is great, that’s just the beginning of what propane can do for you and your home here in the Hudson Valley and Catskills region.

Let’s dig into the three most common questions we get about propane, so you can learn more about this efficient, green and versatile fuel.

Q. What can I use propane for?

A. Just about any type of heating or comfort equipment inside your home — and outside as well! And propane will run that equipment better and more efficiently than other energy sources, especially electricity.

Here’s what propane can power:

• Home heating systems like furnaces and boilers
• Water heaters, both the conventional ones with a tank and tankless
• Fireplaces, fireplace inserts, gas log sets and freestanding stoves
• Clothes dryers
• Cooktops, ranges and ovens
• Patio and deck heaters
• Pool and spa tub heaters
• Outdoor BBQ grills
• Mosquito traps
• Whole-house backup generators
• Fire pits
• Outdoor gas lights

The trained and experienced professional service technicians at Bottini Fuel install, maintain and repair home heating and water heating equipment. We can also help you find the right equipment to fit your needs and your budget.

Q. Is propane safe to use in my home?

A. Propane is perfectly safe when used properly. Federal, state and local regulations, combined with strict propane industry standards, mean propane may actually be safer than other energy sources. Here are some key safety facts about propane.

• Most of today’s propane equipment comes with automatic shut-off if a problem develops
• Propane’s flammability rating is the lowest of any alternative fuel
• Propane cylinders like the one you use for your BBQ grill come with a device that lets them be filled only to 80 percent so the propane gas inside can safely expand in hot weather
• Today’s carbon steel propane tanks are 20 times more puncture resistant than tanks used for gasoline, ethanol or methanol
• An additive gives propane a distinct rotten-egg smell, making propane leaks easy to detect
• In the rare event of a propane leak, propane dissipates into the air with no mess, cleanup or damage to air, soil, water, plant life or aquatic life

Q. Is propane an expensive fuel?

A. Consider the total cost of ownership when it comes to comparing fuel sources. That means factor in not only the cost of the fuel itself, but the efficiency of the equipment it powers, the life expectancy of that equipment, among other things. Put all that together, and propane is one of the most cost-effective energy sources on the market.

Today’s high-efficiency propane equipment and appliances have efficiencies of as high as 98 percent. That means 98 cents of every dollar you spend on propane goes to what the equipment does (heating, water heating, etc.). Propane is also a clean-burning fuel. It’s easier on your equipment such as furnaces, boilers and water heaters, meaning the equipment will need less maintenance, fewer repairs, and will have a longer life expectancy.

Ready to enjoy the benefits of propane in your home? Contact Bottini Fuel and we’ll help you get started!