Saturday, August 15, 2015

Going Green With A Propane Tank

By Cath Buhr


Using propane as your main source of household fuel is an excellent way to improve energy efficiency, and it also is a clean, green fuel. While it's true that propane is a byproduct of petroleum refining, many people simply are not aware that propane is listed as a clean fuel and not a greenhouse gas.

We all know the environmental hazards of using coal or wood to heat our homes, and nuclear power produces toxic waste, not to mention the disasters that potentially can occur at a nuclear power plant. Even natural gas, if it leaks, is highly damaging to the environment. With propane, you won't damage the environment nor will you be tied to the grid. If you combine propane use with solar energy, this can be all you might need to truly live a greener lifestyle. Of course, propane tank prices and the cost of filling up a tank is something to consider. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to find low propane prices and save money.

Propane prices change all of the time, but they tend to be much lower during the summer. This is when the demand drops because people simply don't need to use as much propane. However, other issues can affect propane prices. For instance, fluctuations in the price of petroleum can cause propane prices to rise or fall as well. If you shop when propane prices are low, you can fill up your propane tank for a very reasonable cost.

Getting the best propane prices is always important, but when you first sign up for propane delivery, you will need to get a propane tank. You can lease them and this costs very little, however, customers must purchase all of their propane from the company that leases them the tank, so buying a tank can be a better option. One way to get the best propane tank prices is to search for a company that sells refurbished tanks. In addition, some propane suppliers offer a free tank if you purchase a large amount of propane up front. Simply be sure to buy your propane when propane prices are quite low, and you can get a great deal on a tank and also have plenty of fuel.

While you can shop around for the best propane prices, it is important to understand the quality of the propane that you are buying. There is HD-10 propane and HD-5 propane, the latter of which is the highest quality propane available to consumers and is a purer form of propane than HD-10. Even if you can find low HD-10 propane prices, it is still wisest to only buy HD-5 propane. It burns cleaner and hotter and is more fuel efficient and contains more pure propane, which is what you really want.

There are plenty of ways to also reduce the amount of propane that you use, and these energy saving tips can help you save money, as well. For instance, if you have a propane heater, install a programmable thermostat to ensure that you don't use up propane when you aren't at home. These thermostats cost about $100, sometimes more or less, but they can be set to regulate the temperature of your house every hour of the day. Also check out the insulation in your attic and around your water heater and make sure you have enough to lock in heat and air conditioning. Sealing up drafts near windows or doors also helps lock in heat and cold and helps you conserve propane. Reducing your energy use is an excellent way to maintain a greener lifestyle in general, so be sure to turn off lights, take shorter showers and unplug televisions and computers when not in use.




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