Gain some important insight into just how much fuel you use!
Figuring out just how much propane you use on a month-to-month basis is a great way to better predict—and manage—your propane costs.
However, your propane use can vary greatly depending on how you use propane—as well as what time of year it is. Look over your propane statements from the last year (which is easy to do when you have an Advanced Propane online account!) and you’ll see those variations for yourself.
Once you see those trends, you’re well on your way to figuring out how, and why, your usage fluctuates as much as it does. But let’s get even more specific. We’ll take you through a common propane-powered household and break down how much fuel—on average—it utilizes daily, so you can apply these numbers to your own residence!
How to Calculate Your Propane Usage
Because you are not likely to be utilizing all your propane appliances at 100% capacity, 24/7/365, the calculation below is for using them at 25% to 50% capacity for two to six hours a day.
The numbers in this table demonstrate how much your propane usage can vary a great deal, from as little as 1.2 to as much as 7.2 gallons each day. The variables here include having guests or visiting family for a few days, which can increase your propane usage thanks to utilizing more hot water for laundry and bathing, as well as your propane range getting more elongated use cooking larger meals.
Don’t want to run through the arithmetic? Skip to the bottom of the post to see some average totals!
Otherwise, here’s an example:
220,000 BTU/hours (the total for all the appliances—water heater, home heating system, dishwasher, washing machine, gas cooktop) ÷ 91,547 BTU/gallon of propane = 2.4 gallons per hour
2.4 gallons x .25 (25 percent capacity) = .6 gallons per hour
.6 gallons x 2 hours = 1.2 gallons
This number can then be used to calculate greater use of propane appliances:
25 percent capacity for 6 hours = 3.6 gallons per day
50 percent capacity for 2 hours = 2.4 gallons per day
50 percent capacity for 6 hours 7.2 gallons per day
In summer, a propane pool heater (at 425,000 BTU/hour) that operates for one hour a day at 75% capacity would add about 3.5 gallons to your daily usage:
425,000 BTU/hour ÷ 91,547 = 4.64 gallons/hour
4.65 x .75 = 3.48 gallons
Because propane pool heaters consume a lot of propane, we recommend utilizing a pool cover when the pool isn’t in use to help keep as much of the heat in the pool as possible.
Because you can’t predict if—or when—you’ll be using it, a propane generator can additionally impact your propane usage calculations.
Propane Usage Based on Household Square Footage
1,000 square feet will use an average of 440 gallons on an annual basis.
1,500 square feet will use an average of 670 gallons each year.
2,000 square feet will consume up to 900 gallons on an annual basis.
With 3,000 square feet or more, you can expect to use 1300+ gallons or more per year.
Propane Usage Based on Appliance Type
A furnace will use about 1,000 gallons a year.
Your hot water heater will use an average of 250 gallons per year.
You can expect a gas fireplace to go through about 200 gallons annually— depending on use.
Propane stoves use about 35 gallons annually.
A clothes dryer will average 20 gallons annually.
No matter how much fuel you use, you can enjoy the benefits of efficient propane in your home with Advanced Propane! Contact us today to get started on adding a new propane-powered appliance, or to have us take care of your installation, service and repair needs—fast!
