Propane: A Whole-Home Solution

How does an all-electric home stack up against a dual-fuel home that is powered by both propane and electricity? All-electric homes are mistakenly touted as more energy efficient and better for the environment. However, the reality is that all-electric homes place enormous demand on the already-taxed electric grid and are at greater risk during power outages.

A recent Department of Energy report found that the U.S. power grid is facing significant energy challenges due to aging grid infrastructure and increasing demand for electricity (from homes, businesses, data centers, and AI), among other factors. By 2030, the electric grid will be unable to keep up with this demand and an increasing number of blackouts and brownouts will ensue, leaving homeowners in the dark.

All-electric homes are also more difficult to heat in the winter and require electrical service that can be two to three times larger than homes that incorporate propane. Builders can reduce residential electricity demands by specifying another fuel source, such as propane.

Offer Clients Energy Resilience

Choosing propane appliances over electric options reduces the electric demands of the home. Builders who specify propane-powered systems such as water heaters, furnaces, clothes dryers, cooking appliances, and fireplaces offer clients affordable comfort, improved efficiency, lower operating costs, and greater energy independence. This is because propane tanks provide the energy needed to operate these appliances, on-site and on demand, while the electric grid does not.

Propane homes require less amperage, which then allows for installation of smaller generators, lowering upfront costs compared to all-electric homes. For example, the remodeler of an Afton, Virginia, home avoided a $6,000 electrical upgrade by switching to propane-powered solutions. While the home already had a propane fireplace and cooktop running on an 80-gallon tank, the owners installed a propane tankless water heater and heat pump solution along with a 500-gallon underground tank.

Propane appliances freed up more than 50% of the electrical service capacity, reducing strain on the home’s electrical system, as well as the grid. The homeowners consumed 200% less electricity year-over-year in the month of February, as their usage went from 1,472 kilowatt hours down to 524. The homeowner can now install a substantially smaller and more affordable generator for backup use.

Find Greater Independence with Whole-Home Generators

Propane powered whole-home generators are another important factor in the energy resilience equation. They are a powerful, reliable way to protect homes and families from the risks and damages a power outage can cause. Propane generators are permanently installed. When power is lost, the generator turns on within 10 seconds via an automatic transfer switch, so electric systems like refrigeration and lighting are not disrupted.

Propane generators provide a quiet, efficient, clean source of power that can operate during power outages and interruptions, keeping clients safe, secure, and comfortable. And, because propane does not degrade over time like gasoline or diesel, the fuel supply is more stable and reliable.

Guide to Sizing Generators for Builders

When incorporating propane generators into design plans, it is vital to ensure the generator is sized correctly for the home. All-electric homes have higher electricity demand, therefore need a larger generator. Homes that incorporate propane generally require a smaller sized generator.

For customers interested in whole-home standby power, choosing as many propane appliances as possible allows them to cut the capacity and cost of their whole home generator compared with an all-electric home. This can equate to thousands of dollars in savings. For example, a 3,200-square-foot home powered by both propane and electricity requires a 16kW standby generator. The same-size all-electric home needs a 22kW standby generator.

Right-sizing a generator requires calculating the generator power or total wattage required based on the appliances and systems it will power. When critical systems such as space heating and water heating are fueled by propane, the standby generator can typically be downsized — and made more affordable — because it isn’t running power-hungry electrical heating appliances.

Whole-Home Energy Upgrade

With electricity prices skyrocketing and an increasingly unstable grid, there’s no better time to give clients a whole-home energy upgrade. Balance their electric consumption with propane-powered appliances that provide more comfort, efficiency, and resilience. To learn more about propane as a whole-home solution, check out this course in The Learning Center – Residential Generator Sizing.