Propane heating: how it works and what to expect

What propane is and how it gets to a home

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) says most propane in the United States is produced as a byproduct of natural gas processing and oil refining.

Propane occurs naturally as a gas. The EIA says liquid propane takes up about 270 times less space than gaseous propane, so it is transported and stored as a liquid in pressurized containers. When you open the valve on a propane container, the pressure drops and the propane turns back into a gas as it leaves.

For homes, delivery is by truck. The EIA says tank trucks called bobtails deliver propane to storage tanks at homes and businesses. It adds that the average residential propane tank holds between 500 and 1,000 gallons of liquid propane. A household may need to refill its tank several times a year.

How a propane furnace fits into home heating

The Department of Energy (DOE) says furnaces usually heat your home with natural gas, oil, propane, or electricity.

In a home, propane can run more than the heater. The EIA lists heating the interior space, heating water, cooking, drying clothes, and fueling gas fireplaces and barbecue grills as home uses. It says residential propane use is highest in winter, mostly for space heating.

For how furnaces differ by fuel and design, see our guide to furnace types and efficiency.

Why some homes use propane instead of natural gas

The EIA says propane is delivered to storage tanks located at homes and businesses.

The EIA says households in rural areas use more propane than households elsewhere. It gives two reasons: many rural homes do not have access to natural gas service, and propane is a more versatile fuel than heating oil. It also says residential propane use generally occurs in non-urban areas where other heating fuels are limited or expensive. Those other fuels include electricity, heating oil, natural gas and wood.

The EIA's table of common home fuels describes propane the same way. It lists propane for home and water heating, cooking, and clothes drying, primarily in rural areas.

The EIA also notes one environmental point. Like all fossil fuels, burning propane produces some carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.

How common propane heat is in Florida

The EIA's 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey estimated about 8.06 million homes in Florida. Electricity was the main heating fuel for about 5.35 million of them. Natural gas was the main heating fuel for about 0.42 million. The table does not show estimates for homes that use no space heating or another fuel for space heating.

The survey did not publish a Florida number for homes heated mainly by propane. Its table marks that cell Q, which it defines as data withheld because either the estimate's relative standard error was too high under the survey's rule or fewer than 10 households were in the reporting sample.

The EIA's Energy use in homes page says homes in the South and mobile homes are most likely to only use electricity for home energy use.

For more on how Florida homes heat, see our guide to central heating in Florida.

Converting a furnace and who does propane work in Florida

Instructions for one furnace conversion kit, posted in Rheem's online literature archive, say the kit converts a natural gas furnace to a propane (LP) gas application.

The same instructions say the kit is to be installed by a qualified service technician, following the instructions and all codes having jurisdiction. They warn that failure to follow them could result in serious injury, property damage, or death. They also note that some local codes require licensed installation or service personnel for this type of equipment.

In Florida, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) says it is responsible for licensing individuals and businesses that sell, transport, dispense or store LP gas. It also licenses those that manufacture, install, service or repair LP gas containers, systems or appliances.

FDACS also inspects facilities where LP gas is sold or stored, and it investigates accidents involving LP gas or equipment. Its Category V LP Gas Installer license includes installing, servicing, designing, modifying, altering or repairing apparatus, piping, tubing, appliances, equipment and LP gas storage tanks.

Leaks, odor and carbon monoxide

Propane has no smell of its own. The EIA says it is naturally odorless, so a foul-smelling substance called mercaptan is added to help people detect gas leaks. In a 2017 recall, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned that failure to detect leaking gas can present fire, explosion and thermal burn hazards.

In that recall notice, the CPSC said consumers who smell even a faint odor of gas should immediately leave the building. They should call 911 or their gas supplier from a neighbor's phone. It also says not to light a match, turn on a light or switch on anything electrical.

Ready.gov, the federal emergency preparedness site, gives similar advice for natural gas. If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, it says to get everyone out quickly. It also cautions that if you turn off the gas for any reason, only a qualified professional can turn it back on.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says carbon monoxide (CO) is produced when fossil fuel is burnt. It also says gas- and oil-burning furnaces produce CO. It calls CO an odorless, colorless gas that kills without warning.

The CDC lists symptoms of CO poisoning including headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. It says infants, the elderly, and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or breathing problems are more likely to get sick from CO.

The CDC says to install battery-operated or battery back-up CO detectors near every sleeping area. It also says to have gas-burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year. The DOE adds that furnaces should be checked in the fall by a professional heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) technician. See our guide to carbon monoxide detector placement.