If you’re looking forward to the crisp, cool nights of autumn, we’re right there with you. But while a little nip in the air makes for great “sleeping weather,” you want to be sure your heating equipment is ready for the colder winter temperatures soon to follow. If your heating system wasn’t pulling its weight last year—cycling more often to keep your home warm, burning through more fuel than usual, or even breaking down—you might even be thinking about an upgrade.
It’s smart to do it before the coldest months of the year settle in. if for no reason other than you don’t want to be caught in a deep freeze in the middle of the installation process. But there are other smart reasons to get the work done before the season changes, too. For starters, as we get deeper into fall, our team gets busier—so it’s harder to schedule a convenient time for your installation.
But did you know getting the work done before winter sets in could also help you keep heating costs more manageable?
A new heating system is a big investment. So, you want to make sure that you get a good return. With a new heating system, that means improved efficiency without sacrificing comfort from the second it turns on. That’s why many of our customers are thinking about the fuel they use to heat their home. And many of them are opting for clean, efficient, and versatile propane.
Propane generates more Btus than an equivalent amount of electricity, so you need much less propane to produce the same amount of heat or energy. Also, propane appliances are very efficient as well, so they waste very little fuel in the combustion process. On the other hand, about two-thirds of the energy used by a power plant to generate and transmit electricity is wasted.
In other words, propane can offer more bang for your buck, all while protecting the environment and keeping your heating costs as low as possible. It’s a win-win for customers who care about the environment but also want to keep costs under control.
There’s a lot of talk about the virtues of electricity for powering and heating our homes. The problem is, not all heating systems work in all climates. Electric heat pumps are getting a lot of buzz—and they can be effective in some areas of the country. But they deliver heat at or below your normal body temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, and when the temperature drops below 25 or 30 degrees, they become incredibly inefficient.
As you’d expect, that really won’t cut it during a Vermont winter. Propane furnaces deliver a warmer, more comfortable heat, regardless of the outdoor temperature. In addition, many high-efficiency propane furnaces are two-stage or variable speed units, so they will deliver more consistent and steady heat, too.
Because propane is so efficient, it’s a smarter choice than electricity for a wide variety of appliances in addition to heating your home.
For example, propane water heaters generate much more hot water at a cheaper cost per gallon. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, homes that heat water with propane rather than electricity can see average annual savings of $174. Those savings can add up, especially as electric costs are going up, even as gas and propane prices are starting to moderate.
If you’d like more information about how a propane heating system can help you keep heating costs down without sacrificing comfort, contact us today. We offer everything from furnaces to water heaters—and are locally owned and operated right here in Woodstock, Vermont!
