When it comes to your chosen home energy, efficiency is a considerable concern. An energy-efficient home tends to be more comfortable and affordable. Energy efficiency also helps the planet by limiting emissions into the atmosphere.
At Dixon Energy, we regularly speak to homeowners in Morristown, Rockaway, Randolph and other communities in our northern New Jersey service area about getting the most efficient home comfort. Many of these homeowners are choosing between propane and electricity. Here is a comparison of these home energy options to guide your decision.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a single gallon of propane generates 91,452 Btu of energy. A Btu, or British thermal unit, is the amount of energy needed to elevate the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. To generate 91,452 Btu from electricity, you’d need 27 kilowatt-hours of electricity.
Curious if propane heat is more affordable than electricity? You can compare the per-gallon cost of propane in your area to the kilowatt-hour rate on your electric bill multiplied by 27.
Propane heating systems have fuel efficiency ratings as high as 98.5% — you lose virtually no heat energy in combustion when heating your home. Additionally, propane furnaces can reliably deliver air heated to 120 degrees regardless of how cold it is outside. By contrast, many electric heat pumps, while efficient at heating in milder winter conditions, can struggle to achieve comfortable indoor temperatures when it’s freezing outside.
Now, consider your home’s water heater. A propane water heater that is new and properly sized to your house’s needs will have a hot water recovery rate of roughly double the speed of a comparable electric water heat. Tankless propane water heaters are even more efficient. A study performed by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) compared single-family houses that use electric storage tank water heaters and propane tankless water heaters. A house with a propane on-demand system saved about $355 per year on energy compared to the one with a traditional electrical unit.
Propane-powered dryers also outpace their electric counterparts, with much shorter cycles, fewer wrinkles and less static cling.
When considering how efficient an electric product is, you also need to consider how efficiently — and cleanly — your grid power is being produced and generated.
Americans lose roughly 60% of all energy used in electricity generation during conversion. Moreover, it takes 3.03 units of electricity to deliver one unit of energy to your home. By contrast, 1.01 units of propane can provide one unit of energy.
And New Jersey’s grid power is far from green. It still relies heavily on natural gas for generation and has a higher life-cycle carbon impact than propane. In short, propane-powered home comfort equipment is often more efficient, affordable, dependable and eco-friendly than electric alternatives.
Do you need dependable propane delivery to your northern New Jersey home? Contact Dixon Energy to become a customer.