With all the raises in propane, gas, and electric prices, which now is the most cost effective? We burn a wood stove all winter, but our water heater is on propane. We’re thinking of switching to an on-demand electric water heater. Also, I’d like to have a gas stove instead of electric, but don’t know if it’s worth switching to propane and having to run a propane line to the stove. I live in central Illinois. (we don’t have Ameren).
Propane vs. electricity prices?
03
May
paulofhouston
May 3, 2010 at 7:21 am
Propane can be cheaper if you use space heaters(non forced air) but I think the main thing is a propane water heater or stove will last 10 times longer than an electric.Electric gets hotter (easier to burn food) but takes longer to reach that heat (propane boils water faster).
John L
May 3, 2010 at 7:29 am
In my own experience Propane will be more expensive than electric I use a 47 ltr propane cylinder and it costs me about £1.00 (approx $2.00) per litr and it doesn’t last very long, so unless propane is cheaper in you area I would be careful about changing.
LPG Guy
May 3, 2010 at 8:23 am
I’m in Ontario Canada and sell propane here…
We run cost comparison calculations all the time. Right now, for every dollar you spent heating with electricity you would spend $0.89 to heat with propane, $0.54 to heat with Natural Gas and $1.35 to heat with oil. The numbers are certainly going to be different in Illinois, but the ratios are probably pretty close…
On-demand water heaters are not as great as everyone thinks they are. They have some drawbacks. First of all, they are a single use appliance. What I mean is this… With a conventional water heater a person can be in the shower while the clothes washer is running and someone else is running hot water to wash dishes. Not with an on-demand unit. You will be splitting the heated water between the different loads so everyone gets warm water, not hot. Also they require very good water pressure and good water volume. Basically, they are a fairly small chamber of water with a very large burner underneath it. If you do not have good water volume available, you will just be boiling the water away in the chamber and it wont function properly.
On demand units are good when you have a very limited space available for your heater, but otherwise stay with a conventional gas water heater, you will be much happier with it, and it does not cost any more to operate.
I would never reccomend to someone to throw away a perfectly good appliance to put in a propane one, but as they wear out, certainly put your range and especially your clothes dryer on propane. They are cheaper to operate and much more efficient.