If you have a fireplace in your home, there are some different fuel sources you can use. Most fireplaces use wood, but many newer fireplaces run on natural gas. There also is a growing trend of using propane fuel for fireplaces. There are many reasons to have a propane fueled fireplace.
One of the main reasons to use propane for a fireplace is the increasing use of propane as the main fuel source in homes. About 16% of the nation’s more than 6 million manufactured and mobile homes use propane as their main heating fuel, and it also is popular as a main fuel source in rural homes. If propane is your main fuel source, your will get your heat from propane, do your water heating with propane, and if you want a fireplace, it will have to run on propane too.
Another reason to use propane as a fireplace fuel is its ease of use. It’s an especially good choice if you want to add a new fireplace to your home. If you use gas, you have to put the fireplace somewhere near a gas line or go through the very expensive process of extending a gas line. But since propane can be stored in portable tanks, you can put a propane-fueled fireplace just about anywhere in your home and do it cost effectively.
There are other benefits to using propane for your fireplace fuel as well. Propane is fairly cheap as a fuel and may be cheaper than using natural gas for your fireplace depending on the time of year. Propane, like natural gas, also is mostly domestically produced. About 90% of all propane comes from U.S. sources, and another 7% comes from either Canada or Mexico. That makes it a very stable and secure energy source.
Of course, propane is a good fuel source for many other things in your home besides a propane fueled fireplace. Residential propane service can provide heat, water heating and even power some gas-powered appliances. Propane also is used to power space heaters, and it also is the most common fuel source for the gas grills that people use on their porches and decks. Propane is a bit safer than gas and also is likely to cause less damage than gas if there is a malfunction and explosion.