The amount of propane you need depends on several factors related to:
- The size of your home and family—The larger your home, the more heat and cooling needed. A larger family means more cooking, more hot water for showers, laundry, and dishwashing.
- The nature of your business—A small office building may only need heating, cooling, and hot water. A large manufacturing building or warehouse may need to fuel forklifts, as well as provide temperature control. An agricultural operation has more varied needs.
The good news is that the Paso Robles propane provider, Wildhorse Propane & Appliance, can calculate your needs for you and recommend the appropriate-sized tank (or tanks).
DIY propane usage calculations
There is a formula to use to calculate propane usage yourself, if you are up to the challenge!
To calculate your propane needs:
- Total the hourly BTU rating of your propane-fueled appliances.
- Divide that total by 91,500 (which is the BTUs in one gallon of propane).
- Multiply that quotient by the hours of daily use (as close as you can estimate).
- Multiply the quotient by the number of days in your billing cycle.
- The multiplication product is your estimated total gallons of propane.
A BTU (British thermal unit) is a measure of heat. It was originally defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. Uses include measuring the amount of heat an air conditioner can remove from a room per hour, the amount of heat furnaces and heaters can produce in an hour, the rate of heat output by stoves and ovens, and measuring the total energy value of fuels, like propane.
What size propane tank do you need?
Residential and commercial propane tanks come in sizes from 120 gallons to 1000 gallons. The tank is filled to 80% of its capacity to allow the liquid propane room to expand or contract with temperature changes.
Here’s an idea of the capacity of propane tanks supplied by the Paso Robles propane service:
- 120-gallon tank (120 x .80 = 96) is ideal for one or two small appliances, such as a water heater or fireplace.
- 250-gallon (250 x .80 = 200) supports a modest home for limited appliances like a clothes dryer, stove, and limited heat use.
- 325-gallon (325 x .80 = 260) is adequate for smaller homes with a slightly higher BTU load.
- 500-gallon (500 x .80 = 400) is the standard for whole-home heating, central furnace and multiple everyday appliances.
- 1000-gallon (1000 x .80 = 800) provides propane for large residential estates, commercial operations, and agricultural applications.
Shopping for your propane tank
More good news is that you don’t have to shop! Wildhorse Propane delivers and installs your tank for you, and you can purchase or lease from them as well. Providing propane tanks to its customers is part of the quality service by Paso Robles propane provider.
Wildhorse Propane & Appliance has been providing propane and associated services since 1980. The local, family-owned business:
- Delivers propane to customers in Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Cruz counties.
- Provides regularly scheduled deliveries for residences, and commercial and agricultural operations.
- Inspects the tank at each delivery.
- Repairs or replaces propane tanks.
- Installs underground gas lines.
- Calculates your propane needs.
- Delivers and installs propane tanks.
- Provides online propane account management.
- Offers sales of a variety of leading appliances in the King City showroom.
- Delivers and installs the appliances.