No one knows better the importance of a reliable source of fuel than someone who's been caught without. Regional power grid interruptions over the last few years have resulted in a boon for the generator industry, fueled, no pun intended, by consumers who want backup power in case of emergencies.
If you want to insure that you have a clean, reliable power source the next time there's a big storm, power hiccup or weekend getaway in your future, check out the advantages of propane generators. Having one of these systems in place can protect that freezer full of meat in your basement, or insure that you have hot water the next time the winds blow . . .hard.
The Advantages of Propane Generators
Propane is a Clean Fuel.
From small backup units to larger, stand-by propane power stations, using propane is a cleaner energy solution. Propane releases about 80 percent less particulate matter and 40 percent less carbon monoxide into the air than gasoline. Above and beyond their much smaller carbon footprint, propane generators are safe to use.
One of the big selling points of gas generators is that you can refill them yourself, but that's also one of the biggest hazards. Gasoline spills from refueling can make you sick and worse; spilled gas not only pollutes your air, soil and groundwater, it's a significant fire hazard. With propane, you switch out the tank and you're done.
If you keep a backup tank on hand for a while, it's not a problem, either. Propane is a stable fuel, unlike gasoline, which starts to breakdown within a relatively short time. If you have a reserve tank, or don't empty a tank at the end of a season, it'll be safe to store it for a few months until you need it again. It's another story with gasoline, which will need to be used or purged and disposed of.
Propane is Cost Effective.
Although the numbers support the fact that gas generators cost somewhat less to fuel, the stats can be deceptive. Consumer Reports cautions that gasoline powered generator manufacturers overstate run-times for their models. The general rule here is that a gallon of gas will produce 125,000 BTUs of energy, while a gallon of propane will produce 91,000 BTUs.
Depending on the relative cost of gas to propane, gasoline would be a better choice if there weren’t other factors to consider. Gasoline generators will typically have a shorter useful life than propane generators, and even though propane generators may cost a little more to install, the costs involved are pretty close once you factor everything in.
Beyond utilizing a clean, safe and cost effective fuel source, propane generators are easy to use. A reserve, or large stand-by tank, will be waiting in case of an emergency, but try to get a few gallons of gasoline in a power outage. Fuel pumps don't work when the power's down, so your local gas station won't be filling your tank for the duration. The 12 to 18 gallons of gasoline a gas powered generator uses in a day will have to come from somewhere, and storing quantities of gasoline on your property can be a recipe for disaster.
When it comes to staying warm and powered up, play it safe with a propane generator.
S. Elliott - S. Elliott is a professional freelance writer with over 1,000 published articles on the web.
