How Many Gallons of Propane Does It Take to Heat a House?
One industry source citing the EIA puts the average household at about 750 gallons of propane for October–March, while another puts furnace heating at roughly 1,000–3,000 gallons a year depending on home size and climate. The range is wide, so calculate yours.
The formula
One gallon of propane holds 91,452 BTU (EIA). For a home that needs 50 MMBtu of delivered heat in a season:
| Furnace efficiency | Gallons |
|---|---|
| 80% | 683 |
| 85% | 643 |
| 95% | 576 |
At an example $2.78 per gallon, 643 gallons costs about $1,790. The same heat from firewood would take about 3.6 cords; see is firewood cheaper than propane?
Switching from heating oil?
A gallon of heating oil holds 138,500 BTU, about 1.51 times a gallon of propane. At equal efficiency, 800 gallons of oil equals roughly 1,210 gallons of propane.
FAQ
How much propane does a furnace burn per hour?
A furnace with 100,000 BTU per hour input burns about 1.1 gallons per hour while running, but it cycles on and off so the daily total is lower.
Why is my usage higher than average?
Colder climate, poor insulation, a larger home and extra uses such as a water heater or dryer all raise it.
How long will my tank last at that usage?
Use the tank duration calculator.