Definition
Propane heating is home heating that burns propane, also called liquefied petroleum gas or LP gas, in a furnace, boiler, wall heater or the backup furnace of a dual-fuel system. Propane is stored as a liquid under pressure in an on-site tank and refilled by delivery truck. Natural gas furnaces need a manufacturer conversion kit to burn it.
Also called: LP gas heat, Propane furnace
Why it matters to you.
Propane is common in rural Boyle, Lincoln, Garrard and Mercer county homes beyond the reach of natural gas lines, so tank level and delivery timing matter before a January cold snap. Propane vapor is heavier than air, so a leak can collect in a basement or crawlspace, where many Central Kentucky furnaces sit.
Practical guidance.
Watch the tank gauge, schedule deliveries before you run low and learn the rotten-egg odor added to propane; if you smell it, leave the house and call your propane supplier or 911 from outside. Fuel conversions and gas valve, regulator and piping work are licensed technician work.
About this definition
Written by the Feistritzer Heating & Air Conditioning team — family owned and operated in Danville since 1976, Kentucky HVAC license M02584. Definitions inform; a whole-system diagnosis in your home decides.