With all the things on your to-do list, you shouldn’t have to worry about how much propane is in your tank and when to call for a propane delivery. But if you feel like you have to order propane too often, you may need a larger tank.
Obviously, a bigger tank holds more propane, and more propane will last longer. Propane won’t spoil, like other types of fuel, so having too much isn’t a problem. But there’s no need to have the largest possible tank just to avoid runouts. Beeline’s convenient tank monitors and automatic delivery service eliminates any need to worry about running out of propane. So what’s the sweet spot when it comes to propane tank size? As with most things, it depends.
If you use propane to power an appliance or two, a 500-gallon tank could last as much as 14 months. If you use propane to heat your home, your water and run multiple appliances, you’ll probably need a fill-up every six to eight weeks. That’s based on data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which finds the average American home uses about 750 gallons each winter. Our heating season tends to be much shorter.
Of course, the age and efficiency of your heating equipment and appliances will make a difference in how much propane you need, but different appliances burn propane at different rates, regardless of how efficient they are.
Some appliances don’t use much propane. For example, a propane range only uses about 35 gallons a year. If that’s your only propane appliance, a 500-gallon tank will last 11 years. A propane fireplace uses about 200 gallons a year.
A traditional water heater burns about 1.5 gallons of propane a day, or about 200-300 gallons per year. A tankless water heater will use between a half a gallon and two gallons per running hour—basically, how long you are using hot water, since they heat on demand. Pool heaters use more propane, because they’re heating a lot more water.
One other factor: How many people are in your household? One or two people will use a lot less water for bathing, dishwashing and laundry than a big family.
One of the many benefits of running your home with propane is that you can also use propane to power a whole house generator. When storms bring down power lines, a stand-by generator goes on automatically, and can run key equipment or everything in your home. And the average 5000-watt stand-by generator will run for 7 to 10 days on a 500-gallon propane tank.
If your propane storage tank is too small, you’ll need to order propane too often—or risk the cost and hassle of runouts. Getting a big tank means you’ll need fewer refills—and you may be able to avoid or lessen the sting from price spikes. But, a bigger tank is, well, bigger: you’ll need space to bury it. And if it’s above-ground, a huge tank can be less attractive.
The experts at Beeline can help assess your needs and make sure you get a propane tank that makes sense for your home. Our tank monitors and convenient automatic delivery service help you streamline by eliminating the need to call for deliveries. Contact us for more information and to become a customer today.
If you have propane for your home, but you’re only using it for heating and cooking, you’re missing out on all the benefits this versatile fuel can deliver. The efficient power of propane means it’s a smarter choice than electricity for a wide variety of appliances that use hot water or heat, including washers and dryers, dishwashers, outdoor lighting, patio heaters, space heaters, pool and spa heaters, outdoor grills and more. Here are just a few of the ways propane can add value—and comfort—to your home.
Backup Power: Here in south Florida, hurricane season is no joke. Having reliable access to backup power can be a lifesaver, and it can add significant value to your home and even lower your insurance premiums. A propane-powered standby generator will come on automatically when the electricity goes down to keep your home running. There’s no need to line up for gasoline, and no need to wrangle equipment outside, maybe in the dark, during a storm.
Outdoor Living: When the weather is good, outdoor living is what South Florida is all about. Fire pits and fire bowls are an attractive focal point and gathering space for entertaining friends and family. Propane patio heaters can take the chill off the occasional chilly night, and propane-fueled pool and spa heaters will warm up water much faster than an electric heater, and maintain the temperature better once the water is warm.
Grilling: If you have a propane range in your kitchen, you already know that nothing beats the precision and control you get cooking with gas. That’s why it’s the first choice of professional chefs in the kitchen—but it delivers the same precise temperature control on the patio. A propane grill makes outdoor cooking as easy as turning on your kitchen cooktop: Flip a switch, turn a knob and set your heat level. There’s less waiting time, too, because a propane grill is hot and ready to go in about 10 minutes. Compare that to 30 minutes or more to get charcoal hot.
Indoor fireplaces: A propane fireplace brings all the ambiance and warmth of a wood-burning fireplace to any room, without the mess, smoke, and ash. And unlike a traditional fireplace, you can install a propane-fueled fireplace just about anywhere: living room, dining room, bedroom, even the kitchen. Imagine the luxe, spa-like glamour of a fireplace in your master bath!
Space heating: Propane wall and space heaters make it easy to heat spaces your heating system doesn’t reach—like additions, sunrooms, attics, workshops, and garages when unpredictable weather patterns result in unusually cold weather that most south Florida homes are not designed for.
Whether you are refurbishing your existing home, building your dream house, or just looking for ways to reduce your fuel bills, propane provides great value. Your team of pros at Beeline can answer all your questions, and help make adding propane appliances to your home easy.
Contact us today for more information.
In a challenging economic climate, it’s important to manage costs while maintaining the quality and service your customers expect. It’s true for everything from office supplies to major equipment upgrades. If you work with forklifts regularly, you may be looking for the best way to balance cost and performance as you update your fleet. Other than for extra-heavy-duty jobs and rugged outdoor terrain, your best options are between propane-powered forklifts and electric. Both options offer a cleaner-burning alternative to diesel-powered equipment. And, as we’ve seen recently, electric rates are rising due to increased demand, which levels the field compared to propane costs that can fluctuate with the market. Depending on how and where you operate forklifts—and what other equipment you operate, there are distinct benefits and downsides to either type of forklift.
Here’s our guide to the pros and cons of propane-powered forklifts vs electric forklifts.
Warehouse management, construction, and industrial facilities rely on forklifts. Let our team show you why propane-fueled forklifts will keep your operation running smoothly with minimal downtime. Beeline’s commercial cylinder exchange program ensures you always have full tanks on site and ready to go. Our expert team is here to support you and your business. We work with you to evaluate your needs and set you up with sturdy, safe storage cages.
From safety training to reliable delivery service, Beeline’s commercial propane team has the expertise to understand your specific needs and tailor a program that will grow with your business—and help your business grow, thanks to the efficiency and power or propane.
Contact us today to learn about how our propane forklift cylinder exchange can help your business!
When you’re in the hospitality business, providing your guests and clients with the best experience possible is essential. Training your team to offer great customer service from check-in to check-out is paramount, but behind the scenes, propane can help ensure you deliver a quality experience. Not just from the kitchen! Propane can help your resort, country club, hotel, and more earn great reviews and repeat business.
All that from propane gas? Yes. Here’s how:
Professional chefs prefer gas for cooking. Top chefs need the high heat and precision control they get from propane. It’s a key ingredient to turning out consistently great food. The temperature control makes it easy to time the finish multiple different dishes at once. The high heat lets them sear and cook quickly. It’s not just for fine dining—propane is also great for school and hospital cafeteria kitchens. Propane also provides great value: Propane costs on average 2.5 times less per Btu than heating with electricity, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. There’s a reason people say, “Now we’re cooking with gas!”
Propane is also ideal for powering mobile kitchens in food trucks, whether you’re serving up gourmet snacks or grilling up burgers.
Propane is excellent for heating water. Propane water heaters generate much more hot water at a cheaper cost per gallon. That makes them ideal for industrial laundry machines and commercial dishwashers, as well as for water heating for hotels and spas. Compact tankless propane water heaters can provide hot water to guest rooms on demand, rather than keeping huge tanks of water hot. Hospitals and nursing facilities have similar water-heating needs to hotels.
Propane enhances exterior spaces. Propane offers clean-burning, efficient and safe solutions for outdoor spaces. The same Btu-power that makes propane so good at heating water for bathing is ideal for heating pools and spas. Propane patio heaters keep outdoor dining areas comfortable, while propane firepits and fireplaces and even outdoor lighting, add ambiance to outdoor bars and lounge areas.
Propane for groundskeeping and back-of-house needs. Resorts and country clubs can make use of propane-powered groundskeeping equipment, from mowers and trimmers to maintenance vehicles and golf-carts, and even weed control. Propane can also help keep outdoor spaces mosquito free.
Most importantly, standby propane generators come on instantly to keep guests comfortable and safe, and keep essential systems operational in the event of a power outage.
Customers are paying attention to your carbon footprint—whether it’s paper straws instead of plastic, or an option to reuse towels, they want to know you care as much as they do.
When it comes to environmental impact, propane gas is a good choice. It burns cleanly, and produces minimal emissions. Propane also doesn’t harm soil or groundwater – an important factor when it comes to determining whether a fuel is “green.”
Propane is also made in the U.S.A. Propane is an American energy source. About 90% of the United States’ supply of propane is domestically generated. Most of it comes from the processing of natural gas.
Propane is an efficient, clean fuel that can help you deliver the service your customers expect. Want to learn more? Contact our commercial propane team. They can help evaluate your needs and show you all the ways propane can benefit your restaurant, hotel, spa or club.
What’s that smell? If you think you detect the odor of rotten eggs, skunk, or dead animal, you may have a gas leak. Propane is naturally odorless, so to make it easy to detect leaking gas, propane and natural gas distributors use an additive called mercaptan to give it a distinctive smell.
Mercaptan is a natural gas that is produced by decaying plants, animals, and humans (fun fact—it’s one of the compounds responsible for bad breath!).
One reason it’s used in propane and natural gas is that the human nose can detect it in extremely small quantities.
Make sure everyone in your home can recognize the odor. If you smell gas:
Here are some common safety tips you should recognize if you use propane in your household:
While it’s a highly flammable gas under certain conditions, leaks are rare and propane is a safe and clean-burning way to heat your home and water and run many of your appliances. As with any fuel, there are certain steps to take to ensure you and your home are safe and comfortable. Knowing what to do if you smell gas can help ensure the situation is resolved safely and quickly.
If you have any questions about this information or any other propane safety issues, contact us. We’re always here to help.
Propane run-outs are a hassle—but they are preventable! In fact, there are several ways to ensure you always have enough propane to run your appliances and heat your home and water.
All these methods are proven to be effective, but some ways require less effort and attention on your part. What’s more, the easiest ways to prevent a propane runout are also the most reliable! Here’s what you need to know:
The most basic way to avoid a propane run-out is to watch your tank gauge. It’s easy—if you’ve got the time.
Now, you don’t need to check every day. You can go through your past bills and calculate about how long it takes you to go through your supply, then mark your calendar for a week or two before you think you’ll next need to order propane.
As you get closer to that date, you’ll need to check your tank gauge more frequently. The goal is to call to schedule a delivery when the indicator shows your tank is down to no less than a third full. That ensures we have time to get you on our delivery route without making an emergency delivery.
Additionally, you need to keep aware of weather and other factors that might cause you to use more propane than normal. This may include something a party or gathering where you use your grill or outdoor patio heaters more than usual. It could also be a cold snap where you run your pool heater hotter, longer; even having more people at home taking showers or doing extra laundry can cause you to burn through more propane than usual!
Our convenient automatic delivery service lets you avoid all the hassles of watching your tank. We use a proven algorithm based on your usage patterns and the real-time weather conditions to determine when you will next need a propane delivery.
Of course, this system is based on consistent use. If your routine is regular, automatic delivery works like a charm. It also helps us keep our costs manageable because we can dispatch our delivery trucks more efficiently. But if you travel frequently—either because it’s a second home or you’re a snowbird, for example—automatic deliveries may not be as ideal.
The best option for most folks is a wireless tank monitor. What’s a wireless tank monitor? A wireless tank monitor tracks the level of propane in your tank in real time and transmits your usage via wireless cellular technology. When the tank gauge reaches a pre-set level, the monitor alerts us—and you—directly via the wireless mobile app.
When we get that notification, we’ll will set up a delivery—or if you prefer will-call service, you can let us know you need a fill up. In addition to being so easy, here are all the reasons a wireless tank monitor is a great way to avoid propane runouts:
A wireless tank monitor is easy to install, and we can have you ready to go in a matter of minutes! Contact us today to find out more about the benefits of wireless tank monitoring and how we can get you set up—100% hassle-free.
If you already use propane in your home, you’re probably well-versed in all the benefits it offers. And if you’ve just bought a home that uses propane, you’re about to find out!
From highly efficient heating to the precision of cooking on a gas range, to the ease and charm of a gas fireplace and the peace of mind of a backup generator, propane helps make your life more comfortable in a variety of ways. But what do you know about your propane storage tank? If your tank came with the purchase of your home, you might not even know how old it is. Does it need maintenance? When does it need to be replaced?
We’ll help you clear up some of that information.
Today’s propane tanks are built with safety and durability in mind. Aboveground propane tanks are designed to withstand the elements for 30 years or more before they need to be replaced, while some aluminum and composite cylinders can last even longer. On the other hand, underground propane tanks can have a shorter average life expectancy, between 20 to 30 years, depending on the soil type and whether the tank was installed properly.
If your tank has been installed correctly, it should require very little maintenance. That said here a few simple guidelines for keeping your tank in good shape. If it’s an above ground tank:
With an underground tank, one of the key benefits is that it doesn’t detract from your home’s curb appeal. It can also be safer, depending on your home’s location. But it’s a little harder to know if there are any problems.
Correct installation of an underground tank should include sacrificial anodes—typically, we recommend one bag per 500 gallons. Anodes absorb natural electric currents in the ground and water that would otherwise corrode and deteriorate your tank. In addition, you should have us perform regular maintenance and check regulators.
Sign up for automatic delivery—or ask us about Odata wireless tank monitoring service—to ensure you avoid the inconvenience and expense of a run-out!
As your reliable south Florida propane expert, Beeline Propane is here for you. We sell and install propane tanks and we’ll make sure your tank is installed safely.
Our team can help assess your needs and make sure you have the right size tank to service your home and all its various appliances. We can also help you determine whether an above ground or underground tank is better for your location and handle the installation in either case. If you need a new propane tank, contact us today for more information.
Initially, you may read this and ask yourself “Who needs a pool heater in Southern Florida?”
While it’s true that you may not need it on the hottest summer days, there are numerous benefits to having a heated pool. After all, if you use it for regular exercise, or want to take the chill out of the water during the months of December-February, you’ll be glad you have a pool heater!
Don’t worry—adding a pool heard will NOT turn your pool into a hot tub. But it will take the chill off, so you can enjoy your pool more year-round. Including in the evening and on those days when it does get a little chilly.
Here are the answers to the most common questions we get about pool heaters:
Propane is the most efficient choice for a pool heater because, with our warm climate, you don’t need to use a pool heater as often as an electric one. A propane pool heater will produce more heat, faster. This helps better manage your energy expenditure.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a propane-powered pool heater can achieve as much as 95% efficiency. Propane heaters also do a better job of maintaining the temperature once the water is warm. As a result, propane pool heaters help you keep heating costs under control while letting you enjoy your pool or spa more.
Propane pool heaters work much like tankless water heaters, which is why they are so efficient at heating your pool’s water quickly. Water passes through a combustion chamber where it’s rapidly heated by copper coils before it flows back into your pool.
An electric pool heater will take hours to bring the water to a comfortable temperature. They work more like a heat pump, pulling warm air in, heating it, and heating the water. And as the outside temperature gets cooler, an electric pool heater must work harder to heat the water—and keep it warm—which drives up your energy costs.
In addition to propane and electric pool heaters, you could opt for a solar pool heater. But there are drawbacks to this option unless you have a lot of space.
A solar pool heater requires an area equal to at least 50%, and up to 100%—and occasionally more—of your pool’s surface to work properly. The system needs to also be mounted on a framework in your yard or on your roof, plus, your pool’s pump must run the water through the system to heat it.
So, while solar energy is technically free (once you’ve paid for the system), you may see a big spike in electric bills as your pool pump works overtime moving the water through.
In addition to being a highly efficient way to heat water, propane is a clean-burning fuel, so you’ll save energy and reduce your home’s carbon footprint, too.
If you already use propane to heat your home, your water, or any other appliances, it’s the smart choice for your pool heater too. Beeline Propane offers convenient and reliable propane deliveries to help you take advantage of all the benefits of propane, both indoors and out! Contact us today for more information.
Warehouse management, construction, and industrial facilities rely on forklifts day-in and day-out. Let our team show you why propane fueled forklifts will keep your operation running smoothly with less downtime! Here are just a few of the distinct advantages:
Electric forklifts lose power as the battery drains. And when it’s out of power, it can take eight hours—or longer—to recharge. With a propane forklift, refueling takes minutes. All your employees must do is replace the empty cylinder with a full one, and the forklift is back on the job. Propane-powered forklifts also perform better at handling heavier loads and are more capable when it comes to inclines.
Propane can also be used for a wide variety of agricultural applications, including crop warming and drying, weed control, and more.
Restaurants, resorts, hotels, country clubs and many other hospitality businesses use propane cylinders as well—for landscaping equipment, remote cooking, as well as outdoor dining and entertainment areas.
Beeline’s commercial propane team has the expertise to understand your specific needs and tailor a program that will grow with your business—and help your business grow, thanks to the efficiency and power or propane.
Contact us today to learn about how our propane forklift cylinder exchange can help your business.
Most people typically think propane is just for grills and camping. But as electric rates go up, many homeowners are looking for reliable options with less volatile prices. The fact is propane is a smart and efficient alternative to electricity for powering a wide range of equipment all around your home. But what exactly is propane?
Here’s where you can get answers to all your questions about propane, and find out why so many customers in South Florida are using propane in and around their homes.
Propane is a byproduct of natural gas. Because it is compressed and stored in a liquid state, it is sometimes referred to as Liquid Petroleum Gas or LPG. It’s a domestically sourced alternative fuel that can provide steady, reliable heat for a range of appliances at an affordable price.
Propane is one of the cleanest fuels around! It produces minimal emissions and doesn’t harm soil or groundwater—which is an important factor when it comes to determining whether a fuel is truly “green.”
Propane generates more Btus than an equivalent amount of electricity, and it delivers more than twice the Btus of natural gas, so you need much less propane to produce the same amount of heat or energy.
Propane appliances are also very efficient, meaning they waste very little fuel in the combustion process. On the other hand, about two-thirds of the energy used by a power plant to generate and transmit electricity is wasted along the way. Water heaters powered by propane generate much more hot water at a cheaper cost per gallon. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, homes that heat water with propane rather than electricity can see average annual savings of $174.
The same technology that makes propane ideal for water heaters makes it a smarter choice than electricity to power all kinds of appliances that use hot water or heat, including clothes washers and dryers, dishwashers, outdoor lighting, patio heaters, pool and spa-tub heaters and outdoor grills.
It’s also the first choice of professional chefs for cooking, because a gas range offers more precise control than you can get with an electric range. Propane will also power a backup generator that will automatically go on when the power goes down; an extremely beneficial thing to utilize when hurricanes and storms come our way.
Because propane is stored in a tank at your home, disruptions to the grid or natural gas lines won’t affect you. And when you work with a dependable dealer, like Beeline, you can enjoy automatic delivery and tank monitoring service and know that you’ll always have propane in your tank.
Propane is a very safe fuel source. While it’s a highly flammable gas under certain conditions, leaks are rare. Propane also has very low combustibility, which means when it’s combined with air, the source of ignition must be at least 940°— twice as hot as what is required to ignite gasoline.
Further, propane has a distinct rotten-egg smell to help you quickly notice leaking gas. It’s also nontoxic, posing no threat to soil and water, so installing propane tanks (above or belowground) is not regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Converting a home to propane can be a straightforward, easy process that will leave you with lower energy bills and support a cleaner environment. The average conversion takes about two days, with little disruption to your life or comfort as it takes place. Just ask us how!
The professionals at Beeline have the knowledge, experience, and resources to answer all your questions about the benefits of propane for your home. And we can get you started, with the right size propane tank for your needs, reliable propane delivery and more. Contact us for more information today.