During the winter, propane gas is one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to keep your home warm. However, it can also be expensive. On average, households consume between 400 and 1,000 gallons of propane annually. Fortunately, you can take some simple steps to reduce propane usage during the winter and save money on your bill. Read on for five propane heat cost savings tips during the winter.
Paying energy bills gets expensive, even in Pennsylvania. Here are some quick and simple tips to help you save money on energy bills.
Make sure that all of your energy-consuming machinery, especially your A/C unit, is tuned up. When you tune up your machines they run cleaner and more efficiently.
Tuning up your A/C unit every year can save you a lot of power usage bills.
If you need to get your A/C unit tuned up in Northeastern PA, contact Keystone Propane.
Always try to get the most out of your power-guzzling machines when you use them. Try to wash and dry full loads of laundry. Running small loads all the time starts to add up in power spend.
Phantom power is a real thing. Plugged-in idle devices are slowly but surely sucking up energy. Unplug all unused, idle devices. You can also use a power cord and turn it off when idle items are not in use.
Creating cold air in the summer costs more power. Try to increase the temperature of your home when no one is around.
Due to technological advancement, household machines have improved overall energy usage and efficiency. Consider upgrading if you have an old clunker A/C unit, washer, oven, etc.
Using an oven to cook your meals requires a lot of power. Additionally, it increases the temperature in your house, which you don’t want in the summer. Go outside and use that grill instead.
Taking care of your power-using machines, unplugging them, and remaining energy conscious will help you save on energy utility bills in PA.
Don’t tinker or mess with machinery that you have not yet learned the mechanics. Call a professional, contact Keystone Propane.
Now that we’re entering a new year, some of us are probably thinking about how to make home life more comfortable, efficient and less costly – especially as some of us continue to work remotely. You may have seen your utility bills start to increase in price over the last year, between preparing more meals at home and using more water. On top of that, computers, lights, and tv’s are getting more daily use than normal. There are several ways you can cut back on expenses in 2022 though, while continuing to work remotely or just spending more time around the house in general. Here are five tips from Keystone Propane:
Regardless of your reason for spending more time at home this new year, switching to propane in your home saves you money! Propane is also eco-friendly and non-toxic. Since propane is a light and simple hydrocarbon, it is easily one of the cleanest burning fossil fuels. This means it doesn’t harm soil, water, or endanger the environment. If you have questions about switching to propane or are ready to make the switch, contact Keystone Propane today!
We all like to save a few dollars here or there, right? From grocery store coupons to holiday sales and even discounts for your auto insurance, it’s all something we can agree on — saving money is a good thing.
So if you could save a few dollars on your propane bill, you would definitely jump at the chance, right?
Well, there is a way, if you know when is the best time to buy propane for your home. And Keystone Propane is here to share that knowledge with you.
Unfortunately, when it comes to buying propane, many don’t think about it until the temperatures begin to turn colder. And that’s a mistake. As you can imagine, the winter months are usually the time when prices are higher than they are right now. In fact, prices are always fluctuating, even in the summer months where people are buying propane for grilling or camping. And the higher the demand, the higher the prices go.
But early fall is the perfect time to buy propane. The temperature during this time of year is pretty stable so you know the likelihood of a sudden cold snap won’t happen as it does in the wintertime. And without that demand, the cost of propane should be quite low.
Also, by scheduling your delivery in the early fall, you know that you’re ready for when the cold weather does hit. While your neighbors are scrambling to set up propane deliveries, you and your loved one will be enjoying the warmth of your gas fireplace without worrying about your propane running out.
But early fall is not the only time you should be thinking about buying propane. Summertime is also a great time to schedule your next propane delivery. Not only is the demand for propane still somewhat low compared to the winter and early spring months, but you may also be using more propane now than you thought.
As we’ve mentioned before, if you’re a fan of outdoor living, then chances are you’re using your propane to heat your pool, keep your patio warm, start a fire, or even grill up some dogs. So make sure you don’t run on empty before the cold weather settles in!
From August 1 through September 30, Keystone Propane offers a propane pre-buy program that allows you to purchase a minimum of 500 gallons of propane to use from October 1 through May. This allows you to lock in the current price to pay for these gallons. It’s a great way to save money, so make sure you sign up through the Customer Portal or our mobile app.
We also have a budget program available. With the program, we review three years of your propane delivery history. Using that information, we create a budget-friendly plan. A letter will be sent to you with a determination on your monthly budget payments for the year. The budget program starts each June and runs until the following May.
If you want to learn more about our programs or are interested in scheduling a propane delivery, now is the time to pick up the phone and give us a call at (800) 598-5047. And don’t forget, you can always schedule your next propane delivery from our easy-to-use mobile app or our online Customer Portal.
Now that some of us have been been working from home for a few months, it’s likely you’ve seen your water or energy bills start to creep up in price. You’re now cooking lunches at home, using more water for coffee, cooking, washing hands, etc. Additionally, you’re computer, lights, and tv’s are getting more use than normal. There are several ways you can cut back on expenses while working remotely. Here are five tips from Keystone Propane:
Switching to propane in your home can save you money whether you’re currently working from home or not! While saving money, propane is also eco-friendly. Since propane is a light and simple hydrocarbon, it is easily one of the cleanest burning fossil fuels. Additionally, propane is non-toxic. This means it will not harm soil or water or endanger the environment. If you have questions about switching to propane for your home contact Keystone Propane today!
It’s a new year, a new decade, a fresh start. Most of us are starting to put together our resolutions and goals into action for the new year. A popular one among most people is cutting back on expenses in their home. Here are 5 suggestions on how you can cut back the monthly bills this year.
Did you know that turning your thermostat back 7-10 degrees while you’re at work or away can save you as much as 10% a year on cooling and heating for your home! If a programmable thermostat is not available or in the budget, start making it part of your morning routine to turn back the thermostat. When you get home you can feel out the temperature and adjust it back to what is most comfortable. With the programmable thermostat, you can set the temp to change about 30 min before you arrive home so you’re welcomed with a comfortable temperature.
It’s easy to leave lights on when moving about your home. Start getting in the habit of turning lights out when leaving each room. Leaving a lamp on all day every day will add up over time. Also, try to get in the routine of checking all lights are off before leaving your home. A quick sweep of the house will end up saving you money in the long run!
Heating a home in the U.S. with propane has cost far less than heating with electricity according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Propane water heaters can cost one-third less to use and recover water twice as quickly as electric water heaters over time. Also, on average, propane furnaces normally last 5-10 years longer than electric heating pumps.
A propane gas furnace normally heats air to about 130°F – 140°F and runs in short intervals to minimize utility costs. Electric heating units produce heat below body temperature or 98.6°F. This is why the air coming from the heating vent actually feels cool to the human touch if you place your hand in front of it.
When is the last time you have checked the insulation in your home? You know, all that fun fluffy stuff in your walls? Save up to 15% of your annual utility bills by making sure your home is air sealed tight and insulated! A home that isn’t insulated well is essentially heating the neighborhood and their home, as heating and cooling will find ways to escape in the outdoors. Also, cooling or heating units in your home may be working harder to service your home when the air is escaping.
Who else leaves countless electrical devices plugged in at all times, but rarely use them? Personally, we are guilty of this one. Most electronic devices constantly draw a small amount of electricity which can add up over time if you take into consideration how many appliances you leave plugged in at all times! To minimize power usage, be sure to unplug cords or power strips you don’t use regularly!
Contact Keystone Propane today for more information on how we can help you save money in the new year and beyond! Our team of experts will help you find the perfect cost-saving propane solutions for your home or business. Best wishes for a happy, healthy, and warm new year!
As the winter season approaches, it’s time to protect your home from the harsh, cold elements. Insulating the home is something many homeowners struggle with, but it doesn’t need to be difficult. Follow these simple DIY ideas to keep your home insulated during the winter season.
Many homes (especially older ones) have spots where air leaks. Open spaces are prone to allow unwanted air to enter the home. Find some time to walk throughout the home and look for drafty areas. Common drafty areas can include the attic, basement, and crawlspace.
The health of your HVAC system is essential for keeping warm air from escaping the home. Check your air filters and clean them regularly. This will help to control the air flow in the home, and it will improve the air quality.
Place foam weather-stripping on the bottom and sides of your doors. If the gap underneath the door is especially large, put a double draft stopper to close the gap. You can buy these double draft stoppers from a hardware store near you, or you can create a homemade stopper using fabric, kitty litter, or even a pair of old jeans that you no longer wear.
Add an extra layer of insulation to your windows with the help of plastic sheeting. This is a cheap DIY option that can stop outside air in its tracks. You only need plastic sheeting, double-sided tape, and a hairdryer. Apply the sheeting to the window sill with the tape, and apply hot air using the hairdryer. This is an easy way to ensure that your windows are insulated.
A great deal of air is lost through the vent and duct system due to poorly sealed openings and connections. Your duct system is often overlooked, and it can be hard to spot the leaks. To seal your ductwork, purchase some HVAC tape from a hardware store. HVAC tape is strong and doesn’t dry out (unlike duct tape). Apply the tape to any leaky opening on your ductwork.
If you have drafty windows, a set of thick curtains can really help to keep warm air in and cold air out. While they don’t serve a purpose in the summer months, thick curtains can make a difference in the winter seasons.
In the winter, we tend to forget about the screen door, as we have the main door to shield the home from the outside air. But even with the main door, outside air can still sneak inside the home. To stop this from happening, swap out that screen door for a solid pane of glass. This is an incredibly simple way to keep your home insulated during the winter months.
For more helpful tips on home insulation or to order your propane delivery, contact Keystone Propane today!
For many people, there’s nothing spookier than receiving a steep energy bill. To help keep your energy bill in-check this Halloween season, we have compiled a series of useful, actionable energy efficiency tricks you can easily implement.
Those air leaks in your windows and doors allow unwanted, cold air to creep into the home. This air disrupts the internal temperature of the home, causing your energy system to work harder, and for your energy bill to skyrocket. By plugging these air leaks with caulk, you won’t have cold air sneaking into your home. Bonus: you also keep scary, ghostly spirits at bay.
It’s difficult to keep a spooky vibe if all your indoor lights are on. Save energy by turning off the lights. If there are areas of the home that need to be illuminated, use candles. Candles also vibe perfectly with the Halloween season by creating a spooky atmosphere.
If you’re adorning your home with spooky decorations this Halloween, use LED lights. These conserve far less energy than normal lightbulbs. Regular lighting can be like an energy vampire—slowly sucking away your energy, causing your electric bill to rise.
Those electronics and appliances can be another energy vampire. Even if they aren’t being used, they still consume energy. This is called “phantom energy loads,” and it can be stopped by simply unplugging those unused devices and appliances.
The warmth and comfort of a fireplace can be so welcoming in the fall season, but a chimney that’s always opened will cause warm air to escape during the winter and fall seasons. When it’s not in use, close your chimney flue. Doing so will keep warm air inside, while keeping scary witches out.
Programmable thermostats are extremely useful for energy conservation. You can program it to raise or lower the temperature when you aren’t home, and you can also program it to adjust during set times.
Your crawlspace and attic areas are practically outside your house, and they have a high amount of penetrations for water pipes, sewer lines, vent stacks, etc. These are often small penetrations, but they can make a huge difference in how you consume energy. Properly insulating these areas will help to keep warm air where it’s supposed to be—inside the home.
Seeing an expensive energy bill can be a scary sight. Instead, follow the tips in this blog post or contact Keystone Propane today to find out how to keep your energy bill manageable. Happy Halloween!
School season is back, and it’s a time of the year with high energy consumption. To help you conserve energy during this time of year, we’ve compiled a series of actionable energy efficiency tips you can follow.
Programmable thermostats are quite useful. During the warmer months, you should put the temperature as high as you can; during the winter, program the temperature as low as you can comfortably handle. The programmable thermostat can heat and cool your home around your schedule, making it a powerful tool to help you save energy.
While the kids are at school, you should be consuming less energy throughout the day. Take advantage of this by ensuring that all unused lights are turned off. It’s also a good idea to replace inefficient lightbulbs. Replace all your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs. These bulbs tend to use less energy, while also lasting longer. Optimizing your lighting surprisingly simple tip that will help you consume less power throughout the course of the year.
Most kids have an arsenal of gadgets and devices throughout the house, but while they’re away, it’s wise to unplug them to conserve energy. Even though the electronics will be idle, they still consume “vampire energy”, which is energy that leaks out from plugs and chargers while they are connected to a power outlet.
While you’re preparing your kid’s meals for school, you’ll be using your refrigerator while you take out certain items. The more you open and close your fridge, the more energy you consume, so it’s better to take out everything you need to use at once. While this is a small adjustment, it can help you conserve energy in the long run. Also, be sure to inspect your fridge’s seals. If the seals are broken, cold air will leak out, wasting a great deal of energy and money.
Propane is a great energy source, and if used properly, can be more efficient than other energy sources. Compared to conventional gas and electric systems, propane can be much cheaper, especially when you factor in low installation and maintenance costs. Propane is extremely versatile, as it can heat your home, water, appliances (stove, dryer, etc.), and it can provide back-up power. Propane can also be purchased in bulk with affordable pre-buy contracts.
The school year is a great time to optimize how your household consumes energy. Follow the energy efficiency tips listed in this post to conserve more power and to save money throughout the school season and contact us today for more information!
Why should you pre-buy your propane? If there is one benefit, it’s this: you lock in a fixed price for the year. This is an incredible benefit, as the fuel market can be extremely volatile. It’s not uncommon to see steep price hikes when entering a new season, especially during the wintertime. But luckily propane pre-buy contracts can help keep your costs down.
Propane is manufactured from the crude oil refining process and natural gas manufacturing. Because of this, the price of propane will usually trend in the same direction as the crude oil and natural gas commodities.
Propane price fluctuation is caused by simple supply and demand. For example, in the winter months when the temperatures drop down, demand for propane skyrockets and can cause prices to rise dramatically. As a rule, the more severe the weather, the more you can expect to pay.
However, if you need propane in the winter then your best bet is to watch propane prices in the summer and then pre-purchase your propane in preparation for the winter. But, if you are like many and need propane year-round, you’re vulnerable to year-round volatility. This could mean a small bill in the summertime can easily become a large bill as the weather begins to turn.
If you need propane year-round, then the solution is simple: pre-purchase a year’s supply worth of propane at the cheapest price. By doing this, you avoid the volatility and unpredictability of the propane market.
Because of this volatility, paying for propane on an as-needed basis isn’t wise. By locking in low prices for the year, you will immediately know what your price is, and you will likely save money in the long run.
For example, propane prices usually rise between $.50 and $1.50 per gallon during the winter. If you can avoid that price hike by prudently choosing the pre-buy option, you will see significant savings. Let’s say you need 200 gallons for the winter season, and this winter, the price per gallon is an extra $1.50. But since you purchased your propane at a lower price, you will save an extra $300 this winter.
There are times when there are propane shortages due to an unforeseen problem or crisis. Instead of scrambling to find the propane you need in this scenario, simply pre-buy your propane so that you have the tanks you need year-round. You won’t have to worry about calling to schedule deliveries, remembering to pay your bill on time, or monitoring your propane usage. By pre-buying your propane for the year, you will have total peace of mind from knowing that you are fully stocked and prepared.
Convinced? Then now is the time to enroll in Keystone Propane’s pre-buy program! To learn more, log into the Customer Portal or mobile app today!