Posted: April 6, 2026
The most obvious difference between propane gas and natural gas is how it gets delivered to your home. Natural gas is pumped from the ground and is delivered to your home via an underground system of pipelines by a local utility. Propane, a byproduct of natural gas processing, is stored in a tank at your home or business, delivered in a truck from your favorite propane dealer. But when you dig a little deeper, you’ll discover some key differences between the two fuels—and the value they provide. Ready to learn more?
Your first clue that propane and natural gas are more different than you might think is in the name. Propane is more formally known as liquid propane gas or LPG because it’s compressed and stored in a liquid state. That’s why propane is usually measured in gallons. Natural gas is measured in therms, which is 100 cubic feet of gas, or about 100,000 Btus (British Thermal Units) of energy. The Btu power of natural gas versus propane is where you start to see the big difference between the two.
Technically, both propane and natural gas burn at the same temperature—3,560˚ Fahrenheit—but unit-for-unit, propane delivers much more heat energy than natural gas.
One cubic foot of propane generates approximately 2,520 Btus of heat. One cubic foot of natural gas generates about 1,012 Btus of heat, less than half as much. (One Btu is the amount of energy needed to increase the temperature of one pound of water by 1˚ Fahrenheit.)
In basic terms, propane 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 also generates more Btus than an equivalent amount of electricity. That makes propane a great value. 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 washers and dryers, dishwashers, outdoor lighting, patio heaters, space heaters, pool and spa heaters, outdoor grills and more.
Natural gas requires an expensive connection, which may not even be available where you live. You also are stuck dealing with a large natural gas utility for your gas supply. If something goes wrong with their infrastructure—and this has happened in Texas and the Northeast during recent spells of extreme cold—you could be without gas in your home for hours or days. If your home loses its natural gas service in the winter, you’re stuck with a cold home, no stove, and cold showers until the gas comes back. And unlike an electric outage, restoring natural gas requires testing at each connection, adding to restoration times.
On the other hand, you can use propane to heat your home and water, to cook, and more, no matter where you live.
With propane, your supply is right there at your home. A propane-powered stand-by generator, propane will keep your home powered and safe through electrical outages, too. And our automatic delivery and wireless propane tank monitoring services mean you don’t have to do a thing, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you’ll always have the propane you need to stay comfortable.
You might also be surprised to know that propane is a domestically sourced fuel that is one of the cleanest and efficient fuels around. Propane is named as an alternative fuel in both the 1990 Clean Air Act and the 1992 National Energy Policy. Propane is nontoxic and nonpoisonous, so it doesn’t contaminate groundwater or soil if it leaks – which means propane tanks can be safely buried out of sight.
While natural gas does have lower emissions of carbon monoxide and nitrous oxides than other fossil fuels, it still emits them. What’s more, aging pipelines can result in methane leaks that are hard identify and even more challenging and expensive to repair—expenses that typically get passed on to the customers.
Whether you are remodeling your existing place, shopping for a new home, building your dream house, or just looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint, propane provides great value.
From practical appliances to make your day-to-day easier, to easy upgrades to make your home feel more welcoming, propane packs power. Reliable, on-time propane delivery plus payment and pricing options to help you save makes it even easier to enjoy.
Contact the team at Superior Gas to learn more today.