What is lpg in a house?

LPG—Liquid Petroleum Gas—is a flammable gas commonly used in residential heating, cooking and hot water systems; as a fuel in cars; and in industrial, agricultural, and manufacturing contexts.

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LPG is short for liquefied petroleum gas which is either propane or butane with a heat content of 93.2MJ/m3. Natural gas is however primarily methane and has a heat content of 38.7MJ/M3.

Natural gas is delivered to homes via gas pipelines underground. LPG is delivered in propane tanks similar to the ones you use for a BBQ. LPG is heavier than air, but natural gas is lighter. This makes LPG leaks more dangerous.

If your property uses natural gas, you will have a gas meter and you’ll also be receiving gas bills either every month or every quarter.

Natural Gas (methane) is a colourless and non-toxic hydrocarbon that is commonly used to provide warmth for cooking and heating. It’s incredibly popular due to its wide availability in most areas, high efficiency and clean burning.

Natural gas is the cleanest-burning hydrocarbon, producing roughly half the CO2 and one tenth of the air pollutants produced by burning coal.

Natural Gas has many advantages over LPG and oil, including it’s much higher efficiency, cleaner burning and greater affordability. That’s why if your home is connected to the natural gas grid, switching to an LPG boiler is usually not recommended.

Natural Gas is delivered by pipelines, so there’s no need to purchase and receive deliveries of it in the same way you would with LPG.

Methane is much lighter than propane and butane (LPG) and typically disperses in the event of a gas leak, making it advantageous over LPG from a safety perspective.

One disadvantage of natural gas is that it is not entirely efficient, meaning it still produces greenhouse emissions.

Natural gas also isn’t a renewable energy source meaning it will one day run out. If you’re concerned about reducing your carbon footprint, you might want to take a look at renewable energy heating systems.

LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas) is a colourless hydrocarbon gas that has been pressured into a liquid form and is commonly used fuel for heat, cookers, barbecues and vehicles. It is a popular alternative to oil heating for homes which aren’t connected to the natural gas network as it is highly efficient and low in carbon.

Normally, LPG is collected as a byproduct of the crude oil refinery process, however, it can also be extracted from natural gas streams or petroleum.

LPG holds a greater amount of energy when in a liquified state, therefore making is more efficient.

Due to its very low boiling point, it’s essential to store LPG in pressurised bottles and tanks to prevent it from evaporating back to gas at room temperature.

If your home uses LPG, you will usually have bottles of gas delivered to the property periodically depending on your usage.

There are two different types of LPG: propane and butane. They can both be used to power your home or business’ appliances, though it is worth noting that each type has a different boiling point, so are therefore more suited for different uses.

Propane has a lower boiling temperature of -42ºC, making it ideal for use in lower temperatures and well suited for powering heating and other appliances for caravans and outdoor heaters.

Butane has a higher boiling temperature of -2ºC, making it better suited to appliances located in indoor settings. It also provides more energy per cubic metre than propane.

For off-grid homes, LPG has a number of advantages over oil, coal and electric heating systems. For example, whilst LPG usually costs more than heating oil, it offers a much greater energy return due to its high efficiency, actually saving you money in the long run.

LPG also produces a lot less carbon when burnt, helping us work towards a cleaner environment.

Whilst LPG is a cleaner burning fuel than oil, it still isn't entirely carbon free. If you’re concerned about reducing your carbon footprint, you might want to take a look at renewable energy heating systems.

LPG is only recommended for off-grid homes as it is a more expensive fuel than natural gas and must be delivered and stored in a tank somewhere on your property. If you run out before your next scheduled delivery, you might have to pay an emergency delivery fee.

Usually, homes with LPG heating will purchase BPG bottles in bulk (or one big bulk cylinder) to be stored in tanks outside of the property as this works out to be more cost effective than buying the bottles individually.

For off-grid homes, LPG is a highly efficient fuel alternative to oil, electricity and solid fuel such as coal. LPG is a lower carbon fuel than oil and coal and delivers a highly energy efficient performance when used in home heating.

LPG, or Liquefied Petroleum Gas, is a popular fuel for heat and cookers, vehicles, BBQs and more. It's a colourless hydrocarbon gas which has been pressured into a liquid form. It is both highly efficient and low in carbon which has made it a popular alternative to oil heating for homes not connected to the natural gas network.

LPG can be extracted from natural gas streams or petroleum but usually it is collected as a byproduct of the crude oil refinery process.

LPG has a very low boiling point and at room temperature will evaporate back into a gas. However, it holds a lot more energy, and so is more efficient, when in a liquified problem. This is why it is stored in pressurised bottles and tanks to prevent it from evaporating.

There are two types of LPG: propane and butane. Both can be used to power appliances in homes and businesses, although each type has a different boiling temperature and is best suited to different applications.

Propane has a lower boiling point of -42°C and works better in lower temperatures. This makes it propane perfectly suited to powering heat and cooking appliances such as those used in caravans or patio heaters. Propane is also a popular choice for commercial applications.

Butane has a higher boiling point of -2°C and so is usually used in indoor settings such as gas heaters, cooking appliances and central heating boilers. Per cubic metre, butane provides more energy than propane.

If your home is connected to the natural gas grid, switching to an LPG boiler is usually not recommended. This is because LPG is a more costly fuel than natural gas and LPG needs to be delivered and stored in a tank on your property, which means you need to ensure you have a regular delivery scheduled so you don't run out. If you do run out of fuel you may need to pay extra for an emergency delivery. Some LPG storage tanks such as Calor include a monitoring system which tracks how much fuel is left and automatically alerts your supplier when your supply is low.

However, for off-grid homes, LPG offers several benefits over oil, coal or electric heating systems. LPG is a highly efficient fuel and offers a great energy return on every you buy. In addition, when compared to coal and heating oil, LPG produces less carbon when burnt making it a cleaner fuel for our environment. LPG tends to cost more than heating oil, but prices fluctuate, and buying in bulk can bring the cost per litre down.

Read more on the pros and cons of LPG heating in Oil vs LPG: Pros, Cons and Costs.

Although LPG is a cleaner fuel than oil, it still contributes carbon to the atmosphere and is therefore not a clean source of energy. If you are concerned about your home's carbon footprint, you may want to consider a renewable energy heating system such as an air source heat pump, solar thermal panels or a biomass boiler. These systems take energy from renewable resources and produce zero or very minimal carbon emissions.

You can find more information on the pros, cons and costs of LPG boilers here.

In most homes with LPG heating, the LPG is bought in bulk and stored in a tank outside of the home or business. These tanks can either be installed above ground on a fixed base or underground. If you opt for an underground tank, you will only see a cover which enables the supplier to refill it as needed. Although the tank is on your property, in most cases it is still owned by the supplier. Buying LPG bulk is often cheaper than buying by the bottle and more convenient.

However, some homes can't accommodate this as they either can't store a large tank onsite or delivery access to the property is restricted. Small butane cylinders can be used for stoves or patio heaters, but larger cylinders of propane (over 40kg) are needed for LPG boilers. These cylinders need to be handled with care, should be delivered by a supplier and collected when empty.

If your home is off-grid and you are looking to install an LPG boiler, you need to ensure the engineer is Gas Safe registered. Send us an enquiry today - we'll find up to 3 engineers in your area to provide free, no-obligation quotes.

LPG and Natural Gas are chemically different gases. Natural gas is methane gas whilst LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) is propane or butane, usually sold as bottled gas. LPG and natural gas have different energy content and gas/air mixes for combustion and working pressure. Whereas LPG is sold in gas bottles (cylinders), natural gas is conveyed by pipeline. LPG has more than double the energy content of natural gas, making it more efficient and cheaper in many cases.

LPG has a higher calorific value or energy content, so less gas is required to produce the same amount of heat. Another key difference is in the oxygen-to-gas ratio required for proper combustion. LPG requires an oxygen-to-gas ratio of approximately 25 to 1. Natural gas requires a ratio of around 10 to 1.

LPG is not natural gas but is derived from natural gas processing and has higher energy content. It is portable and available everywhere. although there are major differences between the two, LPG and Natural Gas are used for thousands of applications in homes and businesses.

LPG—Liquid Petroleum Gas—is a flammable gas commonly used in residential heating, cooking and hot water systems; as a fuel in cars; and in industrial, agricultural, and manufacturing contexts.

In Australia, LPG is made only from propane, but overseas it is made from a mixture of propane and butane. This regional variation is due to climate, with propane and butane varying in effectiveness depending on the temperature.

LPG is manufactured during the refining process of crude oil (also known as petroleum), or is extracted from crude oil or natural gas streams within the ground. LPG must be placed under pressure in order to be transported as a liquid and is hence transported in gas cylinders. When this pressure is released, such as when you open the nozzle on your gas cylinder, the liquid LPG becomes gas again.

LPG is the preferred fuel for home use for three reasons:

Gas for cooking is one of the most popular uses for LPG in homes. Gas cooktops and ovens are the most common uses, but outdoor gas BBQs are also seen in most Australian homes.

Cooking with gas has a number of advantages compared to other alternatives, such as with electric appliances. The most important of these is total control over the heat—an advantage that both amateur and professional chefs appreciate. The heat changes are also instantaneous, with no waiting for an element to heat up and cool down—you can jump straight from a high intensity sizzle to a gentle simmer in seconds.

Similarly, gas ovens offer a number of advantages, primary among them is better control over moisture content in the food, making it much less likely to dry out and instead maintain more of its natural juices.