Natural Gas vs. Propane Generators
Alabama is home to some of the country’s most extreme weather, and with that comes power outages. When they occur, you should have a generator that will keep your lights on and operate medical equipment and any other essentials that you’re dependent on. But how should you power that generator, with natural gas or propane?
Natural Gas Generators
The main feature of natural gas generators is that they’re hooked right up to your gas line, allowing you to, in most cases, receive an essentially limitless power source. More to the point, no refilling of any fuel tank will be necessary. However, it’s important to also note that in the rare situations in which the gas line is also cut during a severe storm or for any other reason, your generator wouldn’t be powered.
Another important point to note is that natural gas tends to be a more cost-effective solution although also consider that the power that it provides at any given moment is slightly less than is normally the case with propane.
Additionally, gas tends to be a cleaner energy source as far as these two options go, resulting in a lower environmental impact and fewer carbon monoxide emissions.
A potential con to consider is that gas generators are stationary, meaning that you can’t easily move them should you ever want to.
Propane Generators
Propane generators provide a slightly more dependable option since they’re not dependent on your gas line remaining active in order to power your home. That’s because as long as you have the propane on site that’s necessary for your generator to run, you’ll be set.
However, a significant con of propane is that you’re limited to however much of it you have on site and can get delivered during potentially hectic circumstances. That said, one typical tank should keep things operating for a regular-size home for days.
Also noteworthy is that propane tends to be a more effective power source than natural gas, and propane doesn’t degrade, so you can store it as long as is necessary before it’s used. However, since it does need to be stored, you should be living at a property that provides you with the storage room necessary to do that. And note that the upfront costs of a propane-generator installation and the propane itself are generally higher than is the case for gas generators.
An especially important consideration is that you may not even have access to natural gas. Roughly a third to a quarter of homes in the Birmingham, AL, area do not. In those circumstances, propane will likely be your sole focus although there are other options that you could also consider, such as battery-, diesel- and solar-powered generators.
In any case, if you get a propane generator, make sure to schedule extensive refills as soon as possible following long outages.
Top Considerations
As you decide whether to have natural gas or propane power your generator, take into account how much power you’ll need. More to the point, do you want to ensure that your entire house continues operating as normal, or are you solely focused on essentials, such as your medical equipment, your refrigerator, a fan and your electronic devices?
Also, do you have space for propane tanks?
How important is it to have the ease of gas powering your generator? Or is it actually more of a relief knowing that you won’t ever have to worry about your gas being cut off as well during or after a storm?
Also take into account any building codes that may impact what’s possible for you and how easy or difficult these options may be as a result of that consideration.
Birmingham Mister Sparky
If you’d like any help with your your generator, whether that consists of deciding what to get, how to power it and the installation of it, our professional technicians will be glad to assist. We can discuss your specific home situation and whether natural gas or propane would be best for those circumstances and your personal preferences.
In any case, we’ll make sure that you don’t have to put up with any malarky when one of our typical Alabama storms passes through the area. Instead, call Mister Sparky of Birmingham. We’ll handle your home-power needs in the Birmingham area.
