People who have always lived in the country will have numerous changes in their homes when they move to the Baltimore area. They’ve probably been accustomed to drinking well water most of the time, for example, and they likely had a private septic system instead of being hooked up to the municipal wastewater treatment system. When they call a Heating Contractor in Timonium MD for annual maintenance or repairs, the work will be done on a natural gas furnace instead of a propane model.
Liquid propane gas and natural gas are similar enough that the same furnace models can be used for one or the other as long as some conversion equipment is installed. Both fuels are also used for ovens and ranges, water heaters and gas clothes dryers.
Natural Gas and Liquid Propane
Natural gas is delivered by underground pipelines to homes, while propane is brought by truck in a large tank from a private supplier. The driver fills up a smaller tank on the property with propane from the truck. The propane is in liquid form at this point.
In contrast, natural gas pipelines run between a utility network and properties within the pipeline range. It generally costs utility services too much to run these lines to more sparsely populated areas, so people who live outside of town typically must choose propane.
More Stable Heating Costs
These new Baltimore-area residents will find that their heating costs remain more stable throughout the season than often is the case with propane. Propane prices have a tendency to spike and drop dramatically in response to significant changes in supply and demand. Unfortunately, that means prices can be significantly higher during a very cold winter unless customers have locked in a price with a contract.
Annual Service
As with propane-fueled furnaces, natural gas models should be inspected, cleaned and adjusted each year by a heating contractor in Timonium MD. That helps prevent breakdowns, extends the lifespan of the equipment, and boosts efficiency. All of those results save homeowners money while spending an affordable amount for the annual service.
