Why choose propane? More than 14 million households use propane for at least some of their energy needs. Approximately 8.1 million households heat with propane, and more than one million owners have already chosen propane as their energy source for their manufactured homes. These homeowners know that: Propane is safe, clean, efficient, and economical. Propane is portable and suitable for homes built beyond gas supply lines. Propane-fueled homes cost less to operate than all-electric homes. Lower operating costs contribute to a better resale value for the home. In the event of electric power outages, vital home functions such as heating and cooking can continue uninterrupted. Americans prefer gas as a residential fuel. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 69 percent of the 1,116,000 single-family homes built in the U.S. in 1997 were heated with gas. In every region of the country, new gas-heated homes are outnumbering those relying on electricity. Both natural gas and propane can provide all the essential elements prospective buyers are looking for in a home — safety, reliability, comfort, control, and operating and maintenance cost savings. Propane gas is an excellent fuel of choice for manufactured homes for many reasons.  Propane Gas — Readily Available and Reliable Propane is unique in that it is not produced for its own sake, but is a by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining. Ninety percent of the country’s propane supply is produced in the United States. Ample domestic production means plentiful supply, jobs, and national security. Propane liquid is 270 times more compact than propane gas, making it economical to store in 3 major types of facilities: Primary storage consists of refineries, gas plants, pipelines, and bulk terminals. Secondary storage consists primarily of large, pressurized above-ground tanks located at approximately 25,000 retail dealers scattered throughout the United States. Tertiary storage consists of small tanks located mostly at residences and commercial establishments. The primary mode of transporting propane within the United States is by approximately 70,000 miles of interstate pipelines. Other modes of transport include about 15,500 rail tank cars; 6,000 highway bulk transports; 18,000 local delivery trucks; about 60 inland-waterway barges; and several ocean-going tankers. Domestic sources of production and a well-developed transportation infrastructure assure manufactured homeowners that propane will be available when and where they need it.  Click here for information on propane tank sizes appropriate for residential use. Propane Production and Distribution Propane Offers Incredible Versatility Propane is ideal for today's manufactured homes because it can fuel a wide range of equipment including ranges, clothes dryers, fireplaces, pool heaters, spas, and outdoor lights. It can also fuel heat pumps, standby generators, and integrated appliances for heating, cooling, and hot water. It is extremely flexible compared to other fuels. Advantages over electricity: All-electric homes are not as energy efficient as propane-fueled homes and are more costly to operate. Furthermore, homeowners are susceptible to power outages, which are occurring with greater frequency throughout the nation. Advantages over natural gas: Natural gas is a good source of energy for meeting the homeowner’s space conditioning and appliance needs. However, 70 percent of manufactured homes are still located in rural areas. Many rural areas are located beyond natural gas distribution systems and there can be significant cost to the property owner associated with running gas pipes to the site and/or to the house. Propane gas can be stored on the homeowner's property. It is portable, self contained, and always accessible. Advantages over fuel oil: Fuel oil is adequate for supplying heat, but, unlike propane, it cannot power certain appliances such as ranges or dryers. Fuel oil water heaters are not as efficient as propane models because their burner nozzles get clogged very easily and need frequent maintenance. In addition, they are more expensive than gas water heaters. Propane Is Highly Economical Virtually anything in a manufactured home that can run on electricity can run on propane. However, a propane-fueled home is less costly to operate than an electric home. The costs of electricity and propane can be compared using the BTU (British Thermal Unit), which measures the heating value of each fuel. National fuel prices from the U.S. Department of Energy show that the cost of electricity is more than the cost of propane. For the same heating value, propane therefore offers remarkable savings over electricity.  PROPANE EDUCATION & RESEARCH COUNCIL