If 2020 taught us anything, we learned the importance of being prepared. Whether it meant buying an extra package of toilet paper when you could find it, having food on hand when lockdowns went into effect, or being able to work from home – 2020 taught us that being prepared matters.

It is important to remember that the winter season really just started. For most of us, we tend to think of winter as occurring from Thanksgiving through the New Year. Yet, the winter season actually begins just a few days before Christmas and lasts through the middle of March. That means that there is a lot of cold weather still to come in 2021, and you need to be prepared with an adequate supply of propane gas in your tank to keep your home cozy and warm.

When determining whether you have an adequate supply of propane gas, one thing of importance is knowing how to read your propane tank gauge. If you do not know how to read a propane tank gauge, don’t freak out because it is easy to do. The first thing you need to do is look for the round dial with numbers 0-95 on it. This is the propane tank gauge. The numbers on the gauge indicate the percentage of how much your tank is filled, NOT the number of gallons of propane inside the tank. The arrow on the gauge will point to the number that indicates the percentage of how much propane gas you have left.

Another thing of importance is to understand how propane gas is used within your home. It is essential that you know what systems in your home rely on propane gas. Do you have a propane water heater? Does your furnace run off propane? Do you have a gas stove? Knowing which systems within your home run off propane will help you determine the rate at which you will use propane gas, and it will help you gauge the rate at which you will deplete your propane gas level.

To gain an idea of how much propane the propane appliances use within your home, here is a chart to go by.

The Average Yearly Usage Rates for Common Propane Appliances

Propane Appliance                         Annual Gallons of Propane Used

Propane Furnace                                                                  500

Propane Water Heater                                                        200

Propane Fireplace                                                                100

Propane Stove/Range                                                         35

While having a propane tank will not allow you to view how much propane your home will use per appliance, this will provide a way to gain an overview of how much propane you need to plan for each year. Keep in mind that propane usage for all appliances typically goes up during cold weather months. For years with a particularly cold winter or a long stint of cold weather, you will use more propane than average. This is where knowing how to read your propane tank gauge is incredibly important. When you are able to tell how much gas you have, you can take the necessary steps to make sure your tank has enough propane gas supply to last.

Remember, the number one rule for your propane tank is to not let it run out of gas. The number two rule is not to let your tank gauge get below 25% full before contacting your propane gas company to have it refilled. At Quality Propane, we are the name you can trust to provide prompt and reliable propane gas refill service for your home, business, or farm in Huntersville. Contact our Charlotte Propane Refills Company today to schedule your quality propane refill. We look forward to working with you.