How Long Will A 500 gallon tank of propane last?

Keep your tanks full with W.H. Riley & Son

One of the many great things about propane is that it doesn’t go bad or expire. It doesn’t even degenerate over time. It could essentially last you forever, which gives homeowners and business owners the luxury on stocking up on as much fuel as they would like without having to worry about it not being usable by the time they need it.

How long it will take you to go through the amount of propane that is in your propane tank is a different story.

The answer to this differs for everyone and from home to home.

Let’s dive into some more specifics below so that you can get an idea of how long you can count on the propane that is in your tank.

General estimates about propane usage

It is common for homeowners to have a 500-gallon propane tank on their property so let’s use this as an example. This size propane tank can last anywhere from a month to about 14 months.

It is important to keep in mind that a 500-gallon propane tank safely fits about 400 gallons of fuel. You need to leave a little extra room in your tank for the propane to expand as it gets warmer, which is inevitable since it is in liquid form.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average propane-powered home here in the United States used about 750 gallons of propane each winter (homes in areas that are particularly cold can expect to use a little more).

Here is a further breakdown of average usage rates for standard propane appliances:

• A clothes dryer will use around 30 gallons of propane a year
• Depending on weather conditions, the size of your home and its efficiency, a furnace will run through about 1 gallon of propane per hour
• A stove will use about 35 gallons annually
• Water heaters will consume about 1.5 gallons per day

What impacts how quickly you will run through your propane?

There are several factors that impact how quickly (or slowly) you will use the propane that is in your tank. You need to consider:

• How many propane appliances you have: Obviously a home with one propane appliance will likely use less propane than a home with five propane appliances.
• What condition these appliances are in: Appliances that are older and not in great condition will require more fuel and energy to operate than newer models that are in mint condition.
• How often you use your propane appliances: If you are just using propane for a generator that you only need every now and then when there is a blackout you will go through propane a lot slower than a home that cooks on a propane cooking range everyday.
• The weather and the type of climate you live in: This is particularly important if you use propane to power your home heating system. If you do, this will increase your propane usage once winter hits. Also, if you live in a climate that doesn’t get such a long winter or if winter is milder than usual you won’t need to run your heating system as often and you, therefore, won’t go through as much propane.
• The size of your home: This is also specific to homeowners who use propane to heat their homes. A larger home will require your heating system to use more fuel compared to a smaller home.

Refill your propane tank with fuel from W.H. Riley & Son

No matter how often you need propane for your southeastern Massachusetts home or business, W.H. Riley & Son can get it to you. We even offer an Automatic Delivery plan where we monitor your propane usage and schedule a delivery before your fuel levels get too low.

Contact W.H. Riley & Son today to learn more about the propane services we offer throughout the area.