[Homestead] Propane versus electric

Gene GeRue genegerue at ruralize.com
Wed Jun 21 09:26:31 EDT 2006


>Propane is way too expensive AND the cost of propane anything is 
>double to triple the cost of the plain old electric.  You can get 
>propane fridges and
>freezers from most propane suppliers.
>
>If the cost of running them is the main criteria AND you don't mind doing
>the ice removal every so often, go with an Energy Star that isn't frost
>free.  Second is an Energy Star that is frost free and last on your list
>will be propane.

All good advice. Let us not swing the brush too wide, however. 
Propane is a better choice than electric for heating appliances. 
Plus, if your propane tank is large enough you are immune to electric outages.

I have long wanted a large propane tank. Got one last fall; it holds 
a thousand gallons. I will now refill it once per year at the time 
that propane is least expensive. Electric outages will not affect my 
ability to heat water, cook, heat the house. I have an RV fridge that 
is three-way, twelve volt, 120 volt, and propane. It is small but a 
good backup for when big storms knock out the electric. We were once 
without electricity for six or seven days.

If I relied on electric for anything I would either have redundancy 
or a good generator. 





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