Residential homes fitted with propane tanks need to be maintained, serviced and filled with a sufficient amount of propane to remain operable. Propane remains an affordable and accessible home heating option for millions of US residents.
In order to keep propane home heating affordable, you can budget household propane consumption, apply for home heating assistance and look for discounts from propane suppliers.
Getting Propane at A Discount
Fluctuating propane fuel costs can sometimes cause difficulties for low-income families when budgeting home heating costs. In particular, seniors, low-income earners, immigrants, veterans and the disabled are very much at risk of lacking sufficient heat in the winter due to a lack of financial resources.
Both federal programs and companies such as Legacy Propane make efforts to make propane more affordable for all. These programs better equip all people with the means of accessing propane and home heating oil at affordable rates.\
Propane Budgeting Tips for Busy Families
It takes more propane to keep a home heated during the coldest parts of the year as opposed to summer. As such, households that consist of multiple generations can consume a lot of fuel. Actions such as cooking and doing laundry may also cause energy costs to rise. Conserving energy and checking propane tanks regularly can aid in better estimating average propane consumption rates.
You may want to do laundry at the beginning of the day so that heat from the dryer helps to warm your home. Insulating your windows with plastic sheeting as the weather gets cooler will also aid in keeping propane costs down.
Essentially, finding ways to make each propane delivery last longer is an excellent means of reducing how much your family spends on future propane deliveries. Learn how to read your propane tank gauge so that you can determine when to arrange for your next home fuel delivery.
Home Heating Assistance for Low-Income Households
LIHEAP, otherwise known as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is a federally managed initiative available in all 50 states to persons living with long-term financial constraints. Single, able-bodied, working people can qualify for LIHEAP just as easily as a family headed by a disabled single father, provided that their income falls at or below 60% of their state's median income level.
Participants in LIHEAP are able to have their home heating costs subsidized, enabling them to keep their homes well heated for the duration of the winter months. Note that funding and participation in LIHEAP are limited, so enroll at the start of each new season.
Although budgeting and taking measures to insulate your home is helpful for making propane based heating more affordable, asking for help when you need it also makes a big difference.
LIHEAP is also available to families who need assistance keeping their homes cool during the summer, but the main emphasis is placed on aiding program participants with escaping brutal winter conditions that could place their families in jeopardy. If your home is not energy efficient, LIHEAP and similar programs may be available to help upgrade your residential HVAC system.
Including home heating costs within a budget is the most practical way of making propane-based home heating costs most affordable all year long. Since propane customers can work with any propane supplier that works in their region, it is also important to compare rates and look for customer loyalty discounts.
For those who earn no more than minimum wage or spend the majority of their income on housing, federal subsidies may be available to help them pay for an entire season of home heating needs. Visit Legacy Propane to learn how your household can get access to dependable propane deliveries throughout the year.
