Propane Usage Calculator
Estimate annual propane gallons from square footage, climate (heating degree days), and appliance load.
Inputs
NOAA / weather.gov publishes climate-normal HDD for most US cities.
A typical propane water heater uses ~200–250 gallons/year for a household of four. Set to 0 if you use electric.
estimated annual gallons
How we got this
- 656 gal
Heating
- 300 gal
Appliances (water + cooking + dryer)
- 1052 gal
With 10% buffer
Methodology
Annual propane = heating load + appliance load.
Heating uses the standard residential heuristic:
annual heating BTU ≈ sqft × HDD × insulation factor
Then converted to gallons via 91,500 BTU per gallon of propane and a seasonal furnace AFUE of 90% (typical for a modern condensing unit).
- Inputs: 2000 sqft × 4500 HDD × 6 (typical / average insulation).
- Heating gallons: 656 gal/year.
- Appliance gallons (water heating + cooking/dryer): 300 gal/year.
- Total: 956 gal/year. Adding a 10% buffer for cold winters: 1052 gal/year.
Heuristic only — for an exact number, use a Manual J residential load calculation. Insulation factors are common planning approximations, not a code value.
Find dealers in your ZIP
Take this estimate to a real local dealer — enter your ZIP to see who delivers in your area.