Residential Propane Tank Sizes
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Residential Propane Tank Sizes

What Propane Tank Is Right for My Home?

gas tank options new york Deciding on the correct size for your propane tank can be pretty simple, although there are some variables involved. Your New York propane supplier has a deep knowledge of typical usage, especially during the winter, so they’ll have a good idea what your propane heating needs are. Here are some of the other factors they will take into consideration:

  • The square footage of your home
  • What propane appliances you have in your home, such as a furnace, water heater, cooktop/stove, and clothes dryer
  • The total BTUs of all of your propane appliances
  • Whether you have a pool heater, which is a high BTU appliance

If you are concerned about price spikes in the propane market during the heating season, you could upgrade to a larger propane tank to get yourself fully supplied before winter. It also means you will require fewer propane deliveries. Your New York propane supplier can help you decide if that’s the right choice for you.

Here’s a look at the wide range of propane tank sizes available and how they can fit the needs of your household.

20-Pound Propane Tank

This is the size that most people are familiar with, especially for New Yorkers who just use propane for outdoor cooking. With a capacity of about five gallons, these portable cylinders are used to fuel outdoor gas grills. They can also be used for outdoor heaters. If you only have a propane fireplace or hearth you use occasionally, this can also be an option since you can store multiple tanks outside (NEVER indoors!) for backup and you can easily refill or exchange 20-pound tanks at a propane retailer.

100-Pound Propane Tank

These tanks are the next step up from 20-pound propane tanks and can be refilled onsite. Here are some reasons to choose a 100-pound propane tank:

  • You have an indoor fireplace but don’t want to travel to exchange propane tanks frequently.
  • Your only propane appliance is a gas range or cooktop with wall ovens.

420-Pound Propane Tank/100-Gallon Propane Tank

Depending on your propane provider, this tank is referred to as a 420-pound propane tank or a 100-gallon propane tank. (A gallon of propane weighs 4.2 pounds). If you only have two or three propane appliances like a water heater, fireplace, clothes dryer or stove, this tank could be right for you.

150-Gallon Propane Tank

This propane tank size is used for low-BTU appliances and smaller demand uses like water heating and cooking. It can also fuel propane space heaters and wall heaters. But it is generally not enough for whole house heating.

250-Gallon Propane Tank

If you have more than three propane appliances such as a fireplace, clothes dryer, water heater, and stove, this may be a good size. It can also be used for whole-house heating, depending on your square footage.

500-Gallon Propane Tank

If you heat your home with propane as well as run your stove, fireplace, water heater, and clothes dryer, you’ll need a larger propane tank like this. A 500-gallon tank is 10-feet long and shaped like a submarine.

1,000-Gallon Propane Tank

Often used in commercial applications, this tank has the same shape as a 500-gallon storage tank, but it’s about six-feet longer. If you have a large home, use a lot of propane appliances, and heat your pool with a propane pool heater, you may need to go this big.

Learn more about your options in propane delivery or read more about propane tank sizes.