Cutting Costs & Emissions with Propane Powered Forklifts

If you are searching for an alternative fuel source for your forklifts that can save your business money and positively impact the environment, propane is just the solution you need.

Propane is the most commonly used alternative to gasoline and diesel on a global scale. Approximately four million vehicles worldwide and over 350,000 vehicles within the United States alone operate on propane gas.

Propane is also a popular alternative fuel source for material handling equipment used in commercial and industrial applications, powering approximately 670,000 forklifts in warehouses and factories throughout the country.

Making the switch to propane will greatly benefit for your business, the environment, and the country as a whole. A few of these benefits include saving money on overall cost of ownership, reducing emissions, and creating energy security for the nation.

Want to learn more about how you can cut operating expenses and emissions by switching to propane for your industrial needs? Read on for more details.

Cut Operating Costs with Propane Powered Forklifts

If you are looking for a way to cut operating costs, it is time to make the switch to propane-powered forklifts, which will save your business money in both the short and long term.

Compared to electric models, propane-powered forklifts have much higher productivity, as they are able to operate at a faster rate. This is especially important for outdoor use. When it comes to maintenance, a quick and painless propane cylinder change can be quicker than changing out a battery for an electric-powered model—putting your machinery back to work without costly delays.

When you opt for propane, you will also save money on maintenance costs, as propane-powered forklifts have much lower overall maintenance costs than those operating with diesel or gasoline fuel. In fact, propane engines can oftentimes last two times longer than gasoline engines.

Decrease Your Emissions with Propane Power

If your business is looking for a green alternative to forklifts powered by gasoline, diesel, and electricity, propane is the best solution, as propane produces less emissions than all three of these other fuel options. In fact, forklifts powered by propane create 19% less emissions than their gasoline-fueled counterparts and 7% less emissions than forklifts powered by diesel fuel. And, when factoring in all “site-to-source” emissions, forklifts powered by propane emit fewer pollutants than those powered by electricity.

Since forklifts and other industrial vehicles are often operated inside of warehouses and factories, air quality is an important factor, making propane a safer choice than gasoline or diesel.

Unlike diesel, propane does not contaminate the soil and water in our communities or release carcinogens into our air. You can learn more about the many environmental benefits of this green fuel option in this video.

Contribute to Energy Security for Our Nation

When you choose propane to operate your industrial machinery, you are opting for an American-made fuel option that will reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil while also creating jobs in the domestic energy sector.

Currently, the majority of the propane used by Americans is both produced and distributed within our internal infrastructure, with over 70 percent of propane used within the United States sourced from domestic natural gas.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy opting for propane fuel instead of traditional petroleum is an important step in diversifying transportation fuels within the nation and increasing our energy security.

Ready to Switch to Propane-Powered Forklifts?

Are you ready to make the switch to a clean source of power that will save your business money and contribute to energy security for the country? If so, Lin Gas is here to power your industrial machinery with our propane service powering Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Tennessee.

We have locations in many areas, including Henderson, Bicknell, Livermore, Elkton, Evansville, Dale, and Princeton.   

Contact us to today to learn more about fueling your forklifts with propane.

Sources:  U.S. Department of Energy, Propane.com, NPGA

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How to Better Budget Your Propane Use This Winter

In the winter, our monthly energy uses are expected to rise. With the exception of particularly warm winters, this should be no surprise. However, it’s still possible to budget your energy costs by making more conscious choices regarding your appliances.

Here are the following common appliances that may drive up your energy uses during these chilly months:

  • HVAC Furnace – 200,000 BTU/hour or one gallon/hour
  • Fireplace with ceramic logs – 26,000 BTU/hour or one gallon every three hours
  • Gas cooktop/range – 65,000 BTU/hour or five to 10 gallons per month
  • Tankless water heater – 40,000 BTU/hour or 1.5 gallons per day
  • Gas clothes dryer – 35,000 BTU/hr or less than one gallon per day

So how do you manage stretching out and budgeting your gas usage during the long winter? It’s actually quite simple. Use the following tips to cut back on your propane uses.

  • If your home gets toasty quickly, forego your heater and try to rely more on your fireplace. While an HVAC furnace can blow through a whole gallon of gas in just one hour, it takes three hours to drain one gallon with a fireplace. Of course, you should still keep your furnace on, just low, in order to make sure that your pipes don’t freeze.
  • How often are you drying your clothes? Did you know that drying your jeans and some sweaters is unnecessary? Hanging them to dry better preserves their integrity and doesn’t cause shrinkage. Also, running your gas clothes dryer less frequently can help conserve your gas tanks over time.
  • Don’t shower and run the washing machine at the same time. While it may seem convenient to take a shower while waiting for your clothes to wash, you’re probably not going to step into a toasty warm shower, and your clothes may not be washed properly. A tankless water heater may use up a lot of energy, but splitting the heat between two appliances may not always work out. It’s best to choose one at a time.
  • Consider signing up for the Lin-Gas EZ-Pay option, which delivers filtered propane tanks to your doorstep at set intervals. Lin-Gas keeps track of your gas usage and will sign you up for auto-fill in case of a longer-than-expected winter and will deliver the tanks in set intervals. This way, despite your gas intake, you will always have as much gas as you need.

Propane is 270 times more compact as a liquid than a gas, making it easier to transport, especially in low quantities. When you sign up for our EZ-Pay program, you’re sure to receive as much fuel as you need to last you all winter long.

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6 Home Heating Mistakes To Avoid This Winter

With the polar vortex in full force, it is likely that you have jacked up your thermostat recently to enjoy a comfortable, toasty home. But although we all want to keep warm, an overwhelming number of people make elementary mistakes when it comes to home heating.

Even if it goes against your intuition, proper heating practices are very important for the safety of your home as well as your wallet. Here are six “dos and don’ts” about home heating.

  1. Don’t use improper heating equipment. When the temperatures plummet, some people will go to desperate measures to stay warm. That is why every winter, fire departments around the country respond to calls from people who tried to use portable generators, outdoor heaters, and even charcoal grills to warm up their homes. Not only is this ineffective, it could be dangerous or even deadly. These heat sources are fire hazards that fill the home with deadly carbon monoxide. That is why the propane we sell includes ethyl mercaptin so that a propane leak that may occur is more easily detected.
  2. Don’t throw another log on the fire. There is a reason most homeowners have already made the switch to a propane fireplace. Not only are these fireplaces safer, but they are virtually maintenance free. If you are still using a traditional fireplace, be sure to clear the flue before use and make sure stray sparks and embers do not set the Christmas tree ablaze.
  3. Do heat your home with propane. Propane is not just a clean-burning fuel, it is also one of the most cost efficient fuel options on the market today. Even better, around 90% of the propane used in the U.S. is produced domestically, while 7% is produced in Canada and Mexico. Propane is made from both the refining of crude oil as well as through natural gas processing, which means you are supporting American energy jobs every time you adjust the thermostat. That being said…
  4. Don’t crank your thermostat to heat your home faster. No matter how high the temperature on your thermostat is set, that does not affect the physical amount of heat coming through your heating vents. Instead of cranking up the heat every time you feel a chill, gradually raise the temperature until you feel comfortable.
  5. Don’t let kids use a thermostat. Kids do not know how heating works, but they do know that the thermostat makes the temperature go up and down. When kids play with the thermostat, they are likely to crank it way up or down without a second thought. To avoid risking a high energy bill or a burnt out heating system, establish an adults-only thermostat policy.
  6. Do take advantage of curtains and blinds. If you open the blinds and curtains during the daytime, sunlight will pour in, heating the home naturally and reducing the need for heat. At night, close the curtains and blinds to create an extra layer of insulation.

Lin-Gas is the propane company that will tell it to you straight: there is a wrong way to heat a home. Contact us today to talk more about the benefits of residential propane services, LG-70 propane additives, and why you should make the switch today.

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The Homeowner’s Guide to Propane Fueled Fireplaces

Some people love wood burning fireplaces, usually because of the nostalgia factor. Something about throwing a log on the fire reminds them of days gone by. Of course, wood burning fireplaces can also be a maintenance nightmare. Not only do you have to clean out ashes, keep the flue cleared of creosote accumulation, and worry about jumping sparks and ashes, but traditional chimneys are a magnet for spiders, bats, and all manner of creepy crawlies.

For many of the same reasons, 95% of chefs prefer to cook with gas. In fact, more and more homeowners are discovering the many benefits of gas fireplaces and propane fueled fireplaces because it’s such a cost efficient fuel.

Why Propane? What Are the Benefits of Gas Fireplaces? 

Numbers don’t lie. Today, 8.1 million homes use propane, with 4.6% of them relying on propane for all their heating needs. On top of that, more than 1 million restaurants, hotels, and other commercial establishments use propane. Like natural gas, propane can exist in both liquid and gaseous states. When propane is at atmospheric pressure and temperatures higher than -44 F, it’s both non-toxic and colorless. Although it’s naturally odorless, an easily identifiable odorant, ethyl mercaptin is added to propane to make leaks easy to detect with that rotten egg smell

Even better, fully 90% of America’s propane supply is produced right here in the U.S.A., while the majority of the rest comes from Mexico and Canada.

Gas Fireplaces: The Ultimate Propane Accessory 

Propane services have gone mainstream over the past few decades, and this gas is now used for so much more than cooking and heating. You’ll find pools and home spa heaters powered by this fuel, and of course, propane fueled fireplaces.

Not only do gas fireplaces avoid the maintenance, mess, and fire risks that come with wood burning, gas fireplaces spread heat more evenly around a room. Gas fires are both easier to light (literally with the flick of a switch!) and easier to keep lit, all at a low cost. And while wood burning fireplaces must be connected to a pre-existing chimney, some model propane fueled fireplaces can be installed anywhere in your home.

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5 Things You Didn’t Know About Using Propane as a Home Fuel

Propane is both a versatile and clean energy source used to power many things within a home. Used by more than 60 million people in the United States, the clean energy source has many uses. To help you learn more, here are five things about using propane in the home you probably didn’t already know.

Propane Powers Many Appliances
Propane can be used to power appliances that are commonly used for cooking, laundry, water heating, generators and fireplaces. In fact, more than nine million homes use the versatile energy source for this purpose. It is not only used indoors, but outdoors as well. Things like heating spas, pools, outdoor grills, and even lighting are all fueled by propane.

Propane Is a Popular Fuel Source
In the U.S., 8.1 million households use propane, with 4.6% using it as a main heating source. One reason propane is so popular is because it serves so many purposes. In the event that a power outage occurs, propane allows people in the household to continue to shower, cook, and stay warm.

It is Odorless
Propane has no color or smell when in its natural state. However, manufacturers tend to add a strong scent similar to that of a skunk or rotten eggs to help consumers detect it. The chemical used to achieve this is called mercaptan.

It Can Help Save Money
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, homeowners can save close to 30% annually by using propane in place of electricity. They can save more than half if using it for most or all appliances within their homes. When used in a water heater tank, reheating takes only 20 minutes. This is compared to the hour it takes with electricity.

Propane Appliances Last Longer and Require Less Maintenance
One of the many benefits for residential propane customers is that appliances requiring it last longer than electric ones. For example, a propane gas furnace will last an average of 20 years, while an electric heat pump may only last around 14 years. Propane boilers also require less maintenance than other appliances, saving even more money.

Whether you’re cooking with gas or heating your home with propane, the benefits for residential use are vast with filtered propane. Get the most out of gas products, and save money while you’re doing it.

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The Purpose and Benefits of Propane

Propane, often referred to as liquefied petroleum, is produced from crude oil refining and natural gas processing. It is used as an alternative energy source to coal and electricity and has proven to be one of the cleanest burning fuels used today.

What is Propane Used For?

The Petrochemical Industry: Nearly half of the propane consumed in the United States is used in the petrochemical industry to make plastics and other products such as cosmetics, fertilizers, detergents, asphalt, and synthetic fabrics.

Residential and Commercial Properties: Propane is an energy source used by over 9 million families. It is commonly used to provide energy to rural areas without access to the natural gas system. Propane delivers a clean, efficient and reliable energy solution for households that rely on propane for hot water, cookingt, drying clothes, and propane-fueled fireplaces. Commercial establishments like hotels, restaurants, and laundromats use propane services in the same way as the homeowner.

Farms: Farms use propane fuel for crop drying, weed control, and powering equipment. More than 660,000 farmers also use propane fuel for irrigation pumps, grain dryers, and generators.

Industrial Sites: More than 350,000 industrial sites use propane for heating, cutting, heat treating, vulcanizing, and annealing.  Propane as motor fuel for forklift trucks and lifts is used extensively in factories and warehouses due to the clean burning nature of propane.   As a result, air quality is not degraded as with the use of gasoline and diesel powered vehicles (forklifts)

What are the Benefits of Using Propane as Opposed to Other Energy Sources?

Cost Effective: Propane gas costs consumers half the price of electricity, and some states offer fuel tax incentives to encourage consumers to use clean fuels.

Environmentally Friendly: Propane is one of the cleanest burning of all alternative fuels. Neither the production nor the burning of propane creates a significant impact to the atmosphere.

Reliable: When you rely on electricity, you become vulnerable to power outages. With propane, the weather will not affect your fuel supply as it is contained in a tank in your yard.   A propane fueled fireplace or space heater can offer heat, hot water and to your family when there is an electrical outage.  You can even cook meals on your propane gas range.

Locally Made: When we use propane, we don’t have to rely on foreign oil. In fact, over 90% of America’s propane was produced here in the United States.

Homeowners, businesses, and construction sites are all experiencing the amazing benefits of propane fuel. For more information contact us today.

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If You Aren’t Using Propane for These Household Applications, You Need to Make the Switch

When you think propane, you might immediately think of gas grills. Sure, that might be the most common use, but did you know how else you can use propane fuel to heat and power your home? Propane serves over 60 million people in the U.S. in many different ways, including more than 1 million commercial establishments. There are countless applications in both commercial and residential spaces, but here are a few of the most popular propane uses in the home that you may want to consider switching to!

Cooktops
Electric stoves and ranges were popular for a short while, but that didn’t last long.  People use gas  instead of electric for many reasons. Cooking with gas offers many benefits aside from the cost; not only is it cheaper, but it can yield better results. Propane fueled ovens give you more precise control over the temperature for more even cooking. Unlike electric ranges, gas stoves ignite immediately — there is no waiting for the burners to warm up! In contrast, gas burners also cool more quickly for a safer kitchen environment when you are done cooking.

Furnaces
Did you know a full 16% of the nation’s 6.3 million homes use propane as their main heating source? Propane fuel is excellent for use in furnaces due to their efficiency and low-cost. Electric furnace models typically cost much more to heat your home than with propane. Once again, propane beats out electric: propane furnaces heat your air much warmer than electric heating systems. Great for people who live in colder climates, this will ensure that you stay warm despite the harshest winter storms.

Clothes Dryer
Many people do not consider using gas in more unconventional applications like in a clothes dryer, but you can substitute your electric model for one that runs on propane fuel. Nearly anything with an electric heating element can be fueled by natural, safe, non-toxic propane. The moist heat of propane is less likely to discolor or burn fabrics as compared to their electric counterparts. In almost every instance, gas powered appliances are more energy efficient and cost less to operate; clothes dryers are no exception. Save money on electrical costs by switching to propane-fueled dryers. You get faster drying times and more precise temperatures for a fraction of the cost.

Propane can be used for really any appliance that requires a heating element such as heating water, cooking, barbecuing, or even refrigerating! OK, so a propane toaster isn’t one of them.  We recommend you stay with electricity for that.

Call us to see how we can help you make the switch to start saving time and money!

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Why Consumers Want Greener Energy Solutions, and How Propane Can Help

It’s clear that consumers are more and more interested in “going green,” whether that involves having a smaller carbon footprint or simply opting for companies with reputable recycling programs. According to a recent report, 73% of consumers have decided not to buy a product because it had (or seemed to have) a negative environmental impact.

For this reason, it makes sense to encourage consumers toward propane water heaters, and away from electric water heaters which typically are not as efficient in converting energy into hot water and have a longer recovery time. Heating water can account for up to 30% of a home’s energy expense, and propane heaters allow homeowners to save money as they use less energy to heat their water. And of course, there’s the advantage of having consistently hot water.

Propane: Increasingly Popular

Currently, propane services are used by about 60 million people in the U.S., a number that will likely increase as consumers continue to look for more eco-friendly alternatives to their existing water heaters. Propane has long been a popular solution among those living in mobile homes, with approximately 16% of these occupants relying on propane not only to heat their water, but their home as well.

Even More Energy Efficiency With Tankless Water Heaters

If you’ve heard about tankless water heaters, they are a good option if you are interested in energy efficiency. Consumer Reports tested a tankless heater and found that it was 22% more efficient than the traditional tank models. On the other hand, they point out that the difference in cost means that it can take several years for the energy savings to cover the higher cost of installation. For families concerned about their carbon footprint, through, contributing less to environmental change while also saving an average of $70 a year can translate into a good deal.

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Propane and You — What You Need to Know About America’s Cleanest Gas Energy

A lot of Americans depend on propane for their home energy needs. With so much uncertainty and so much fluctuation in the pricing of other energies (as well as limited availability), propane easily maintains its spot as one of our most cost-efficient fuels.

A versatile energy source, more than 9 million families use propane as their go-to means of powering their furnaces, water heaters, stoves and ovens, grills, fireplaces, generators, and a wide array of other devices. Propane is one of the cleanest burning, most cost-efficient fuels available in today’s energy-obsessed society. This is likely why over 8.1 million homes currently depend on propane power.

Propane fuel is in great abundance, too. This is perhaps one of its most celebrated strengths. Around 90% of the U.S.’s propane supply is produced within its own borders, which is also a strong selling point for propane. The remaining 10 percent comes from Canada and Mexico. The reason propane fuel is so easily manufactured domestically and is so abundant is because (approximately) identical amounts of it are produced as a result of refining crude oil and natural gas processing. So in a way, we produce propane intentionally through a unique manufacturing process, but we also get tons of it just from working with other natural energy sources. For these reasons, propane is thought of as readily available, secure, and responsible energy source. Its positive environmental impact is widely noted.

Propane tanks and propane accessories are easily purchased, stocked, and maintained, offering a slew of benefits for residential propane customers. If you have a long winter coming, it’s easy to simply double up and purchase an extra tank. You only have to purchase what you’re going to use, and won’t be wasting tons of money heating and cooling a home with some of the more expensive alternatives. Another unsung benefit of using propane technology is not having to depend on exterior connections for energy use. In other words, if something happens to the local gas and energy company, you’re protected! The propane you depend on is already in your home.

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Is Propane the Energy Source of Tomorrow For America?

Propane and propane accessories are important to America. Always have been; always will be. In fact, it’s likely that propane usage is only going to increase from where it is now.

It’s an extremely versatile fuel that’s used by over 9 million families for furnaces, cooktops, water heaters, outdoor grills, generators, fireplaces, and other appliances. It’s cleaner, more cost-effective, efficient, and reliable than many of the energy sources we use today.

In fact, we underutilize our favorite cost efficient fuel — the other, less effective energy sources are actually a lot more popular.

It shouldn’t be that way, though. As of 2016, there are over 1 million commercial establishments (like hotels, restaurants, laundromats, etc.) using propane for many of the same purposes as residential homeowners. Propane is particularly efficient for heating and cooling the air in an enclosed space, heating water, refrigeration, cooking, drying clothes, lighting things, and drying clothes. Considering it does all of the above (and more) in a cleaner, more cost-effective way than most other fuels, it’s something of a mystery why it isn’t used more.

Even more confusing is its seeming lack of prominence in the industrial sector. Only about 350,000 industrial sites in the U.S. rely on propane for part or all of their operation. This is in spite of the fact that propane is efficient for space heating, soldering, brazing, cutting, annealing, vulcanizing, and heat treating. The main use of propane fuel in the industrial setting is for the manufacturing of plastics.

Yet, the popularity of this gas is on the rise. It’s made as a result of mining for other energy sources and gas products (like crude oil), and the U.S. has so much of it that in 2012, for the first time in history, they became a net exporter on the global scale.

As the scarcity of other gasses and natural energies increases and we are increasingly forced to lessen our dependence on foreign oils and resource-heavy mining, propane is likely to become the go-to energy source for at least the near future. Propane and propane accessories are as common as ever, and you may have propane tanks on your property soon enough.

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