Propane Gas: 10 Things You Might Not Know

Check out these facts about versatile, clean propane!

The first introduction to propane for many of us was using it to run our BBQ grill. But, there’s so much more to it than a just a cookout!

Propane Less Common Known Facts

PitStop Propane and Fuels can show you a lot about propane, and all the things it can do for your greater Portland-area home. To start, we have 10 fun and fascinating facts about propane gas:

1. The chemical formula for propane gas is C3H8.
2. Propane was first identified in 1910 by Walter O. Snelling, a chemist, who recognized it as a volatile component in gasoline.
3. Three years later, Snelling sold the patent for propane to Frank Phillips, who was the founder of Phillips Petroleum, for $50,000. In today’s money, that’s $1.3 million.
4. Propane has no odor or color when it’s in its natural state. That rotten-egg smell that the propane in your home has is a chemical, usually ethyl mercaptan, added so propane’s presence is more easily detected.
5. Propane is listed as an alternative fuel by the 1990 Clean Air Act as well as the National Energy Policy of 1992. Why? Because propane is one of the cleanest-burning fossil fuels. It is also not listed as a greenhouse gas. In the event of a propane gas leak, propane causes no damage to the air, soil or water, and won’t hurt marine or plant life.
6. About 90 percent of the propane used in the United States is produced domestically. Most of that propane is a byproduct that comes from natural gas processing. It consists of 90 percent propane, 9 percent butane, and the remaining 1 percent odorant and propylene.
7. Propane contributes around $40 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product.
8. Propane is safe to transport in tanks because it will not ignite when combined with air until the ignition source reaches 940 degree Fahrenheit.
9. Close to 95 percent of professional chefs say that they prefer to cook with gas because of the precise and instant temperature control and even cooking they get with it. Propane can give you that in your kitchen, too!
10. If you like saving money on energy, you’ll love propane! The propane heating systems and appliances of today have efficiency ratings of 95 percent or more.

Find out more about what propane can do for your home, and how PitStop Propane and Fuels is the right choice for propane delivery. Contact us today and become a PitStop customer – we’d love to earn your trust.