Propane Usage Calculator
Enter your propane appliances' Btu ratings and daily run time and get the gallons you burn per day and month, how long your tank will last and the cost.
From the rating plate.
The usable gallons you have now, not the tank's size.
The result updates as you type.
propane use
6.26 gallons per day
187.8 gallons per 30 days · 63.9 days from 400 gallons
| Fuel burned per day | 572,500 Btu |
| Heat content of propane | 91,452 Btu per gallon (EIA) |
| Appliance | Btu per day | Gallons per day |
|---|---|---|
| Furnace | 480,000 | 5.25 |
| Water heater | 60,000 | 0.66 |
| Range | 32,500 | 0.36 |
What this page cannot tell you
How long your appliances actually run. Run time swings with the weather, thermostat settings and household use; a heating appliance can run several times longer on a cold day than a mild one. Tank gauges read in percent of the tank's size, and not all of that is usable.
How to calculate propane usage
- List the appliances. Furnace, water heater, range, fireplace, generator, pool heater — with the input rating in Btu per hour from each rating plate.
- Estimate run time. Hours each one actually runs per day (burner on), not hours it's switched on.
- Enter the gallons on hand. The usable propane in the tank now, if you want days remaining.
- Add the price. Optional, for cost per day and month.
10 situations where a propane usage calculator helps
Timing the next delivery
Days remaining tells you when to call before you run out in a cold snap.
Choosing a tank size
Daily use shows how often a 120, 250 or 500 gallon tank would need filling.
Standby generator run time
A generator's rated Btu input gives gallons per hour of outage.
Pool or spa heater cost
Large heaters burn fast; see the cost per day of heating.
Budgeting a winter
Monthly gallons × price is a heating budget.
Comparing a new appliance
Add a fireplace or range and see what it adds.
Cabins and RVs
Small tanks and cylinders: how many days a fill lasts.
Checking a delivery bill
Compare gallons delivered with what your appliances should have burned.
Construction heaters
Price the propane for heating a job site.
Propane vs electric decisions
The Btu figures put fuel use on a common scale.
Where the numbers come from
Heat content is the U.S. Energy Information Administration's conversion: 1 gallon of propane = 91,452 Btu. An appliance's rating plate gives its input — the fuel it burns per hour while the burner is on — so gallons per day = Btu per hour × hours running ÷ 91,452. No efficiency is applied to nameplate input, because input is already fuel burned. If you start from a heat load instead (Btu delivered), the page divides by the appliance's efficiency first.
Days remaining = usable gallons in the tank ÷ gallons per day. Monthly figures use 30 days.
Limits: run time is the big unknown. A furnace may run 2 hours on a mild day and 12 on a very cold one, so a single daily figure is an average. Tank gauges show percent of the tank's size, and a tank is not filled to 100%, so enter the gallons actually in it. Everything runs in your browser.
Sources
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — British thermal units (Btu) — 1 gallon of propane = 91,452 Btu
Frequently asked questions
How much propane does a 100,000 Btu furnace use per hour?
100,000 ÷ 91,452 = 1.09 gallons per hour of burner run time.
How do I calculate propane usage?
Multiply each appliance's Btu per hour by the hours it runs, add them up, and divide by 91,452 Btu per gallon.
How long will my propane tank last?
Divide the gallons in the tank by your gallons per day. Enter both and the page does it.
Where do I find the Btu rating?
On the appliance's rating plate or in its manual, listed as input in Btu per hour (Btuh).
Why is my real usage different?
Run time changes with weather and habits. Track a week of use between gauge readings and compare.
How many Btu are in a gallon of propane?
91,452 according to the EIA.
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