A gas fire on (bio)propane

Enjoying the warmth and atmosphere of the gas fire without being connected to the gas network? The gas fire on (bio)propane is becoming increasingly popular! This fire makes it possible for people who are not (or do not want to be) connected to the gas network or are looking for a greener alternative to heat the house with a gas fire. Despite the fact that this fire is on the rise, there are still many questions about using the propane fire. We answer those questions in this blog.

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Propane gas fire: enjoying a gas fire, without a gas connection

You have probably heard of it; the propane fire. Yet, not many people know how a propane gas fire works and what the difference is between natural gas and propane gas. We are happy to explain it to you.
 
Don't have a fixed gas connection or don't want to depend on one, but still want an atmospheric gas fire in your home? Then a propane gas fire is right for you! The propane gas fire is almost no different from the traditional gas fire. The main difference is that the traditional gas fire is connected to the natural gas network, while propane gas is stored in gas cylinders. The gas for the fire then comes not from the network but from your own propane storage. In addition, with bottled gas, a variety of more sustainable variants are available such as methane and propane.
 
The combustion of both gases is the same, so in use you will not notice any difference between burning propane gas or natural gas. A propane gas fire is therefore very suitable for people who enjoy a gas fire but do not (want to) have a fixed gas connection. You manage your own supply and stay in control of your consumption and costs!

How much propane gas does a propane gas fire consume?

The consumption of the propane gas fire not only differs per model, but also depends on the intensity of use. When burning at full power, a propane gas fire uses an average of 0.5 kilograms of gas per hour. In practice, however, the fire is only used at full power for a short time. As soon as a comfortable temperature is reached in the house, the stove is turned down. The fire's average consumption then decreases to about 0.3 kilograms per hour. Do you use Eco Wave? Then it will be even slightly lower.

With this system, you will never run out of gas

An average gas fire consumes 60 kilos of gas per year, which means you will have to change the gas bottle during the year. To make using propane cylinders even easier, we recommend buying a starter set. These sets usually contain two separate gas cylinders, a conversion system and a cabinet. You buy them from various companies, such as Emgas BV. Ask your dealer about the possibilities. In most cases, they have a partner they work with and can completely unburden you.

The system of the starter set consists of several switched propane bottles of 10.5 kg each, linked together. If the starter bottle is empty, the system automatically switches to a spare bottle. At that point, you can order a new bottle to replace the empty one. With this system, you continue to enjoy your gas fire carefree and never forget to order a new gas bottle.

Storage of propane bottles

You can own a maximum of 4 switched bottles in and around the house. However, storing gas cylinders is subject to rules. Gas is and always will be dangerous, so you need to handle it with care. Propane is heavier than air and flows to the lowest place. Therefore, make sure the room in which you keep the bottles is well ventilated and do not place the bottles near manhole covers or cellar windows. 

For safety reasons, gas cylinders should preferably be kept outside. For example, in a ventilated shed or a special storage cabinet. Propane suppliers often have great solutions for this. Do you have questions about propane fire consumption?

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What does it cost to fire a propane fire?

Propane gas is a cheaper gas than natural gas, but that does not make firing it free of charge. The costs of a propane gas fire differ from those of a natural gas fire. The consumption of your fire, and therefore the costs, depend on the capacity of the chosen fire and the way you use it. For convenience's sake, we calculate your heating costs based on two usage profiles, both assuming a well-insulated home. So check carefully what kind of user you are to get an estimate of the costs.

The Atmosphere user

You have a well-insulated new-build home containing a gas fire with an output of 7 kW on the highest setting. Your modern fire is probably equipped with gas-saving options like smart burner shutdown or modulating ECO mode that reduce your consumption. 

In practice, your fire will not always burn at high power. We will therefore assume an average power of 4 to 5 kW. Your fire will then use about 300 to 500 grams of propane per hour. An average Sfeergebruiker stokes the fire 20 weeks a year, about 2 evenings a week and 2.5 hours per evening.

Consumption costs of the Atmosphere user
With average use, 4 to 6 gas cylinders of 16 litres of gas per year are sufficient. This means (depending on the gas price) around €300 heating costs per year. The running costs are then around €6 per evening (for 2.5 hours of heating).

The atmosphere PLUS user

You have a well-insulated new-build home with a gas fire with an output of 9 kW on the highest setting. Your fire is also equipped with gas-saving options such as smart burner shutdown or modulating Eco mode.

In practice, your fire does not always burn at high power. That is why we assume an average capacity of 6 to 7 kW. Your fire then consumes about 600 grams of propane per hour. The average atmosphere PLUS user fires the fire for about 25 weeks a year, two evenings a week and an average of 2.5 hours per evening.
 
The consumption costs of the atmosphere PLUS user
With average use, 8 to 10 gas cylinders of 16 litres of gas per year are sufficient. This means (depending on the gas price) around €400 per year. Your running costs per evening will then be around €8.30 (for 2.5 hours of heating).
 
Is your situation not listed here? Use the gas consumption calculator! It calculates your consumption and the expected costs.

Gas consumption calculator

Switching to a propane fire?

This can be done in two ways. It is possible to convert the existing gas fire to propane, or to purchase a new propane gas fire. We are happy to explain the options to you.

Converting your gas fire to a propane fire

Do you still enjoy your gas fire, but would rather not depend on the gas network anymore? Then we have good news! These days, it is in fact fairly easy to convert your existing gas fire to a propane gas fireplace. Many gas fires are also suitable for conversion to propane. Want to know whether your gas fire is suitable for a conversion to propane and how this conversion works? We previously wrote the blog 'converting a gas fire to propane' in which we tell you all about converting a gas fire to a propane appliance.

Buying a propane gas fire

No gas connection or want to control your own consumption?  Then a propane gas fire is a good choice for you. Almost all our gas fires also burn on propane.

Even if you are not yet ready to completely abandon the gas network, our fires are suitable for you. Besides being immediately available as a propane gas fire, our gas fires are also very easy to convert to propane or another type of bottled gas at a later date. A flexible choice, then. And with DRU's gas conversion guarantee you are assured of a carefree conversion from gas to propane for five years!

Do you have questions about the propane fire?

Haven't we answered your question yet? Then take a look at the frequently asked questions about (bio)propane at the bottom of this article. In addition, we previously wrote a folder with all the information on propane gas fires. Via the button below, you can easily download the brochure and read everything again.

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A gas fire on (bio)propane

Biopropane can be used with all propane gas applications, without any modification. Most modern fires can already be ordered with a propane burner. And you can also switch to (bio)propane for other appliances without any difficulty. Always consult a recognised installer. After all, you are working with gas and safety is very important.
In fact, (Bio)propane is the perfect alternative to natural gas. Whether for central heating, producing hot water, or cooking your daily meal: propane gas can do it all. Besides, propane can be used with almost all brands and types of heating and combi boilers, geysers and cookers. And gas stoves, not to mention.
Biopropane, or BioLPG, is a new type of propane gas. It is also called the energy source of the future. Partly because this by-product of biodiesel is produced entirely from sustainable raw materials, namely a mix of waste and residues and renewable vegetable oils. Biopropane emits as much as 80% less CO2 than regular propane gas, and also scores much better in terms of sulphur emissions.

A greener future
At the moment, biopropane is unfortunately not yet available to consumers, and is only offered to industrial users. All propane fires also run on biopropane, so as soon as biopropane is available to consumers, you can take advantage of it and contribute to a greener future.
Chemically, biopropane and propane are similar. But otherwise the two are completely different. Propane is extracted from gas fields, or as a by-product of oil refining. It is therefore a fossil fuel. In contrast, biopropane is made from renewable resources and consists of a mix of waste and residues and renewable vegetable oils. This gas is 100% sustainable.
Yes, biopropane is 100% sustainable. It is made from so-called sustainable feedstocks: a mix of waste and residues and renewable vegetable oils. 
Biopropane is a full and environmentally friendly alternative to ordinary propane. Chemically, the two are identical. Therefore, biopropane can be used in all propane gas plants.
Biopropane, or BioLPG, is a by-product of biodiesel and is produced entirely from renewable raw materials. Think of a mix of waste and residues such as animal fats and renewable vegetable oils such as corn oil. In the Netherlands, biopropane has been made exclusively by Benegas since 2018. At the moment, biopropane is not yet available for consumers, only for use in industry. The gas is a by-product of NExBTL biodiesel, which is produced by Neste.
You can fire a propane fire for as little as €3.54 per evening.
 
These costs are calculated based on our gas fire the Convexo Eco Wave, the average propane price and a heating time of four hours.
 
By using our Eco Wave feature, you can save up to 50% on your gas consumption. 

Otherwise, the cost obviously depends on your usage.
Most modern gas fires are easy to convert to propane. It is often a question of whether the conversion kit is available. A job for the installer. In some cases, the burner needs to be changed. Manufacturers have complete conversion kits for that. Our service engineer will carry out this conversion on site for you. Ask your dealer about the possibilities.
No, not quite. LPG stands for Liquified Petroleum Gas. Propane is an LPG, as is butane. A mix of these two gases is used as motor fuel for passenger cars. And so we also call those LPG. 

Pure propane gas
Gas cylinders and tanks in the Netherlands are almost always filled with pure propane gas. This is stored in liquid form and used in vapour form. This is because propane has a much lower boiling point than butane, so it remains in gaseous form up to 40 degrees below zero. This also makes it good for use in winter. Butane already liquefies at 0 degrees Celsius. In cars, this doesn't hurt because the engine keeps the gas warm. But if you want to take a gas bottle with you on winter sports, it is smart to make sure it contains propane gas.
 
No way, you can just have a propane gas bottle in your possession. Several bottles too.
With gas, you are always careful. It is important to ensure environmentally and fire-safe conditions. One such condition is good ventilation. The pressure propane exerts on a tank or gas cylinder depends on the temperature. The higher the temperature of the liquid, the higher the pressure of the gas. And the lower the temperature, the lower the pressure. This means that propane bottles should be protected from heat sources. For this reason, always put your gas bottle(s) in a well-ventilated, open place outdoors. Do not cover the bottle, even with a camouflage net. And make sure that any vegetation around the bottle does not obstruct ventilation.
This obviously depends on your consumption and the method of filling you choose. You can check the content yourself via a gauge on your gas tank. If the volume is lower than 20%, you order a new supply from the supplier. If you want to change gas cylinders less often, you can always choose to use larger ones. The standard model is a 10.5 kg bottle.
Propane has many advantages. First, it is easily transportable: under modest pressure, the vapour of propane gas turns into a liquid. This makes it easy to store and thus transport in specially manufactured tanks and bottles. When the pressure disappears, the liquid turns back into a gas.

Further advantages:
  • Usable in a variety of commercial and domestic applications, such as heating, hot water, cooking, lighting, power generation and industrial heating.
  • Can be packaged and stored in a variety of ways, from refillable gas cylinders to gas tanks.
  • Available in the most remote areas, improving the lives of millions of European citizens and providing fuel energy solutions for regional development in these remote areas.
  • An important alternative to chemicals in various agricultural applications, such as livestock cleaning or weed control.
  • One of the cleanest fuels in terms of CO2 emissions. In domestic and industrial use, propane produces on average 15% less CO2 per kilowatt-hour than petroleum, 50% less than coal and significantly less than the average European grid electricity. Its 'little brother' biopropane is even 100% renewable and chemically identical to propane.
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