Gas hook-up helps ease the pain when electric fails
A natural gas hookup or a propane tank can power water heaters, stoves and cloth dryers. And generators.
BY RICHARD WESTLUHD
THE HERALD
It didn’t take Oscar and Delores de la Guardia long to tire of their 4,300-watt gasoline-powered generator. “it worked very well for us in our home,” said Delores de la Guardia, “but it was a huge problem getting gas after Hurricane Wilma.”
After spending hours each day hunting for an open gas station, then waiting in line to fill several gas tanks, the Coral Gables residents are considering an alternative.
“We are thinking about changing to propane gas,” said de la Guardia, “it would certainly be a lot more convenient.”
A natural gas hookup or a propane tank can power water heaters, stoves and clothes dryers – high wattage appliances that draw heavy amounts of electric current. In the even of an electrical outage, you could drink hot coffee and fine on arroz con pollo, rather than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Natural gas and propane can also be used as fuel for generators to power most electrical appliances.
“Just being able to cook and have a nice shower can make life more bearable these days,” said Aleida Socorras, regional sales manager of TECO People’s Gas, which provides natural gas to about 55,000 customers.
“With hurricane Katrina and Wilma, more people are realizing there are alternatives to electric power,” said Richard Harvey, general manager of Home Gas Corp., which installs gas systems. “Natural gas and propane are those alternatives.”
NATURAL GAS
Natural gas is delivered via underground pipelines. Its availability depends on the location of pipelines. “One neighborhood may have piping and another one won’t, depending on whether the original developer put in gas lines,” said Socorras.
As authorized by the state’s Public Servile Commission, TECO Peoples Gas territory covers most of Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The other provider is City Gas, covering south Miami-Dade and Hialeah. Sunrise runs a municipal system.
Anyone interested in natural gas should contact the authorized provider. “We can identify where the lines are in relation to the person’s home and provide an estimate of what it would cost the homeowner to connect,” Socorras said. “If it looks feasible, we recommend the customer check with two or three contractors about the actual cost of installation.”
If gas lines are in your area and you want a line brought to your home for a gas water heater and stove, the gas company will connect the line to your meter at no charge. You would only pay to install the lines in your home, anywhere from $400 to $1,500, according to Amaury Gonzalez, president, Around the Clock Gas Service, Hialeah Gardens. You may qualify for rebates on a new gas water heater. However, if you want the line only for a gas-fired generator, the company will charge $1,500 to $2,500 because you would buy gas only occasionally.
Including getting permits and approvals, the average time to bring a natural gas line to a home or business is six to eight weeks. Harvey said a contractor could usually hook up existing lines in a home in less than a week.
With a new home or condominium, piping can be installed during construction. Retrofitting an existing home is usually more complicated.
Once a connection is in place, the gas can flow automatically to appliances or a gas-powered generator. “That’s a big advantage,” said Socorras, “because you don’t need to schedule refuel delivery or drive to a station to get more fuel.”
PROPANE TANKS
Unlike natural gas, propane is readily available in small containers at gas stations, grill stores and other retailers who cater to campers or boaters.
However, if you want to do more than cook a hot meal on the patio, you will need greater storage capacity, such as an aboveground tank or a 500- to 1,000-gallon underground tank.
The size of the tank is determined by the number of appliances you want to connect and your anticipated gas use, according to Harvey, a gas delivery truck must refill the tank regularly.
“The demand for propane is incredible throughout the region, especially in areas where natural gas is not readily available,” said Harvey. “Many consumers want gas to power their water heaters, including the tankless systems that heat water without the space requirements of a conventional hot water tank.”
Installation of an above ground propane tank including connections to your appliances would run$450 to $500, plus municipal permits if your city allows such tanks (another $150 to $200), according to Elda Mayor, district manager, AmeriGas Medley. Harvey says it may take only a day to run piping through the house to major appliances. If the home already has a propane tank and existing lines, you would pay $75 for a safety check to make sure everything is in working condition.
Installing an underground tank would add another $1,200. The installation is the most time consuming part of getting propane gas. Municipal approvals are required, the area must be excavated and the tank must be in a sound structural position with support.
GENERATORS
In the past two weeks, South Florida gas companies have seen a surge in demand from people who want a whole house generator.
“Today, everyone wants a natural gas or propane powered generator,” Gonzalez said, “it was happening before Wilma, and now everyone is calling.”
Jon Hoch, president of Electric Generators Direct, an online distributor, says natural gas-fired generators are typically designed as a standby power source. A 15,000-watt system could power a small house except for central air conditioning, he said, while a larger home, with a central AC might require 20,000 to 25,000 watts.
“These are standby generators that are permanently installed at the home,” Loch said. “They are wired into the home’s electrical system – something that must be done by a professional.”
Many natural gas and propane generators are designed to sense when the power goes off and start up automatically. They may also turn on automatically for a short period weekly or monthly for maintenance to identify any potential problems well in advance of an emergency.
A gas-powered 35,000-watt generator runs $3,000 to $4,000, Gonzalez said. However, installation of a natural gas connection or propane tank – plus the piping needed to carry the gas to the generator – can add $5,000 more. “Getting the permits can also be a time consuming process,” he added.
Harvey said most major manufacturers, including Honda, Generac and Coleman, make gas-powered home generators. “You need to see how big a generator you need for the appliances you want to power, then a contractor will size up the gas line and storage capacity needed for the propane,” he said.
CONVENIENCE, SAFETY
Generators that run on natural gas or propane typically have battery-operated electric starters.
As with any power system, natural gas and propane generators and appliances must be operated safely. Unlike gasoline generators, propane or natural gas systems do not produce carbon monoxide, a deadly odorless vapor.
Instead, the primary safety concern is the risk of a sudden flare-up or explosion if a pocket of gas were to be ignited by a match, cigarette or electric spark.
A sulfer odor is added, making it easy to smell should there be a leak. Since gas is lighter than air, you can open doors and windows to ventilate the area.
If you are considering a whole-house system, act soon. “With large generators, you should plan to purchase by January,” said H. J. Frank, general manager, Personalized Power Systems, Boca Raton. “Otherwise you may be looking at a system for the 2007 season.”
FPL PROGRAM
FPL Energy Services offers a Readi-Power program that covers design, financing and installation for natural gas or propane generators. Partial and whole-house generators are available. FPL will coordinate installation of either natural gas or propane. Information 800 334 1960 or visit www.fpl.com/energy_services/contents/readi-power.shtml
GAS-POWERED APPLIANCES
- Water heater
- Stove / range
- Dryer
- Patio stove
- Outdoor grill
- Home generator
NATURAl- GAS
- TECO Peoples Gas. 800-TECO-PGS
- City gas, 305-691-8710
PROPANE FIRMS
- Coast Gas, 305-888-4343
- Suburban propane, 954-923-6432 or 305-891-8393
- Amerigas, 305-883-8600 or 954-476-5254
FOUR SAMPLE SYSTEMS
SMALL PORTABLE
Size: 3,000 to 4,000 watts
Price: $250 to $2,000
What it powers:
- Refrigerator (600w)
- Several Lights (400w)
- TV (350 w)
- Microwave (1,500w)
Example: Honda EM3800S. With a Honda OHV engine, this generator produces a maximum of 3,800 watts. It features automatic voltage regulator, auto idle, automatic choke and fuel cut solenoid for operation. It holds 6.6 gallons and can run 10.4 hours with a full load. With all these bells and whistles, this 3,800-watt generator has a suggested price of $2,074.95 at hondapoweredequipment.com
MIDSIZED PORTABLE
Size: 4,500 to 7,000 watts
Price: $500 to $2,500
What it powers:
- Refrigerator (600w)
- Room air conditioner (1,000w)
- Multiple lights (1,000w)
- TV (350w)
- Microwave (1,500w)
Note: Appliances with electrical motors, like air conditioners or refrigerators require extra “surge” power to start up. A window AC unit will take virtually all the output of a 5,000-watt generator to start up. But once started, you could turn on all your lights or other devices.
Example: Coleman Premium Plus 5,000 Driven by a 10-HP Briggs & Stratton OHV engine. This generator produces a maximum of 6,200 watts with 5,000 running watts. It has a five-gallon fuel tank estimated to run for 11 hours at 50 percent usage (about 2,500 watts). It does not have an electrical starter, but includes a low oil alert. It is available from online retailers for $800 to $850, including a portability kit.
LARGE PORTABLE SYSTEM
Size: 10,000 to 15,000 watts
Price: $2,000 to $3,500
What it powers:
- Refrigerator (600w)
- Room air conditioner (1,000w)
- Multiple lights (1,000w)
- TV (350 w)
- Microwave (1,500w)
- Water heater (3,000w)
- Stove or range (4,500w)
- Washer (400w)
Example: Guardian Ultra Source Portable 1500. A gasoline powered Generac OVH engine provides 15,000 watts. Standard features include an electric starter, wheel kit, idle control and automatic voltage regulation. There is a 16-gallon fuel capacity for longer running time. Available from online retailers for $2,350 plus $500 for optional transfer switch and connection kit.
WHOLE HOUSE SYSTEM
Size: 15,000 to 75,000 watts
Price: $14,000 to $50,000 or more (including installation of a 500- to 1,000-gallon underground propane tank)
What it powers: All electrical systems in a house, including the central air conditioning system.
Example: Guardian Quiet Source 5211. This 20,000-watt liquid-cooled generator is fueled by propane or natural gas, and consumes 4.2 gallons of fuel per hour under a full load. Personalized Power Systems of Boca Raton estimates a typical installation, including storage tank and permits, at $25,000 to $30,000.