A propane heater is an efficient and inexpensive way to heat a room or space that is cold, whether that’s inside your garage or at an outdoor event, and it’s safe. Unlike electric heaters, propane heaters can easily be transported without requiring an outlet or battery to use. Most propane heaters can also be attached to smaller, lightweight 1lb propane tanks for portability.

Is Using A Propane Heater Indoors Safe?

Yes. Using a propane heater indoors is perfectly safe if you practice safe handling procedures. A properly working propane heater will burn clean and not produce carbon monoxide. Do not place near combustible material and keep it in a well-ventilated area. Make use of an additional Carbon Monoxide monitor for added safety.

All flames require three components in the right amount to burn: Fuel, Oxygen, and Heat. Removing any one of these elements will extinguish a flame.

It is important to have an abundant supply of oxygen in the room so the flame does not go out, or else the room will slowly fill with propane gas.

For this reason, it is important when deciding on which propane heater to buy to choose one that fits your size of the room. If you will be in an enclosed space make sure to purchase one that features an Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS). Ax Oxygen Depletion Sensor will automatically shut off the supply of propane to the heater if the room’s oxygen level drops too low.

Other safety features you should look for in a propane heater for enclosed spaces such as rooms, RV’s, cars, and tents include an accidental tip-over safety shut-off feature, overheat protection, and a heater with a high-temperature resistant guard in front of the heating element.

For additional safety, you can find a heater labeled with “UL certified”. UL provides testing for combustible materials and appliances to ensure they meet the highest of standards for safety.

Possible Dangers Of Using Propane Heaters Indoors

While propane heaters are safe to use indoors, there are always dangers with open flames and combustible materials. If you practice safe handling and follow your heater’s operation instructions you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Some possible dangers include:

Oxygen Depletion In Enclosed Spaces

Any flame burning in an enclosed space will reduce the amount of available oxygen in the room. If the amount of oxygen drops too low, you risk the chance of passing out. Luckily, most portable propane heaters come with an Oxygen Depletion Sensor which will automatically shut off the supply of propane to the heater, turning it off.

The air we breathe is typically composed of 21% Oxygen and depending on the model of the heater, the Oxygen Depletion Sensor will shut off the supply of propane if Oxygen levels drop below 18%.

To ensure you do not risk any issues with oxygen depletion make sure to purchase a model that features an ODS, and if you can make sure to have an open vent to allow oxygen in the room.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

One of the major concerns with any heater or appliance burning fuels is the production of Carbon Monoxide. A propane burner typically burns clean and does not release carbon monoxide, however, incomplete combustion will produce carbon monoxide that will slowly fill the room you are in.

If your propane heater ever has a flame that is not blue, such as yellow or orange, immediately stop using the heater and have it serviced.

A flame that is not blue means the propane is not fully igniting and there is a problem with your heating unit.

Starting A Fire

Make sure to place your heater far away from any combustible materials, and that you regularly clean off your heater from particulate matter such as dust. Propane heaters should never be covered by anything, such as clothes or a blanket. If you’re using a wall-mounted propane heater make sure it is not on a wall that has combustible material.

Never leave your heater unattended and make sure to turn it off when not in use.

Using A Propane Heater for Camping

Can you use a propane heater in a tent? Yes! Propane heaters are great for camping, whether you’re in a tent or RV. Similar to an enclosed space, make sure your propane heater has the right safety features such as an Oxygen Depletion Sensor and accidental tip-over safety shut-off feature.

You may also want to purchase an additional carbon monoxide sensor for added safety. These can easily be placed near where you sleep and will alert you if too much carbon monoxide is in the room.

1. Because you are in a smaller space it is important to take extra precautions when using a propane heater to stay warm.
2. Make sure to place the heater opposite your entry/exit point
3. Keep combustible materials away from the heater as best as you can
4. Never sleep directly next to your heater. Try to have something separating you and the heater in case you roll over and hit it.
5. Make sure the heater is not touching your tent or resting against any material, it should have open space around it

Propane tanks come in many sizes and can have different units of measurement making it confusing to understand how many gallons are actually inside the tank. Some of the smaller and more common sizes are referred to by the weight of propane they contain rather than gallons, such as a 20lb propane tank which you will commonly have around a house for BBQs, heaters, etc. A 20 lb propane tank contains 4.7 gallons of propane and weighs just under 40lbs when full. Larger sizes that have more extensive use like supplying energy for a home such as 250 gallons and 500 gallons are measured by their total gallon capacity and not the amount of propane inside.

Regardless of propane tank size, all tanks are only filled to around 80% of their total size. This can lead to some confusion on exactly how much propane is inside a tank. This can be crucial if you’re trying to calculate how long your tank can last you and when you’ll need to refill, as well as figuring out the total weight of the tank.

To further add to this confusion, some propane suppliers such as Blue Rhino & Amerigas only fill their 20lb propane tanks to 15 lbs of propane. So if you’re exchanging a tank with these companies, you’re tank is only being filled to roughly 66% of its total capacity as opposed to the full 80% that is legally allowed. I’ll expand on this further below.

Propane Gallon Calculator

Below I have created a calculator you can use to figure out how many gallons of usable liquid propane is inside your propane tank.

Portable Sizes (Measured in Lb.s)

Listed below are the common sizes of propane tanks and their respective level of propane in gallons. Remember smaller sizes are measured by the weight of propane it contains.

Propane tanks labeled by their weight typically have ~23% of their labeled weight in gallons of propane. (ex. 20lb propane tanks have 4.7 gallons of propane)

Tank Size	Gallons Usable	Total BTU
1lb	0.23	21,045
2lb	0.47	43,005
5lb	1.17	107,055
10lb	2.35	215,025
15lb	3.52	322,080
20lb	4.70	430,050
30lb	7.05	645,075
40lb	9.40	860,100
50lb	11.75	1,075,125

Household Sizes (Measured in Gallons)

Lastly, listed below are the more common sizes of propane tanks for household use and their respective level of propane in gallons. Larger tanks like these usually are not referenced by their weight in propane but by total gallon storage. But remember that propane tanks are never filled more than 80% so there is still some difference in the tank size and actual amount of propane inside.

Propane tanks labeled by their gallon capacity typically have ~80% of their labeled capacity in gallons of propane. (ex. 500 gallon tanks hold 400 gallons of propane)

Tank Size (Gallons)	Gallons Usable	Total BTU
120	96	8,784,000
250	200	18,300,000
300	240	21,960,000
400	320	29,280,000
500	400	36,600,000
1,000	800	73,200,000
2,000	1,600	146,400,000

BTUs In A Gallon of Propane

A gallon of propane contains roughly 91,500 BTU. This can be useful to know if you need to calculate how many total BTUs your propane tank contains so you can figure out how long it can run an appliance. For example, if you wanted to figure out if a full 20lb propane tank could run a 15,000 BTU pizza oven at an event you could calculate how many BTUs the tank has and how many BTUs the oven consumes per hour to find out if you’ll need to refill.

The calculation would be:

(20*0.235*91,500)/15,000=28.67

So a 20lb propane tank can run a 15,000 BTU pizza oven for 28.67 hours.

Propane Tank Running Time Calculator

Below is a simple calculator I made to help you determine how long a propane tank can run any BTU size appliance. Please note this calculator is only intended for tank sizes marked by the weight, and will not work for larger propane tanks measured by their total gallon capacity. For more information on how long a propane tank can last, check out my article “How Long Does A Propane Tank Last? (And How to Check How Full It Is)“.

20lb Propane Tanks Only Filled to 15 Lbs

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, both Blue Rhino and Amerigas only fill their propane tanks to 15 lbs of propane, even though the legal limit allows them to be filled to ~20 lbs. While most propane suppliers only fill to 17-19 lbs, Blue Rhino and Amerigas go even further only filling your propane tank to roughly 66% of its total capacity.

The reason Blue Rhino gives for this is that in 2002 when the OPD valve was introduced, which reduced the capacity of the tank by 20% for safety reasons, Blue Rhino reduced the amount of propane they filled tanks to only 17 lbs. And then during the 2008 financial crisis, the prices of propane, steel, diesel fuel, and plastic all rose sharply and in order for them to offer the same product at the same price, they had to reduce the amount of propane in their tanks to only 15 lbs.

However, even after all this time, and including price increases on their end, they still only fill their propane tanks to 15 lbs, even though they can legally fill the tanks to ~20 lbs. So with this in mind, be aware that when you are exchanging a propane tank you may not be getting the full amount of propane your tank can legally hold.

To ensure you are receiving the maximum amount of propane for the best price, it is always recommended to have your tank refilled as opposed to exchanged. Refilling is cheaper per gallon, and you also receive more fuel allowing your propane tank to last much longer between fills.

Generators can be loud and if you’re running one for multiple hours it can become a distraction. Whether you’re using a generator for powering your home, while on a work site, or camping, no one likes a loud generator around them. So when you’re choosing your generator, the type of fuel can come into play as each fuel type produces varying amounts of noise. And if you’re choosing an off-grid generator, you may opt for propane as you can connect it to larger tank sizes.

Are Propane Generators Quieter Than Gas

Typically, propane generators run quieter than gasoline-powered generators, but only by a marginal amount and at the cost of reduced power output. See my recommendation below for the quietest generator (which isn’t propane).

At 20 feet away, a 7kW gasoline-powered generator puts out around 77dB.
At 20 feet away, a 7kW propane generator puts out around 68dB.
This is equivalent to the noise produced by a truck vs a small car.

Many factors go into how loud a generator is, such as the make, model, age, and size of the generator. Some generators such as Honda’s Super Quiet series can operate as low as 50dB while running on gasoline. The older a generator is the more likely it will run louder. Newer models of generators are typically quieter and more fuel-efficient while also being capable of producing more power. Good maintenance on a generator can also help make it quieter, so if you have a generator that is running louder than usual, try changing the oil and cleaning it. Generators that include an inverter typically run quieter also since they adjust the engine speed based on power demand.

As an example, a normal talking conversation is around 60dB, a vacuum 75, a lawnmower 90, and a motorcycle is around 100. So for a generator to be as quiet as 50dB is pretty amazing!

If the level of noise a generator makes is a priority for you, your budget will be the main factor on whether you decide to choose a propane generator or Honda’s Super Quiet series which runs on gasoline. While these models run on gasoline, they are quieter than most propane generators.

However, the initial cost of these models is a lot higher than most propane generators with a marginal difference in noise output. You may want to choose a propane generator that can run at a similar decibel range at a much lower cost while also outputting similar wattage.

The Quietest Generator Available (It’s NOT Propane)

Surprisingly, one of the quietest generators currently available is a gasoline-powered generator. The Honda EU1000i is part of Honda’s Super Quiet series which utilizes special sound-dampening materials and quiet Honda engines to reduce noise.

However, this model can only output 1000 watts, which is only suitable for powering small appliances such as a microwave and TV. The next quietest generator comes from Generac and is also gasoline, the Generac IQ3500 which produces 3,000 watts and outputs around 50 to 57 dBA which is suitable for most household applications. It can easily power your heat, fridge, and AC units (up to 13,500 BTU), but not all at the same time.

A comparable propane generator that runs at a low noise level is the A-iPower SUA2000iD 2000 Watt which outputs around 52dB. Since this unit also puts out around 2,000 watts it’s a great middle-ground between the Honda EU1000i and Generac IQ3500.

Are Propane Generators Better Than Gas?

Each type of fuel has its pros and cons (See Propane Generator Pros and Cons). Gas produces more power but also more noise and pollution. Propane produces less power but runs quieter and doesn’t produce as much pollution, it also has a much longer storage life, and is extremely safe to use.

Gasoline is great if you require high energy output for a short time, but due to storage limitations, it is not great for multi-day use. A generator running on a natural gas line or connected to a larger propane tank such as a 500 gallon tank could run continuously for days.
These are great for scenarios where the is a power outage that will last for more than a day, or for locations that have a large tank and cannot be refueled with gasoline easily, such as a cabin.

Propane is also a much cleaner fuel, in terms of the environment and just the mess around handling it. You’ll never accidentally spill propane and make a mess.

Typically, gasoline is easier to find. If you’re using a generator on an RV, you’re going to be stopping at gas stations where you can refuel both your RV and generator. Not every gas station will be able to refill your propane tank for you, or have exchanges available.

6 Tips To Reduce Generator Noise

You’ve got your generator now but it’s still a little too loud. Here are some additional ways to reduce the noise created by your generator.

1. Move the generator as far away as you can. Use a long extension cord to bring the power to you. This is also advisable as it moves the fumes away from you.
2. Face the exhaust pipes or engine air vents away from your direction, a lot of the noise produces comes from this side of the generator.
3. Tighten all bolts and screws on the frame – frame rattling is a large noise amplifier
4. Place the generator inside a shed or other enclosure (But make sure it’s vented). For long-term use, I would definitely recommend building a shed to cover your generator as well as keep it out of extreme conditions.
5. Install an aftermarket muffler that is larger. You can purchase additional mufflers that reduce the noise produced, however be advised that most warranties are void if any modifications are done to the generator.
6. Place on a sound-absorbing mat. You can purchase sound-absorbing mats online that will reduce the noise of generators.

Utilizing some or all of these tips should greatly reduce the noise your generator produces.

I hope this information will be helpful to you, and please reach out if you have any questions, I am always happy to answer them!

Have a great day and God Bless!