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The difference between LPG and natural gas - which to choose

Thursday 30 June 2016, 12:51PM

By Media PA

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CHOOSING WHAT form of gas to use is often a daunting situation that most people will avoid if possible.

Knowing the difference between Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and natural gas could save you money in the long run and that is something which is appealing to everyone.

Rather than scaring everyone with the facts such as calorific value and the air to gas ratios needed let’s keep it simple.

Some of the notable differences between natural gas and LPG is in its disposability. Natural gas is made up mainly of methane. This is lighter than air and in the event of a gas leak will disappear relatively easily. LPG on the other hand is a creation from the by-product of either petroleum, or the by-product in the production of oil and gas. Energy Safety New Zealand has stated that LPG is non-toxic, non-corrosive and free of lead, though is harder to dispose of and has a higher chance of catching fire if a leak was to occur.

The recommended choice of gas depends on the average usage of gas in your household.

Genesis Energy suggests that households that use minimal amounts of gas are best suited for LPG while those who have large houses or intend on using gas to heat hot water should opt to use natural gas.

Thinking about the regular usage of gas is key to finding which of the two is most cost efficient. The gas hub has evaluated that if a household uses more than four large LPG bottles a year, they will save money by opting to convert to a natural gas source which will steadily increase the savings with the more appliances that are hooked up.