We use hot water for so many things within our daily lives (showering, washing dishes, doing laundry, washing our hands), which means your water heater plays an extremely important role in your home. Therefore, the decision regarding how you power your water heater is not one that should be taken lightly.
What you may know is that there are electric water heaters and propane water heaters.
What you may not know is what the difference is between the two, which type is best for you and your home and what the benefits are of using one over the other.
Electric water heaters rely on electricity and power to run and operate. Typically, they cost more to use than natural gas or propane water heaters since electricity itself tends to be more expensive than fuel sources such as propane. They also won’t work if you find yourself in the middle of a blackout since they require power to run.
Propane water heaters use propane gas as opposed to electricity to operate. Propane is thought to be one of the most versatile and powerful sources of home energy that is currently available.
A tankless propane water heater can provide a home with an endless supply of hot water on demand and can eliminate the worry about running out of hot water. With a tankless propane water heater, there is always enough hot water to go around even if someone is doing dishes while someone else is taking a shower.
Tankless propane water heaters keep your water warm until you are done using it, at which point it will shut off automatically.
Aside from the endless supply of hot water mentioned above, there are plenty of other advantages of using propane water heaters. Here are a few:
Tidewater Energy is here and available for water heater installation and services throughout Eastern North Carolina. Our trained and experienced service technicians can assist you with selecting a top-quality tankless propane water heater that works for your specific needs. They can also provide reliable water heater installation, maintenance and repair services.
Contact us today and let us know how we can help with your water heater needs!
If you have ever found yourself in the market for a new propane tank, you know that they come in a variety of sizes. The specific propane tank size that is going to work for your home and your family depends on quite a few things.
Lots of homeowners use propane to power and fuel appliances and equipment around their houses, but the amount of propane that everyone uses varies. One’s propane usage depends on exactly what propane is being used for, the size of a house, how old a house is, how well insulated a home is and how many windows a home has.
To determine exactly what size propane tank you need, there are many factors that need to be taken into account such as:
Let’s take a more specific look at what size propane tanks are out there on the market and what types of homes they are best for:
Sometimes owning your own propane tank is more trouble than it’s worth, not to mention the fact that it is quite costly once you add up the cost of buying the tank, installation fees and maintenance fees. That is why Tidewater Energy gives our customers the option of leasing a tank. This option gets you all the propane you need at a reasonable monthly price and it includes the cost of all repairs and maintenance.
Tank leasing isn’t the only convenience Tidewater Energy offers. We also have complimentary wireless propane tank monitoring. Tank monitors allow us to read your propane levels in real-time and schedule your propane deliveries accordingly, which means you don’t have to worry about running out of propane.
If you are in Eastern North Carolina contact Tidewater Energy today to learn more about our propane tank installation, tank leasing and wireless tank monitoring services.
When it is a cold winter day in Eastern North Carolina and snow is falling outside, there is sometimes nothing better than making yourself comfortable around your home’s fireplace. But sometimes lighting a fire on a wood-burning fireplace feels like more trouble than it’s worth.
If you are looking for the coziness of a fireplace to keep you warm throughout the winter season, but dread the hassle and the mess that comes along with a wood-burning fireplace, it may be time to make the switch to a propane gas fireplace.
Propane gas fireplaces are powered by fuel and they use gas logs as opposed to wood. There are two different types – those with direct vents and those without vents.
Homeowners generally like direct-vent fireplaces since they have a flame that looks real and is appealing to the eye. But if you are looking for a fireplace that is efficient and actually warms up a room, a direct-vent fireplace is not your answer since a lot of the heat they produce disappears through the chimney or flue.
Fireplaces without vents give off more heat. However, their flames are smaller and less lifelike when compared to direct-vent fireplaces. It should also be noted that instead of releasing their exhaust outdoors, vent-free fireplaces release their exhaust into a house. Therefore, installing them in a bedroom or another enclosed area such as a bathroom is not possible.
A propane gas fireplace needs gas logs. These are generally made of refractory ceramic, ceramic fiber or refractory cement and they come in multiple sizes and styles. Gas logs can actually produce more heat than electric fireplaces do.
Here are some benefits of gas logs and gas fireplaces:
Tidewater Energy can easily install a propane fireplace in your Eastern North Carolina home. In fact, we are considered the area’s go to for professional and safe natural gas and propane fireplace installation, repair services and maintenance. We even offer potential customers who are considering making the switch to a propane fireplace a free estimate.
Contact us today to learn more!
These days, our daily lives and our homes are filled with all sorts of electronics and appliances. And, a lot of times, many people care about using the best of the best when it comes to the kinds of electronics and appliances that are out there on the market. When it comes specifically to appliances, there is often a choice between using gas and using electric. So what’s recommended? Let’s take a deep dive into why gas appliances are better than and often preferred over electric appliances.
As you may have already guessed, electrical appliances are powered by electricity. Since they rely on power to run and function, they won’t work when you find yourself in the midst of a blackout. Included in this category are usually refrigerators, dishwashers, microwaves, toaster ovens and sometimes stoves.
What may be obvious again is that gas appliances are powered by gas. These types of appliances can usually be powered by either natural gas or propane gas. They don’t rely on power grids or electricity to run.
And the appeal of gas appliances doesn’t end there.
There are many advantages of using gas appliances over electric appliances. Here are some of the benefits of using gas appliances:
Using gas appliances can make your life easy in a lot of ways. However, installing these gas appliances should be left up trained professionals. That’s where Tidewater Energy comes in.
Our technicians have the training and experience that is needed to expertly and safely install propane appliances throughout your home. We care about the safety of you and your family and go above and beyond with each installation to make sure that you’re not at risk of any hazards such as gas leaks.
Contact Tidewater Energy today so that your Eastern North Carolina home can start receiving all the benefits that propane has to offer!
Nearly every single business needs something that powers and fuels the appliances and machinery that are used on a daily basis to keep that business up and running. These days, we are seeing more and more businesses turn to commercial propane to do just that.
Part of what makes propane so appealing and part of why so many commercial business owners are opting to use it is because of how versatile it is. Its uses and functions seem to go on and on. Commercial propane can be used:
Clearly, propane’s versatility is a huge plus for all businesses out there. But the benefits of using propane for your business go beyond that. Here’s a closer look at how commercial propane can benefit your business:
If you’re a business in Eastern North Carolina and are in need of commercial propane services, Tidewater Energy can help. We even offer bulk propane delivery that can be delivered directly to your front door or job site in addition to automatic delivery and wireless propane tank monitoring.
You can rely on us! We take the time to work with each of our commercial clients individually to determine exactly what their commercial propane needs are.
Turn to Tidewater Energy to help keep your Eastern North Carolina business running with propane. Contact us today to learn more!
You may consider yourself an expert when it comes to grilling a meal on your propane-fueled grill. Perhaps you have mastered how to cook that delicious hamburger or that perfectly charred hot dog or that impeccably seared steak.
However, even if the food you grill is top notch that does not necessarily mean you know when you should refill your propane grill tank. So how exactly do you know when it is time for a refill? Let’s take a look and find out.
Knowing when it’s time for a propane tank refill is important. After all, you don’t want to head outside to your outdoor living space prepared to grill something up for your family and friends only to discover that your propane supply is too low to actually do any grilling.
Here are some signs that it’s time to order a new supply of propane for your grill tank:
How long a propane grill tank lasts depends on the size of the grill that it’s fueling. On average, a propane grill tank that is 20 pounds can fuel a medium sized grill for between 18 and 20 hours and a large grill for about 10 hours. Propane grill tank cylinders should be replaced every 10 years seeing as they do expire.
If you are in the Eastern North Carolina area, you can rely on Tidewater Energy to be your full-service propane company. We offer propane delivery, the installation and servicing of propane outdoor living appliances and propane tank installation.
Contact us today and let us know how we can help with your propane needs!
As you drive around your little corner of Eastern North Carolina, you are probably seeing propane tanks in more and more of your neighbors’ yards.
People have found out that propane is more energy-efficient and reliable than heating oil in keeping their homes warm and comfortable. They get that and more with Tidewater Energy for dependable propane delivery and service.
Let’s compare these two fuels.
Propane furnaces have an average efficiency of 90%, but newer models can reach up to 98% efficiency. If your heating system is powered by oil and is old, it may only be 60% efficient. This means that 40% of your heating oil cost is wasted in combustion instead of heating your home.
Propane is a cost-efficient option that can keep your home more comfortable than heating oil. By upgrading to propane, you can enjoy significant savings without compromising on warmth. Choose propane for maximum value. In addition, propane does not lose effectiveness as it ages, while heating oil may become less efficient if not used for extended periods of time.
Propane is more versatile than heating oil because it can not only heat your home and water more efficiently, but it also has many other uses.
if you don’t have access to natural gas, you can still enjoy the benefits of cooking with a gas range by using propane. Additionally, using a propane clothes dryer can make your laundry day faster and easier, as they can complete the task 25% faster than electric models and cause less wear and wrinkles.
Propane-powered appliances provide heating solutions for indoor and outdoor living spaces. With a propane space heater, you can comfortably enjoy unheated areas such as a sunporch, garage, workshop or shed throughout the year. Additionally, a propane fireplace allows you to relax in front of a fire without the hassle of carrying wood, building a fire, or cleaning up ashes. Outdoors, propane can power a variety of appliances including grills, pool or spa heaters, fire pits, deck or patio heaters, insect traps, and more.
Did you know that a leak in your heating oil tank can lead to expensive remediation costs? Those remediation costs can be tens of thousands of dollars and heating oil tank failures and heating oil leaks are generally not covered by homeowner’s insurance policies.
You don’t have to worry about that with propane!
Propane also offers security and safety through a whole-house standby generator, which ensures that your home remains comfortable and safe during power outages. As soon as the power goes out, the generator waits a few seconds to see if the outage is just temporary. If the electricity doesn’t come back on, the generator kicks on and provides power to your home.
With the generator, you can keep your food safely cold in the refrigerator and freezer, operate HVAC and home security systems, charge your electronic devices, operate a sump pump, and use home medical equipment such as a CPAP.
With dependable propane delivery and service from Tidewater Energy, you can enjoy all the benefits that propane can bring to your Eastern North Carolina home! Become a customer today.
As a homeowner, you can undertake many DIY projects, ranging from simple tasks (like replacing a showerhead or painting walls) to more difficult ones (like constructing a deck or installing a patio), for those who want to challenge themselves.
However, there are times when even the most avid DIY-ers need to know their limits and call in the professionals. That definitely applies in the case of propane appliance installation.
Tidewater Energy’s team of trained and experienced service technicians can expertly and safely install propane appliances in your home.
Installing gas appliances on your own is a really bad idea for several reasons. Let’s review them together.
To ensure the safety of your home and loved ones, it’s crucial to hire a trained professional for the installation of gas appliances. Improper installation can lead to hazards such as propane leaks.
While propane is typically safe, it can be extremely hazardous in specific circumstances due to its flammable nature. In the event of a propane leak in your home, the gas can accumulate and be sparked by things such as appliances, light switches, phone use and lit candles or cigarettes.
To be safe, make sure that everyone in your household is aware of what to do if they smell propane gas. It’s also important to have propane leak detectors installed near all appliances that use propane.
To install an appliance that needs a gas pipeline, you should hire a professional who can extend or fit the pipeline properly. It’s crucial to keep in mind that this type of project should only be handled by a trained specialist with a thorough knowledge of how these systems function.
To safely use the propane gas in your home, make sure that the regulator is adjusted properly. The regulator is responsible for reducing the high pressure of the gas that’s stored in your home’s propane tank. It’s important to use the correct settings for propane, which are different from those for natural gas. Failing to adjust the regulator correctly can result in a dangerous gas leak. This is why we are required to do a pressure test after you have a propane runout and we do an emergency propane delivery.
The regulator has the dual responsibility of both regulating pressure and ensuring the efficient combination of propane and air for combustion. Any changes made by someone lacking sufficient understanding of this process can disrupt the ratio and result in the creation of hazardous amounts of carbon monoxide.
Installing a gas appliance is not simply a matter of plugging it in and switching it on. Depending on your existing system’s setup, you may have to install or connect an exhaust pipe or flue.
Proper ventilation is crucial for the safety and performance of your appliances. Different settings have ventilation codes that must be followed. Inadequate ventilation can result in poor performance and the buildup of carbon monoxide.
Please be aware that many manufacturers of gas appliances mandate that their products must be installed and serviced by a trained gas appliance service technician in order to keep their warranty valid. If you fail to follow this requirement, your warranty may become void, which can leave you responsible for paying all future repair expenses, even those that would normally be covered by the warranty.
Play it smart when it comes to propane appliance installation! Contact the professionals at Tidewater Energy and get the job done right.
Our lives are very busy, but the Internet has made it easier to manage so many of our day-to-day tasks. We work, keep in touch with loved ones, and do our banking, bill-paying, shopping, trip planning and more online.
Tidewater Energy has upgraded our website as part of our commitment to providing the best and most responsive service in Eastern North Carolina. We know that a quality, easy-to-use website is crucial to achieving this goal.
When we initiated the planning for the upgraded Tidewater Energy website, we made sure that every aspect, including design and content, was aimed at making life easier and better for our customers.
This new site will provide a superior user experience and offer more information about Tidewater Energy’s products and services for your home or business. Below are some of the upgrades we have implemented.
We suggest that you bookmark our home page to stay up to date with the latest news from Tidewater Energy. We regularly share information about our products and services, fresh blog posts and more, so be sure to check back often.
We hope you like our new website and we welcome feedback. Drop us a line and let us know what you think!