Outages & backup heat
Propane as backup heat when the power goes out
Propane stays in your tank during a power outage, but most modern furnaces need electricity for the blower and controls, so the dependable backup heat sources are a vented gas fireplace, insert or stove with a standing pilot or battery backup ignition, or a vented wall furnace or room heater built to run without house power. Never heat a home with a range, oven or grill, and never bring an outdoor propane appliance inside.
Updated · American River Gas office, Newcastle
What quits when the grid goes down
Storms, falling limbs and PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs can all leave foothill homes without electricity for days. The propane itself does not care: the tank, the regulator and the gas line need no power. The trouble is on the appliance end.
A forced-air furnace uses electricity to run its blower, its control board and usually its ignition, so it goes cold with the lights. Many newer water heaters, fireplaces and ranges also use electronic ignition. Before you count on any appliance, look at its manual or the label inside the access panel to see whether it needs house power to light and run.
Heat sources that can keep working
- A vented gas fireplace, insert or free-standing stove with a standing pilot. Heat & Glo, a major fireplace maker, says a unit with a standing pilot will light during an outage because the pilot does not need electricity. You get radiant heat, but a blower fan will not run.
- A newer fireplace with battery backup ignition. The same manufacturer notes that many intermittent pilot systems need electricity to spark, and some are built to run on batteries during an outage. Keep fresh batteries on hand and learn the switch before winter.
- A vented wall furnace or room heater. Some are designed to operate without house power and some are not, so the manual is the final word. Our guide to propane wall furnaces and space heaters covers the options.
What never counts as backup heat
A cold house tempts people to improvise. These are the lines not to cross:
- Do not use a gas range or oven to heat the house. Ready.gov says it raises the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and fire.
- Do not bring a grill, camp stove or fire pit inside, and never store a propane cylinder indoors, in a garage, basement, shed or tent. The Propane Education & Research Council is explicit on both points.
- Skip unvented heaters. California Health and Safety Code section 19881 bars the sale of new or used unvented heaters designed for use inside a home, with exceptions only for electric heaters and decorative logs in a vented fireplace.
Carbon monoxide alarms are part of the plan
Any fuel-burning appliance can produce carbon monoxide if it is damaged, blocked or used the wrong way. Ready.gov recommends detectors with battery backup in central locations on every level, which matters because a plug-in alarm without a battery goes quiet in an outage. The Propane Education & Research Council also suggests UL-listed propane gas detectors.
Check that direct-vent terminals outside the house are clear of snow, leaves and stored items, and have the fireplace or heater you are counting on looked at before the season. If an alarm sounds or you smell gas, get everyone out first, then call 911 and us from outside.
Keep enough propane for the backup to matter
A fireplace or wall heater that works in an outage does no good with an empty tank, so do not let the tank drift low going into storm or shutoff season. Keep Full automatic delivery times fills from outdoor temperatures and your past use. If you order your own deliveries, call when the gauge reads about 30%.
If the tank does run dry, safety codes and our insurance require a pressure check and leak test before the gas is turned back on, and someone must be home for it. Do not relight pilots yourself after running out.
Adding a backup heat source
If your only heat is a forced-air furnace, a vented propane fireplace, insert or stove that can run without house power gives you a warm room rather than a warm house. It needs a gas line, a shut-off valve within 6 feet of the appliance and a leak test when it is connected, and we can size the line and the tank for the added load. Call the office at (530) 888-7438 to talk it through.
Questions
Straight answers
Will my propane furnace work in a power outage?
Usually not. Most forced-air furnaces need electricity for the blower and controls. A propane fireplace or wall heater built to run without power can keep a room warm.
Does a propane fireplace work without electricity?
Many do. A unit with a standing pilot or battery backup ignition can light during an outage, though a blower fan will not run. Check your manual.
Can I use a portable propane heater indoors?
Do not use outdoor heaters inside. California bars the sale of unvented heaters designed for indoor use, other than electric ones.
Is it safe to heat the house with my gas oven?
No. Ready.gov warns that using a stove or oven for heat raises the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and fire.
Sources: Ready.gov (FEMA): power outages and carbon monoxide safety (opens in a new tab) · Propane Education & Research Council: propane safety and power outages (10 tips, PDF) (opens in a new tab) · California Health and Safety Code section 19881: sale of unvented heaters (opens in a new tab) · Heat & Glo (manufacturer): using your fireplace during a power outage (opens in a new tab)
Newcastle yard · since 1966
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