LPG is a finite resource, so it’s essential to be aware of how much you’re using and whether or not you could be using more. If you have an LPG-powered appliance, such as a cooker or heater, it helps to keep track of how often you use it.
There are a few easy ways to keep track of your LPG consumption at home. By being aware of how much gas your household consumes, you can help conserve this valuable resource and save money at the same time.
Ways to Calculate Your LPG Consumption
1. Use a Smartphone App
If you’re someone who’s interested in saving money on your gas expenses, the LPG calculator app can definitely help you out. The LPG calculator is a free app that you can download from the App Store or Google Play.
Once downloaded, all you need to do is enter your LPG usage information into the app and it will calculate your LPG consumption for you. You can also use the app to compare your LPG consumption with other households in your area.
2. Use the Calendar System
If you’re trying to save money or be more energy-efficient, it’s worth taking a closer look at how much LPG you’re using at home. One way to do this is to use the calendar system.
This involves tracking your LPG usage for a certain period, say, a month and then calculating your average consumption. To do this, simply divide the total amount of LPG used during that period by the number of days in the period.
Let’s say you used a 45kg bottle of LPG over two months or 60 days. On average, therefore, you are using 0.75kg of gas per day.
It is noteworthy, however, that your LPG consumption will vary from day to day, depending on things like the number of household members and how much cooking you’re doing.
3. Use Some Estimates
Here are some tested estimates to help you calculate your LPG consumption at home:
- If you have a standard gas stove, you will use approximately 0.2 L per hour of cooking time.
- A gas-fueled oven uses approximately 0.1 L per hour of cooking time.
- If you are using a gas heater, you will approximately consume 1L per hour of heating time.
- And if you have a gas hot water system, the approximate consumption is 9L per day.
Remember that these are only estimates. Your actual LPG consumption will depend on several factors, such as the efficiency of your appliances, the climate, the number of users and some unwarranted events like a gas leak.
By monitoring your LPG usage and keeping track of these estimates, you can ensure that you always have enough fuel for your needs.
4. Use the Weighing Method
To use the weighing method, you will need to weigh your LPG cylinder before and after each use. Take note of the tare weight of your LPG cylinder and its gross weight. Tare is the weight of the cylinder when it is empty while gross is the weight of the cylinder when it is full.
For example, if your LPG cylinder has a tare weight of 33kg and a gross weight of 78kg, this means that your LPG cylinder can hold 45kg of LPG.
Now, whenever you use your LPG cylinder, weigh it before and after use and calculate the difference between the two weights. This will give you an estimate of how much LPG you have used.
For instance, before cooking, the weight of your LPG cylinder is 71kg. After 2 hours of continuous cooking, weigh your cylinder once again. If it weighs 70kg after use, it means that you used 0.5kg of LPG per hour of cooking time. This can now give you an idea of how long you will consume the entire gas bottle.
Steps to Calculate the Cost of Gas Consumption
Now that you know how much gas you are consuming with the ways mentioned above, you can now calculate an estimated cost of using a gas bottle.
For this example, let’s use the weighing method and follow the steps below.
- Know your gas consumption rate. This is the amount of gas consumed as calculated by the methods mentioned above. Using the example in the weighing method above, your gas consumption rate is 0.5kg/hr.
- Determine the cost of a gas per kilogram. On average, a gas bottle costs around $150 per 45kg bottle or $3.33 per kilogram of gas.
- Multiply the usage per hour by the price of gas per kilogram. Applying this to the given example, 0.5kg/hr multiplied by $3.33/kg results in $1.67/hr which is now your hourly cost of using LPG.
- Calculate your daily cost for gas consumption. Assuming that you only use gas for cooking for 2 hours 3 times a day, to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner, your daily cost of LPG consumption is $10.02.
- Calculate the total monthly cost. Simply multiply your daily consumption by 30 days which leads to a total cost of $300.60 monthly. This is about two 45kg gas bottle per month.
By keeping track of your gas usage, you can ensure that you are using LPG efficiently and not wasting any of it. And to ensure that you are getting your money’s worth, contact Plus Gas for quality and cost-efficient LPG bottles.
