Cornfield with farmland at sunset.
If you haven’t heard of propane lawn mowers, these robust and economical mowers are gaining in popularity. Thanks to the portability, ease-of-use and clean-burning nature of propane, these modern lawn mowers are a smart choice for personal and professional buyers alike.
Let’s walk through the many benefits of propane powered lawn mowers vs. gas powered lawn mowers, so you can find the best solution for balancing operating costs, maintenance, ease of fueling and performance.
You’ve likely heard of propane being used to fuel cars, heat homes and power other appliances like ovens and dryers. Propane lawnmowers are not as common, but they also benefit from this alternative energy source. You can buy a new lawnmower that uses propane, and some mowers can be converted to be able to use propane.
Unlike gasoline, propane is in gas form. You attach a propane canister to the mower, connecting it to the engine through a fuel line. While the lawnmower is running, the propane gas heats up and combusts, creating the energy necessary to run the mower. There is also a pressure regulator that keeps the propane’s pressure in the canister at the appropriate level.
In short, a propane lawnmower is simply a lawnmower that runs off propane in an attached propane tank.
There are many benefits of using a propane mowing over a gas mower. Here are some reasons you should consider buying a propane mower instead of a gas one:
A great advantage to buying a propane mower over a gas mower is that it’s cheaper to burn propane than gasoline.
Push mowers only hold less than a gallon of gasoline, and even riding mowers can only hold a few gallons at once. If you have a big yard, you’ll have to stop in the middle of the job just to refuel. The cost of using multiple tanks of gasoline for one mow can really add up, especially if your grass is growing rapidly.
Look at this hypothetical to see how propane can save you money:
It’s a good estimate that one tank of a push mower can mow about a half-acre. Let’s say you have a 1.5-acre yard. It would take you three tanks of gasoline to mow the entire lawn. At about $3 per gallon, it would cost about $9 to mow your lawn one time. You likely mow your lawn once a week from mid-spring to early summer, about 23 weeks in all. In total, you would spend $207 just on fuel costs to mow your lawn.
Propane is about a third less than the cost of gasoline, so you would save about $70 in fuel costs over that same period. That’s also assuming you’re mowing the lawn once a week. It’s possible you may be mowing it two or even three times a week depending on how much rainfall you see. When you use propane over the course of a few years, the savings become much more significant.
When it comes to choosing your next lawn mower, there are several factors to consider — whether you’re a regular homeowner who wants the best choice for your lawn and garden maintenance, or you run a commercial lawn mowing service and need reliable, affordable equipment that gives you the best bang for your buck. When choosing between propane and gas mowers, consider these benefits of propane:
The advantages of propane mowers are endless, and you’ll find that their reliability, performance, ease of fueling and cost outperform many gas mowers.
Propane typically costs approximately a third less than gas. This means you’re immediately saving money when filling your lawn mower with propane instead of gas. Add the extra cost due to gas spills and evaporation when refueling, and wasted gas that has gone stale sitting in an unused mower, and you’ll quickly experience significant cost savings.
Operating costs also include maintenance. Cooler-burning propane stresses your engine less, while also eliminating the gunk and build-up that comes from gas. You’ll spend less time cleaning and repairing your mower engine and more time using it to mow!
While you might not have changed a propane tank on a lawn mower, you probably have changed one on a barbecue. It’s the same story. You unscrew the old tank and screw on the new one. There’s no spillage possible, thanks to the safety design of the connector. You don’t need a funnel or rags, and there’s no clean-up afterward. Propane is also already readily available in the U.S. — it’s being used in more homes, businesses and equipment every year.
Propane by nature has slightly less power per unit than gasoline, but it also burns more efficiently. The net result is similar performance at a lower price. With no risk of your carburetor getting clogged, your engine is always going to be breathing and spinning freely. Even after pulling a propane mower out after a winter in the garage, the fuel is not going to be stale, and the engine should start right away.
One of the problems with a gasoline-burning lawn mower is that the high heat created during combustion significantly stresses the engine. These stresses will eventually wear out the engine components, and they can result in failure and costly repairs. The cooler-running nature of propane means your engine won’t see the extreme temperatures and stresses of its gasoline counterpart. This increases the reliability of your mower, which is advantageous to business owners and homeowners alike.
With these factors alone, choosing a propane mower makes sense. Along with the environmental factors and the potential incentives — some local governments have programs to finance propane mower purchases or conversions — propane mowers can help you get your jobs done more efficiently and more affordably.
A propane lawnmower is better because of a few main reasons — including cost and ease of use. The longer you own your propane mower, the more you’ll save compared to other mowers. A propane mower has much simpler usability when it comes time to refuel, too.
When you need to refill your propane tank, call Foster Fuels. We’re a family-owned business that supplies propane refills. Our friendly, reliable and knowledgeable staff can help you keep your mower going strong.
Contact us today for more information about the many uses and benefits of using propane inside and outside your home and how Foster Fuels can help you find the best propane solutions.