LP Gas is the most versatile of fuels for heating, hot water, cooking and a host of other uses. LP Gas is liquefied petroleum gas. It is used just like natural gas and can do everything natural gas can do - and more.

If you are not on the natural gas main, LP Gas is the obvious alternative - it is simply brought to you by road delivery. Although you will use it just like any other gas supply, we actually deliver it to you as a liquid. This is because of the curious property which allows us to turn it into liquid by quite moderate pressure which can then be transported in road tankers, or it can be put into transportable cylinders.

There are two grades of LP Gas, butane and propane. Butane is used mainly in cylinders for portable applications in mobile heaters in the home, and for leisure activities such as boats, caravans and barbecues. Butane cylinders are available from a vast network of retail brand stockists. There are over 16000 such outlets in the UK.

Propane is the LP Gas used for central heating, for hot-water, and gas-fires, convector heaters and, of course, for cooking. Gas is essential, if you want a living flame fire and LP Gas is ideal.

Remember, virtually all appliances offered for natural gas use can be provided for LP Gas use. You must however specify that it is required to operate on propane as details like gas jet sizes are different. There is a lot more heat energy in a cubic foot of propane, than there is in a cubic foot of natural gas.

BULK STORAGE SUPPLY

The usual method of providing the LP Gas system for home heating etc. is to provide a small storage vessel which the road tanker will deliver the liquid into. This is then connected to the house, often by a buried pipeline so that from here it is then much the same as other piped gas supplies.

The LP Gas supplier will provide a storage vessel on hire or rental terms which will cover its maintenance and regular inspection.

The position of the storage vessel is important and the LP Gas supplier will be able to advise you on the detail. For instance, the road tanker must be able to park in a safe position when making a delivery and the vessel needs to comply with Codes of Practice which specify the distance from the house and the property boundary. Consideration is also needed to the run of the road tanker delivery hose when making a delivery, so that it will not cause inconvenience while it is laid out from the hose reel.

Since the liquid in the vessel creates its own gas pressure, no pumps are needed. When the outlet valve on top of the vessel is open, gas will flow. In fact the pressure has to be reduced, usually in two stages, down to the standard 37mbar for domestic appliances and pressure regulators are incorporated in the system to achieve this. Other controls are also provided to ensure maximum safety of supplies. These and other technical details are set out in the Association Code of Practice 1 part 2, drawn up by member companies.

The pipework installation from the storage vessel should be carried out by a CORGI Registered gas installer and the LP Gas supplier will be able to provide advice on this.

At the house an emergency control valve will be provided, so that the internal gas system can be readily isolated if necessary.

LP Gas appliances like natural gas appliances are among the most efficient available, besides being among the most environmentally friendly forms of energy use. The latest developments include the new breed of "condensing" boilers which reduce considerably the fuel bill by extracting even more useful heat out of the LP Gas. For new or replacement boilers these are worth considering.

Once installed, the LP Gas supplier will fill the vessel and will agree with you the method of providing further supplies. The supplier can usually provide a top-up service which will ensure you always have gas on tap, or you could choose to telephone for a refill as necessary.

CYLINDER SUPPLIES

Sometimes it is not possible to fit an LP Gas storage vessel into a small garden. An alternative is to use LP Gas cylinders which are less restricted in terms of location. Although they come in many sizes the most appropriate for home heating are the propane 46 or 47 kg. size. Propane cylinders are always located outside of premises and the gas piped in. They can provide a similar service to the bulk vessel except for large off-takes.

For central heating installations it is usual to use four cylinders, two either side of an automatic change-over valve, often called a 'four-pack' system. The gas supply is fed from two cylinders at a time and when they begin to run out, the automatic device switches to the other two. Cylinders can be replaced then without interrupting the supply.

WHO TO CONTACT

There is a wide choice of supplier for LP Gas in the UK depending on where you are. Virtually all are members of the LP Gas Association who can be relied upon to comply with its Codes of Practice and UK Regulations. A list of current member companies can be obtained from the Association upon request. Any of these, if they deliver into your area, will provide you with advice on installation, prices of LP Gas and a host of other relevant information.