Short answer: An Ontario home using propane as its primary heat source typically burns 2,500 to 3,800 litres a year. The Ontario Energy Board uses 3,788 litres annually as its benchmark for a typical residential propane customer. For that kind of usage you want a 500-gallon tank, which holds about 1,514 litres but is only filled to roughly 80% — about 1,210 usable litres per fill, or two to three deliveries a season.
Those numbers are the starting point for almost every decision a propane household makes: what size tank to install, how many deliveries to budget for, whether automatic delivery makes sense, and what the winter is going to cost. Here is how it breaks down for homes across Durham Region, York Region and Kawartha Lakes.
How much propane does an Ontario home actually use?
Consumption varies enormously with house size, age, insulation, thermostat habits, and whether propane also runs your hot water, stove, dryer or fireplace. As a planning range:
| Household type | Typical annual usage |
|---|---|
| Small or well-insulated home, propane heat only | 1,500 – 2,500 L |
| Typical detached home, propane furnace + hot water | 2,500 – 3,800 L |
| Large or older rural home | 4,000 L+ |
| Seasonal cottage, spring to fall use | 300 – 900 L |
| Propane as supplemental heat (fireplace, garage) | 200 – 600 L |
The Ontario Energy Board’s benchmark for a typical residential propane customer is 3,788 litres per year — a useful mid-point if you are budgeting for a home you have not lived in through a full winter yet.
What size propane tank do you need?
Tank sizing is not about how much propane you use in a year. It is about how much you can store between deliveries, and how comfortable you are with that margin in February.
420 lb cylinder (roughly 375 litres)
Suitable for a fireplace, water heater, generator, stove or supplemental heat. Too small for whole-home primary heating — you would be ordering deliveries constantly through the winter, and every one of them would be a small, expensive fill.
500-gallon tank (about 1,514 litres capacity, ~1,210 usable)
The standard choice for a propane-heated Ontario house. At 2,500 to 3,800 litres a year, expect two to three deliveries per season. This is the right tank for the large majority of homes we service.
1,000-gallon tank (about 3,030 litres capacity, ~2,400 usable)
Worth considering for a large home, very high consumption, a farm operation, or a rural property where you want to minimize winter deliveries. Also common where road access is difficult during freeze-thaw. Fewer, larger fills also tend to earn a better per-litre rate.
Why your tank is only filled to 80%
Propane expands as it warms. The unfilled space at the top of the tank — the vapour space — gives it room to expand safely on a hot day without over-pressurizing. Filling to 100% would be genuinely dangerous.
This trips people up when they compare the tank’s rated capacity to what appears on the invoice. A 500-gallon tank that is “full” contains roughly 1,210 litres, not 1,514. It also means a tank that reads 30% on the gauge is not 30% of 1,514 — the gauge reads percentage of the tank’s total volume, so 30% is about 454 litres.
Rule of thumb: order when your gauge reads 30%. That leaves comfortable margin for a delivery window, even in a cold snap.
What it costs to heat an Ontario home with propane
Using the OEB benchmark of 3,788 litres a year, here is what different rates mean in annual dollars, before HST:
| Annual usage | At $0.70/L | At $0.80/L | At $0.90/L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,000 L | $1,400 | $1,600 | $1,800 |
| 2,500 L | $1,750 | $2,000 | $2,250 |
| 3,000 L | $2,100 | $2,400 | $2,700 |
| 3,788 L (OEB benchmark) | $2,652 | $3,030 | $3,409 |
| 4,500 L | $3,150 | $3,600 | $4,050 |
Add 13% HST, plus tank rental if your supplier charges it. See our Durham and York Region propane price guide for how to read your all-in rate.
Propane versus electric versus oil
For an Ontario home, the honest comparison depends heavily on which kind of electric heat you mean.
- Propane vs. electric baseboard or electric furnace: Propane generally wins at current Ontario energy prices. Electric resistance heat for a typical 2,000 sq ft home runs roughly 18,000 to 22,000 kWh a year for space heating alone.
- Propane vs. heating oil: Propane is usually cheaper to run, and propane equipment tends to last longer with less maintenance. Oil also carries tank replacement and insurance considerations that propane does not.
- Propane vs. a cold-climate heat pump: This is the one that genuinely competes. A good heat pump delivers two to four units of heat per unit of electricity, which can beat propane on operating cost — but capacity drops in deep cold.
The combination many rural Ontario homeowners land on is a heat pump with a propane furnace as backup: the heat pump handles most of the shoulder season efficiently, and propane takes over when it gets genuinely cold. If you are already on propane, that setup lets you keep your existing furnace rather than replacing your whole system.
Rural delivery: what Durham and Kawartha homeowners should plan for
If you are on a rural road in Scugog, Brock, Uxbridge or Kawartha Lakes, tank sizing matters more than it does in town. Two things to plan around:
- Freeze-thaw and spring road restrictions. Soft roads and half-load seasons can complicate a heavy truck reaching your tank. Going into spring with a fuller tank is cheap insurance.
- Snow clearance around your tank and fill point. A driver who cannot safely reach the fill valve cannot deliver. Keep a clear path all winter.
This is also the strongest case for automatic delivery. We track your usage against heating degree days and schedule the truck before you get low, instead of waiting for you to notice the gauge.
Frequently asked questions about propane usage and tank sizing
How many litres are in a 500-gallon propane tank?
A 500 US gallon tank has a capacity of about 1,514 litres, but it is filled to roughly 80% for safety, giving about 1,210 usable litres per fill.
How much propane does an average Ontario home use per year?
Most Ontario homes heating primarily with propane use 2,500 to 3,800 litres per year. The Ontario Energy Board uses 3,788 litres annually as its benchmark for a typical residential propane customer. Usage depends on house size, insulation, and whether propane also runs hot water and appliances.
Why is my propane tank only filled to 80%?
Propane expands as temperature rises. The 20% vapour space at the top of the tank gives it room to expand safely. Filling to capacity would risk over-pressurizing the tank, so the 80% limit is a safety requirement, not a shortfall in your delivery.
How many propane deliveries will I need each year?
With a 500-gallon tank and typical heating usage, two to three deliveries per season. A 1,000-gallon tank usually cuts that to one or two. Cottages and supplemental-use customers often need only one.
What size propane tank do I need for a cottage?
For seasonal use running a stove, fridge, water heater and fireplace, a 420 lb cylinder or a small bulk tank is usually enough. If you are heating the cottage through the winter or using it year-round, size it like a house and go with a 500-gallon tank.
At what percentage should I order propane?
Order at 30%. That gives your supplier a comfortable delivery window even during a cold snap or a busy stretch in January, and keeps you well clear of running dry.
What happens if I run out of propane?
More than an inconvenience. An empty tank means a technician has to pressure-test the system for leaks and relight your appliances before service resumes — a billable visit on top of an emergency delivery charge. It is entirely avoidable with automatic delivery.
Is propane cheaper than electric heat in Ontario?
Compared to electric baseboard or an electric furnace, propane is generally cheaper to run at current Ontario energy prices. Compared to an efficient cold-climate heat pump, a heat pump can be cheaper on operating cost, though many rural homes pair the two — heat pump for most of the season, propane furnace for deep cold.
Not sure what size tank you need?
Tell us your house size, how you use propane, and your address, and we will size the tank properly the first time. Discount Propane installs and services tanks for homes, farms and businesses across Durham Region, York Region, Lindsay, Little Britain and the surrounding rural townships — with licensed gas technicians on every installation.
Call 905-448-5955 or request a quote online. For 24-hour emergency service, call 416-271-9807.