Propane vs Electric Cabin Heating: Best Option for Remote Living?

Propane vs. electric cabin heating is a discussion that’s about much more than comfort, but also logistics and reliability for remote living. For those of you who live near Banff or Lake Louise, you understand that winter is more than a season, it’s a logistical challenge. From December through March, the temperatures throughout the period have an extreme range. The average low in January might only be -15C/-5F, but it routinely dips to -30C/-22F, with deep freeze averages of -21C that are typical in the Prairies and Northern Ontario (and parts of Quebec). For you remote cabin owners, this means that temperature volatility means something completely different.

One of the key problems with modern expectations for 100% power continuity means that people are unprepared for reality. The 1855 Philosophy of emergency preparedness asks people to reconsider the situation, instead of trying to power the entirety of a modern lifestyle during an emergency, revising the baseline to where people need to maintain survivability and comfort as the minimum practicable. This is the context for the heating discussion, you are ultimately choosing between dependency upon sometimes-fragile grid infrastructure versus the self-reliance of fuel. Here we discuss a breakdown of the propane vs. electric/heretical choices for remote properties in cold regions, ignoring marketing and instead focusing on the physics of mountain environments and Canadian operation cost economics.

Why Heating Choice Matters for Remote Cabins

In a suburb, failure of heating might be an inconvenience, but in remote mountain areas there is an infrastructure crisis. Mountain weather is characterized by extreme intraday volatility, and extreme weather, and within a single day you might actually see three different seasons manifested. This adds a layer of complexity to the heating demands.

Limited winter logistics infrastructure. The Canadian Rockies level of winter disruption creates an extra level of complication to logistics in general. It is effectively extended from late October until mid-April. If you rely on fuel deliveries, you need to plan for access to the property being cut off for multiple days due to weather. If you have a heating infrastructure which consumes lots of fuel over short periods, you will find yourself in difficulty with logistics.
Thermal control and insulation considerations. Lstiburek’s guidance for cold climates suggests that the desired outcome is separation between inside and outside, but this needs to be achieved by control layers for water, air, vapor, and thermal. The choice for heating impacts these considerations: say you are hydronic heating of a floor in extreme arctic conditions, then the loop has the concern that if it’s too slow to activate, it will just lose heat to the slab before it gets around the loop, thereby fracturing the thermal control layer.
The cost implications of mismatch. The financial cost implications of mismatch in heater/isolation is lengthy. Let’s say you have a poorly insulated structure that uses electric baseboards: some of the claims that justify this come down to a shocking level of energy consumption. A 625 square foot cabin might see a $300/month cost to maintain a standby temperature of 50F, which is far too high. This is one of those cases where the discussion isn’t just about BTUs, but rather about the interaction between the energy source and the enclosure.

How Propane Cabin Heating Works

The discussion of propane cabin heaters needs to understand the physics of the phase change vaporization of propane under pressure – it exists as a liquid in the tank, but needs to be boiled off as gas for the heaters to run.

How It Acts in Cold Conditions

Cold temps reduce the rate of vaporization of liquid propane, meaning that in colder temps, “vaporization starvation” is a thing, where if you have high consumption appliances, they won’t get enough fuel even though the tank isn’t empty. The implication is that tank size matters not just for capacity, but for surface area: larger tanks have more surface area, so vaporizes better in sub-zero atmosphere.

How It Operates Without Grid Power

One of the advantages of specific propane units like the Dyna-Glo 20000 BTU is that they work without electricity, in fact, they have something called an Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS). Instead of having an electronic brain, the pilot flame will mechanically interact with the propane shutoff valve in case oxygen depletes, as an action/safety loop that doesn’t require external batteries.

System Anatomy

There exists peculiar features to the design of propane heaters that don’t exist in everyday home installations:

Dirt legs on pipe: gas powered wall heaters require a dirt leg vertical extension on the pipe to collect moisture and sediment, otherwise the valves will corrode.
Ventless propane considerations: ventless propane heaters are important to the propane community, but they are venting moisture and emissions directly into the living space. In tight cabins, expect significant moisture to be released and create frost in winter.

How Electric Cabin Heating Works

Electric heating has come a long way and now exists beyond the simple resistive wire approach, but ground referencing and safety gets complicated offgrid.

Technology Types and Efficiency

Electric baseboard heaters are a standard, but use resistive heating and have a COP of 1.0. Then there are heat pumps like the excellent Mr Cool 5th generation, which use inverter compressor technology. Instead of on/off, the inverter compressors modulate their speed to meet the required heating demand. Research has determined that at temps between -10C and 0C degrees, the mean COP (Coefficient of Performance) for heat pumps is 2.74 – nearly three times better than the resistive heaters. However, heat pumps are inefficient at extreme cold temps. Electric strip heating, like the backup heating units included in heat pump systems, operate essentially like giant toasters and are significantly less efficient than the heat pumps themselves.

Electricity Dependency and Safety

Voltage matching and grounding is important in these systems. For the 240V cabin heaters, the wiring depends on somebody determining the ‘loop’ in the circuit. If you power the system from portable power stations or generators, you have to deal with the floating neutral issue. To solve the safety problem of the floating neutral in a permanent structure, the neutral needs to be bonded to ground at the subpanel, otherwise modern electric heating systems won’t ground properly.

Cost Comparison: Upfront and Ongoing

Cost comparison needs to work in the Canadian context, factoring in hidden logistics fees, and include the following details:

Electricity: Canadian average electricity prices are $0.192/KWH, varying from $0.078/KWH in Quebec to $0.410/KWH in the NW Territories.
Propane (LPG): Feb 9 2026 retail price in Canada for LPG is CAD 1.26 per litre which is near the historical upper bound.
Without solar offsetting, heat pumps systems can be slightly more expensive to run than 90% efficient gas-boiler systems.
Propane supply logistics includes hidden admin costs like “low usage” penalties or rental fees if thresholds aren’t met.
“Sweat equity” can reduce offgrid electric system costs significantly: a prebuilt power system costs $5795, but DIY costs $3906. So DIY saves 30% but requires you to do manual wiring.

Reliability During Long-Term Power Outages

When the grid goes out, the performance of the heating system during long-term outages is really the main test that matters.

Generator Limitations

Using gas whole-home gensets to power electric heat during long-term outages is qualitatively wrong, a 13,000 watt genset running for 7 days at 25% load requires about 120 gallons of fuel, far too much to store.

Why Propane Works Against Grid Failure

Propane systems with standing pilot lights have superior resiliency, since the thermopile generates a small amount of electrical current, whereas systems with electronic ignition will require battery backup. If your battery bank dies, your heat dies.

However, even offgrid specific alternatives have problems: say a diesel heater, if it loses battery power while running, the fan stops but the heat sink remains hot, igniting a local fire hazard. You actually need to cool it down with a leaf blower to prevent meltdown – an additional risk not faced by simple propane units.

Design and Space Issues for Cabin Heating Systems

Cabins have their requirements when it comes to heating systems, with aesthetic and other considerations.

Space and Distribution

Wall heaters need to have good flow distribution – this can be manipulated with a series of “Y” and “T” splits with small vent sizes, creating backpressure so air re-directed towards vents rather than at the source.

Heat pumps integrate well with modern minimalist aesthetic requirements – they are thin and unobtrusive compared to wood stoves or oil-filled radiators (which aren’t good for high ceilinged spaces, as heat rises too fast). For uninsulated utility spaces, infrared dish heaters work well since they heat objects via line of sight.

Sizes

The common mistake made for cabin heating systems is oversizing them. Multiply the square footage by 60 as a rough guideline for necessary BTUs for a remote cabin with vaulted ceilings at high elevation. Oversized wood stoves create low-temp smoky fires whereas propane units provide cleaner heat, albeit much smaller sized.

When Propane Cabin Heating Is The Right Choice

There’s a number of scenarios where propane cabin heating is a predominant choice. Propane wins in many cases where reliability wins over grid availability. The Canadian deep winter inside regions sees the physics of propane really owning a lot of power, and can increase temps in uninsulated buildings by 18 degrees in controlled tests, which many electric counterparts struggle to achieve. Bigger tanks add to this performance. 1 gallon of propane is ~91500 BTUs and using bigger tanks just increases liquid surface area so it vaporizies better and avoids starvation types.

For cabins which require reliable heating through winter, propane offers modern direct vent systems that deliver significant warmth without needing grid power. There are well made permanent indoor gas heaters for cabins for cold climates which are remote property suitable, and reliable long term, superior to alternative portable options. This independence is critical when you attempt a “Dual Fuel” approach which is to use propane as the superior heating source for its higher output, but retain electric systems as standbys. Note that propane creates “Wet Heat” in its combustion which causes condensation on metal surfaces, but it is the predominant choice for those who want reliable, consistent heat in offgrid cabins.

When Electric Cabin Heating Is The Right Choice

Electric cabin heating is often the product of cabins which have milder climate zones and are the product of those with deep pockets insulation-wise.

Mild Climates and Grid Connections

British Columbia populations are coastal and experience average low temps of 1C-4C, so the aggression of propane furnace systems isn’t necessary. Instead, heat pumps can operate with a more middle ground approach than the frozen-inside units discussed earlier.

High Efficiency Applications

Electric radiant floor systems are normally rated for 35-50 BTUs per square foot, and while low intensity, it’s comfortable and better with good insulation. Heat pumps work best with them constantly operating, not using them for recovery heat. Subsidize this with TOU tariff and home batteries, not solar disparate consumers.

Final Verdict: What’s Best for Your Cabin?

Ultimately, the decision between propane and electric cabin heating hinges on a combination of factors related to financial capital, physical sacrifice, and logistical practicality. As the off-grid philosophy suggests, wealth allows one to bypass suffering by automating away inconveniences. True independence means recognizing the limits of one’s skills and preparing for the worst day, not the average.

Choose Propane If:

You reside within the “Deep Freeze Interior” zones of Canada.
You require heating solutions functional during prolonged power outages without massive generator banks.
Your cabin is a seasonal property necessitating rapid, high-BTU recovery heat.

Choose Electric If:

You are in the “Mild Coast” zones.
You have a high-performance building envelope, with intact control layers.
You aim to leverage solar energy, considering limited daylight during peak heating seasons.

Next Steps:

Calculate Your Load: Multiply cabin square footage by 60 for baseline BTUs.
Assess Insulation: Avoid electric baseboards if walls are R-13 or lower.
Address Safety: Determine if floating neutral scenarios exist and establish proper grounding when integrating backup power.