At this time of year we are well into the summer holiday season, and more than ever people are heading out to stay at resorts or rent cottages in Ontario.

But, what happens in an emergency if you aren’t home? This also applies to your own cottage or if you have a second home that might be unoccupied for weeks, if not months, at a time throughout the year.

With inflation and household costs increasing, many homeowners are looking for ways to cut costs around the home this summer.

When we get a heat wave that lasts weeks in Ontario, energy costs can get expensive. Combine that with other summertime utility increases like water, and electricity for electronic devices the kids are using while at home for the summer holidays, and bills can soar.

If you don’t receive an automatic propane delivery service, then checking your propane level is an absolutely essential part of ensuring that you have a consistent supply of propane to power your appliances.

Whether you have a large propane tank to power your entire home or a smaller propane tank for your RV or trailer, it can sometimes be difficult to determine exactly how much propane you have left in your tank.

To give you a helping hand, Budget Propane Ontario has listed three of the easiest ways that will help you check your propane levels. 

The last few years has brought home the importance of outdoor living space for many people. Staycations can mean having a holiday at a local resort or renting a cottage - but families are also opting to have a vacation at home, and this means fixing up the backyard to create a resort like environment.

Expanding the patio, installing a fire pit, putting in a pool or spa, building an outdoor kitchen or fireplace, are some of the popular upgrades.

When you start thinking about improvements remember that the benefits of propane don't end at the front door. With propane, you can transform any outdoor space into a welcoming environment used throughout the seasons.

As a local business operating in central Ontario for decades, Budget Propane is proud to contribute to local organizations and help out in the community where we work and live.

In June, we made a donation to Camp Winston, Kilworthy Sparrow Lake, to support their matching fund campaign goal. Camp Winston has been offering vital recreational activities and summer programs for children with complex neurobiological disorders for over 30 years. This year is particularly of importance as as the camp is reopening for the first time since 2019.

We'd like to share more information about this remarkable place and what they do.

It's one of those big trends you see every once in awhile in home outdoor living & patio design - the fire pit. You just need to look through your local real estate listings to see how many people are installing fire pits and showcasing them as a backyard feature.

A fire pit looks inviting and reminds us that our outdoor space can be an area for family and friends to get together and enjoy time outside. No wonder they are so popular! And the heat they generate means you can enjoy your patio at the start of the spring and well into the fall.

Fire pits can be wood, natural gas or propane. Of course the advantage of propane is that the unit can be run from a portable propane cylinder and propane provides strong BTU heat and burns clean.