Propane if electric service is weak or MIA.
Electric if we are NOT paying for electric.
Both if we want to take showers and have lots of hot water.
IF we are paying for electric, here is something we tried last winter that saved us a LOT of propane, and a LOT of $$ on the electric bill.
Don't use the propane cept if you need a lot of really hot water fast. Then turn on till hot and turn off asap. Now, the electric, use it for most of heating the water. The trick is to only heat the water just before you will need it for showers and/or dishes, etc. The water stays HOT in that tank for hours (NOW, this will NOT work real well in Alaska or cooler climes in the winter, this is for Snow Birds and Winter Texans to try).
So, turn on the electric heater, get the water hot, turn off the heater. The water will stay hot for a number of hours, hot enough to wash your hands, for example.
It took a bit of adjusting our thinking caps, but this saved us a LOT of $$. Not all that inconvenient.
Think of it as "green" hot water!
