If you live in Black Forest, Woodland Park, Palmer Lake, Monument, or any community along the Highway 24 or Highway 83 corridors outside Colorado Springs city limits, you are likely on propane (LP) gas instead of natural gas. And if your propane stove was not specifically converted for both propane AND altitude, it is almost certainly running wrong — producing yellow flames, generating excess carbon monoxide, wasting fuel, and cooking unevenly. The dual conversion problem is unique to mountain and rural communities around Colorado Springs, and most appliance repair companies do not understand it.
Why Do Black Forest and Woodland Park Homes Use Propane?
Colorado Springs Utilities’ natural gas grid does not extend to unincorporated El Paso County or Teller County communities. Black Forest (80908), Woodland Park (80863), Palmer Lake (80133), most of Monument north of Highway 105, and rural areas along Vollmer Road, Shoup Road, and Hodgen Road all rely on propane tanks for gas appliances. Propane is stored in above-ground or buried tanks on the property and delivered by local suppliers like Amerigas, Ferrellgas, or smaller Colorado companies.
Propane burns differently than natural gas. It has a higher BTU content per cubic foot (2,520 BTU vs 1,030 BTU for natural gas), requires a different orifice size, and needs a different gas pressure setting. Every gas stove is shipped configured for natural gas by default. If your stove was not converted to propane at installation, it is running on the wrong orifice size and gas pressure — before altitude even enters the equation.
What Is the Difference Between Propane Conversion and Altitude Conversion?
These are two separate mechanical adjustments, and both are required for a propane stove in Black Forest or Woodland Park.
Propane (LP) conversion: Replaces the natural gas orifices with smaller propane orifices (propane’s higher BTU content requires less gas flow). Adjusts the gas pressure regulator from 3.5-5 inches WC (natural gas) to 10-11 inches WC (propane). Adjusts air shutters to match propane’s different air-fuel ratio. Most stoves include a propane conversion kit in the box or available from the manufacturer.
Altitude conversion: Further reduces orifice size by approximately 4% per 1,000 feet above 2,000 feet to compensate for thinner air. Adjusts air shutters for reduced oxygen density. Recalibrates the oven thermostat for altitude-adjusted flame output. Black Forest sits at 7,100 to 7,400 feet. Woodland Park sits at 8,465 feet. These are not minor altitude adjustments — they are substantial.
A stove in Woodland Park at 8,465 feet running propane needs both conversions simultaneously. If only the propane conversion was done (common), the stove is burning too rich for the altitude. If only the altitude conversion was done (rare), the gas pressure and orifice size are wrong for propane. Either scenario produces yellow flames, soot, excess CO, and poor cooking performance.
How Do You Know If Your Propane Stove Has Been Properly Converted?
Check for these indicators. A properly converted propane stove at 7,000+ feet will have a steady blue flame with a well-defined inner cone on all burners. The flame should be slightly smaller than what you would see at sea level. There should be zero soot on the bottom of light-colored cookware. The oven should preheat to 350°F within 12 to 18 minutes. The stove’s data plate (usually inside the oven door frame or on the back panel) should have a sticker or notation indicating “LP” or “Propane” conversion.
If any burner shows yellow or orange flame tips, if you see soot on pans, if the oven takes more than 20 minutes to preheat, or if there is no LP notation on the data plate — the stove has not been fully converted. Call for professional gas stove repair and conversion.
Is It Dangerous to Run a Natural Gas Stove on Propane Without Conversion?
Yes — this is a serious safety hazard. Propane delivers 2.5 times the BTU per cubic foot compared to natural gas. Running propane through natural gas orifices floods the burner with far more fuel than it is designed to handle. The resulting oversized flame produces extreme heat that can damage burner grates and surrounding components, significant carbon monoxide production from incomplete combustion, soot and carbon buildup that clogs burner ports and air passages, and gas odor from unburned propane.
If your propane stove has never been converted from its factory natural gas configuration, stop using it and schedule an emergency conversion service. This is not an exaggeration — unconverted propane stoves are a leading cause of carbon monoxide incidents in rural Colorado homes.
How Much Does Propane Stove Conversion Cost?
A propane conversion kit from the stove manufacturer costs $20 to $50 for most brands. Professional installation and calibration runs $100 to $175. An altitude conversion on top of the propane conversion adds $50 to $100 for the additional orifice adjustment and air shutter tuning. Total cost for a full dual conversion (propane + altitude): $170 to $325 depending on the brand and number of burners.
At Stove Works, we perform propane and altitude conversions as a single service call. We bring conversion kits for all major brands — GE, Samsung, Whirlpool, Frigidaire, LG, KitchenAid, Bosch, and more. We service the entire Monument and Black Forest area as well as Woodland Park and communities along Highway 24. See our cost guide for pricing details.
Which Brands Include Propane Conversion Kits in the Box?
Many stoves ship with a propane conversion kit included but uninstalled. GE and GE Profile include LP kits with most gas ranges. Samsung includes LP kits with select models — check the accessories bag in the oven cavity. Whirlpool and KitchenAid include LP kits with most gas ranges. Frigidaire requires a separate purchase for most models. Wolf and Viking include LP kits and often ship pre-configured for the customer’s fuel type. Thermador includes LP kits with all gas ranges.
Even when the kit is included, it is almost never installed by the delivery company. We routinely find unopened LP conversion kits taped inside the oven cavity of stoves that have been running on the wrong fuel configuration for months or years. Check your brand’s requirements and call us if you are unsure whether your conversion was done.
Does Propane Cost More Than Natural Gas for Cooking?
Yes, significantly. Propane in the Black Forest and Woodland Park area costs approximately $2.50 to $3.50 per gallon (prices fluctuate seasonally). One gallon of propane contains 91,500 BTU. One therm of natural gas (Colorado Springs Utilities rate: approximately $1.05) contains 100,000 BTU. On a per-BTU basis, propane costs roughly 2.5 to 3 times more than natural gas for the same cooking energy.
This makes proper conversion even more important. An unconverted or poorly adjusted propane stove wastes 20 to 30% of its fuel through incomplete combustion. At $3 per gallon, that waste adds up to $15 to $25 per month for a household that cooks daily. A $200 conversion service pays for itself in fuel savings within 6 to 12 months.
Case Study: Woodland Park Home at 8,465 Feet — Double Conversion
A homeowner in Woodland Park (elevation 8,465 feet) called us about a GE gas range with yellow flames and a strong gas smell. The stove had been installed by a general contractor during a kitchen remodel two years earlier. The contractor had done the propane conversion (orifices and regulator) but had not done the altitude conversion — understandable, since most contractors are not trained in altitude calibration.
At 8,465 feet, the altitude conversion is even more critical than at Colorado Springs proper. The air is 30% thinner than sea level. Our technician further reduced the propane orifice sizes for altitude, opened all air shutters to compensate for thin air, verified propane pressure at 10.5 inches WC, and recalibrated the oven thermostat. The flames went from lazy yellow to tight blue immediately. The homeowner reported that her oven preheated twice as fast and her baking results improved dramatically — cookies finally baked evenly for the first time since the remodel.
What Propane Tank Size Do You Need for a Stove?
A gas stove alone uses approximately 35 to 50 gallons of propane per year for a typical household. If the stove is your only propane appliance, a 120-gallon tank is sufficient. Most Black Forest and Woodland Park homes have 250 to 500 gallon tanks serving multiple appliances (furnace, water heater, fireplace, stove), with the stove accounting for only 5 to 10% of total propane consumption.
Keep your propane tank above 20% during winter. At altitude, propane tanks experience more dramatic pressure drops in cold weather. A tank below 20% in January at 7,000+ feet may not deliver consistent pressure to your stove, causing burner problems that look like a stove malfunction but are actually a supply issue. If your burners work fine in summer but struggle in winter, check the tank level before calling for repair.
For propane stove conversion, altitude adjustment, or any stove repair in Black Forest, Woodland Park, Monument, Palmer Lake, or the Tri-Lakes area, call Stove Works at +1 (719) 467-3100. We carry conversion kits for all major brands and complete the full dual conversion (propane + altitude) in a single visit. For common issues, check our common stove problems guide or our high altitude stove problems page.