Lake of the Ozarks Propane Inspiration Home
This beautiful, luxurious and efficient lake home features the latest design trends and some of the most desirable home amenities. And it's all made possible by propane. Propane can efficiently and effectively meet nearly all of a home’s energy needs, inside and out. Take a tour of this home and see the propane lifestyle of comfort, efficiency and independence come to life.
The Inspiration Home Story
Dave Leathers is no stranger to designing and building beautiful and efficient homes. As owner of Showcase Publishing at Lake of the Ozarks, Dave has built over a dozen Inspiration Homes at the Lake, publicized them through his premier publications and auctioned them off for a worthy cause. Carrying the tradition forward, his 2019 Inspiration Home featured a new twist—it was powered by propane.
“When it’s cold in Missouri, homeowners depend on comfortable, reliable heat,” said Steve Ahrens, President of the Missouri Propane Education and Research Council, who partnered with Leathers on the project. “Heat pumps can’t really produce the warmth necessary for our climate, introducing air at the register that is only about skin temperature to begin with. That’s where propane really shines, providing ample and efficient heating to keep a home cozy, reliable hot water for the laundry and bath, and fueling so many other appliances throughout the home.”
The propane Inspiration Home is an amazing story and it keeps getting better. Showcase Publishing, Leather’s parent company for his magazines, donated profits from the sale of the home to Share the Harvest Food Pantry, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting hunger at the Lake of the Ozarks and surrounding areas.
“We feel strongly that no one should go hungry in America and specifically in our tri-county area,” said Leathers. “Share the Harvest has a large volunteer base and makes a great impact on our LOZ community.”
“We were very pleased to be able to partner with Showcase on the construction of this beautiful new home,” said Ahrens. “Not only are we proud to support the Share the Harvest effort at the Lake, but we were also able to use this opportunity to encourage all Missouri propane marketers to become engaged in their own community charitable causes. From supporting breast cancer awareness to raising funds for local veterans, propane dealers all across the state embodied the spirit of this theme.”
Featured Propane Appliances
High-efficiency Furnaces
This Inspiration Home is heated by two Rheem high-efficiency propane furnaces. These units are rated with 95 percent AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency). Propane furnaces ensure homeowners enjoy warm, comfortable heat when they need it while realizing significant savings on their heating bill.
Tankless Water Heater
Propane tankless water heaters provide a continuous supply of hot water on demand. The Navien propane tankless water heater in the Inspiration Home will save the homeowner about 13-20 percent in annual energy costs compared to an electric unit, and will produce 50–60 percent less CO2 emissions, reducing the home’s carbon footprint
Kitchen Range
This home’s Wolf 48" 13,000 BTU gas cooking range features six burners, infrared griddle and a convection oven, all very important in today’s modern kitchens. Professional chefs prefer gas for its consistent, even heat, precise control and superior cooking results.
Fireplace
This home’s Napoleon 42” Accent propane fireplace will allow homeowners to enjoy the charming ambiance of a real flame and the proven performance of propane.
Standby Generator
With a Champion propane standby generator, this home will keep running as usual, even when the power lines go down. Unlike gasoline or diesel, propane doesn’t degrade over time, making it ideal for a standby fuel. Propane generators are quiet and reliable and adding one to a home will increase its value by providing peace of mind for the homeowner.
Outdoor Grill
Outdoor living spaces top many homeowners’ wish lists. This home features an amazing outdoor living space overlooking the Lake of the Ozarks, carrying the comfortable indoor features of propane into the outdoors. With a built-in Coyote propane grill, this homeowner will be able to enjoy this outdoor space all year long.
Floor Plans
Home Rendering
Upper Level
Lower Level
East Elevation
Home Photo Gallery
Project Details
The Inspiration Home owner, Dave Leathers, knows the Lake of the Ozarks is a destination for people from across Missouri and the United States. In many cases, second homes eventually become full-time residences, with owners giving up their first homes as they transition into retirement, making second-tier homes more desirable and valuable. For those folks, a complete propane home’s energy efficiency, independence and low maintenance are very attractive.
“While the furnace and water heater work in the background, propane has a more prominent role in other areas of the home,” said Steve Ahrens, President of the Missouri Propane Education and Research Council, “In the kitchen, top chefs demand the precise control offered by gas stoves and ranges and gas fireplaces provide both spot heat and carefree ambiance without hauling, stacking and handling wood.”
“Outside, the versatility of propane is about everywhere you look,” Ahrens noted. “The outdoor kitchen will extend the season while the backup generator is designed to keep the home humming when the power goes off, providing a layer of security unmatched by any other fuel.”
“Builder Doug Ross, of Ross Custom Homes, is a renowned builder of high-end luxury homes,” said Jonathan Hartenstein of Keller Williams Lake of the Ozarks Realty and the Villages at Shawnee Bend. Hartenstein represented the property to prospective buyers. “Ross built this home and it checked every box on the feature sheet – two, two-car garages, one for utility and one for fun, a family room, wet bar, wine cellar, and the list goes on and on.”
The propane Inspiration Home is located in the Villages, just a few minutes from the four-lane highway, with a beautiful drive down Highway MM. According to Hartenstein, “The Villages are the absolute premiere luxury home development in LOZ.”
Dave Leathers with Showcase Publishing, Doug Ross of Ross Custom Homes and Steve Ahrens with the Missouri Propane Education & Research Council (MOPERC), teamed up to make this awesome propane home story a reality.
Builder Information
Name: Doug Ross | RC Homes
Address: 1415 Grand Point Blvd, Sunrise Beach, MO 65079
Phone Number: (573) 692-4663
Email: doug@rosshomes.net
Website: rosshomes.net
Convert to Propane
If you’re thinking about expanding your use of propane, converting to propane for new appliances or switching to propane as your primary energy source, please contact your local propane company to learn more about your options.