[mgm612]

It's that time of year again and I was wondering what people are paying for propane. I just found out that I paid $4.12 per gallon on 1/10 with Pyrofax. I use about 700 gallons a year for reference. I have started to call around and see what other companies are charging, but $4.12 seems very high!

[Logs and Dogs]

Fillup on 1/10 was 270 gals $762 so call it $2.819/gal.

Amerigas.

[arctichomesteader]

Do you own your own tank? If you don't, no one else will fill it, and the company you lease it from will price gouge you...

[vter]

We pay $2.80...locked in that rate in August (I think). Amerigas.

[Logs and Dogs]

Amerigas owns my tank, but I lock in......best of both worlds........and frankly, we don't use a ton, enough that is costs us some coin.

[MTK1]

I would buy a wood or pellet stove. It would pay for itself in 2 winters probably at the propane rate you are paying. Here is a comparison of what it costs to heat with different fuels in VT taken from the states VT fuel price report. You are paying almost $60 dollars per million btu's at that propane rate. If you dont want to deal with wood get a pellet stove. All you have to do is load a hopper on the stove from a bag of pellets. You can get pellets much cheaper than the listed $247 price. I have seen them recently for 180 a ton. Which would put you less than 15 dollars per million btu. 4 times less than what your currently paying

Comparing the Cost of Heating Fuels

Type of Energy BTU/Unit Effic $/Unit $mmbut
Fuel Oi l, gallon 138,200 80% $2.85 $25.79
Kerosene, gal lon 136,600 80% $3.19 $29.21
Propane, gallon 91,600 80% $2.84 $38.81
Natural Gas, therm 100,000 80% $1.58 $19.75
Elect rici ty, kwh 3,412 100% $0.14 $41.35
Wood, cord (green) 22,000,000 60% $180.00 $13.64
Pel lets, ton 16,400,000 80% $247.00 $18.83

VT Fuel Price Report : Vermont Department of Public Service

[Logs and Dogs]

I agree with the stove vs. propane idea. When we are at the cabin it is all wood all the time. Propane keeps the house to 50 degrees, wood is the real heat source.

Propane as a primary is like lighting cash on fire.....

[NrthernNewEnglandVillages]

Both propane and oil prices are going through the roof and I wouldn't wait for them to go down anytime soon--the so-called "quantitative easing' by the Fed is doing nothing but creating another bubble in the energy sector.

However, propane is not all bad. I saved a bundle going with a new propane furnace when the old oil furnace died because it could be direct-vented out the side of the house. The chimney is in bad shape, so a new oil furnace would have also required a relined flue and chimney work.

Propane also has the highest furnace energy efficiencies which, admittedly, is offset by its lower energy density (BTU output per gallon). Plus, if it matters to you, propane emits far less CO2 and major domestic discoveries may lead to lower prices one day, at least relative to oil that is.

Though I can't wait till next year when I plan to install a soapstone woodstove

[joe moving]

i was so surprised to see propane and electric neck and neck. there is something that irks me about electric heat though, even if it costs the same as propane!

Logs, how do you do heat in the login cabin with propane... a wall unit or do you have a central furnace. I would think duct work is annoying in a log cabin?

[Logs and Dogs]

Joe – We have hot water base boards in the cabin. Propane furnace and water heater, once the fire is lit in the boiler it is basically a classic New England tried and true heating system.

We have a toe kick heater mounted under the kitchen sink as well since that wall is all cabinets. Works great.