Propane, How much do you pay?

[NewUser]

McLamb came over and topped off my tank yesterday. . . . without me asking. I still had probably 50% of the tank left, so it wasn't like it was needed. They charged me $2.60/gal + tax.

[dansdrive]

Propane, gold that is...liquid gold!

So much to learn and so little time to learn it always comes to mind when I think about Propane.

Secret's of propane purchasing...well maybe not secrets but what I have learned over the years.

1. Decide early if you want the Propane company to own your tank or do want to? In other words would you like the soda company to own the glass you drink from or would you like to own the glass so you can change soda brands as you want to?

2. Negotiate 101. If you own your tank bypass Negotiate 101 you are in a graduate level class! If not than negotiate with your current supplier. Ask your neighbors to join a subdivision propane team and negotiate as a subdivision to maximize your bargaining power. You will all need propane around the same time so if the propane company can come and empty a truck in your neighborhood its cheaper for them and cheaper for 'ALL' of you!

3. If you are purchasing a home with propane make sure your Sales Contract clearly states in it WHO owns the tank. Does not help after you purchase the home to find this out.

4. Read your HOA rules on Propane tanks. Do they have to be buried or can they be surface tanks? There are differences in cost and replacement on above ground tanks versus buried ones.

5. Make sure your home is insulated well and the windows are not leaking. Propane is not a cheap fuel to warm the outside air. Heating ones inside is expensive enough, letting that heat leak to the outside is 'Priceless'! %$%^!

6. Make sure you understand the difference between per call and auto fill programs. Per call says you are responsible to notify the propane company to come fill your tanks. When its January and cold do you want to go see what in your tank? Brrrr. Auto fill allows the Propane company to fill your tank when they are in the area using some kind of formula they have. I think its called P.M. (Propane Magic) or something like that.


May the Propane be with you in this upcoming heating season young liquid gas purchaser!

[TabbyCats]

Originally Posted by magichappens

McKracken SUCKS and is the only company that requires digging up the tank.

Not anymore---Campbell requires that their tank be returned to them, too--no more "tank exchange". I tried last month.

We just moved into our newly built house, and the builder put in a Campbell tank. I called McCracken for their price, and they had a new customer special which beat Campbell by a long-shot. McCracken said they'd just swap out a tank with Campbell (funny, since you say they require digging up their own tanks for return to them), but Campbell rudely informed me that THEY own the tank and no one else is putting propane in it but them. Our new sod was just taking hold, and I didn't want to go through the digging-up and replacing of the tank, so we got Campbell to come down on their quoted price, and we stayed with them. If we'd wanted to own the tank, supposedly it'd have cost us approx. $1700. I'm just glad we went with a dual-fuel heating source after learning how expensive propane is.

[royalbrowniii]

All of us who use propane are getting taken for a ride. In my area, Winter Haven, FL price per gallon for last fillup of our underground tanks was $3.65 per gallon plus regulatory compliance charge (interesting since Feds don't regulate propane prices), fuel surcharge (nothing but sweetner for the company) and sales tax.

We have tankless gas hot water heater, gas dryer and built-in gas grill. I have weaned us off the gas dryer and grill to electric and will do same as soon as I can with the expensive tankless hot water heater.

What really gauls me is fact that propane is a by-product of either gasoline refinement or LP gas refinement and it costs more per gallon than regular gas.

[royalbrowniii]

Originally Posted by Marie00615

how long does a tank generally last you guys? HOw many gallons do you use for the year?

80 gals. lasts about 2 months but depends on use. We use about 450 gals. year. Prices have almost doubled in past 2 years where I live in Winter Haven, FL - rediculous. I wouldn't recommend propane to anyone.