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After the experience we had with renting a house with propane, I would never buy a house that used it. This was back in 2010-2011 in Western Loudoun County in VA. We ran out about a month in to our lease. The tank said it was almost full. The owner of the home was supposed to have it checked before we moved in and he didn't. The gauge was broken and plus it was leaking out. 1100 to fill it up. We spent alot of money in the winter for the propane. Never again.
Sorry, but that's just a little silly. As you wrote, the gauge was broken and the tank (apparently) leaked. That could happen with oil as well. In some places (like where I live), oil and propane are the most common options, and ANY gauge can break and ANY tank can leak. You had bad luck, but that doesn't mean that propane heat itself is a problem. I've used propane now for 14 years (because that's what we have where I live) and the tank has never leaked. As I wrote, you were unlucky, and/or the owner didn't maintain the tank (or have the propane company check on it). That is NOT the norm.
Sorry, but that's just a little silly. As you wrote, the gauge was broken and the tank (apparently) leaked. That could happen with oil as well. In some places (like where I live), oil and propane are the most common options, and ANY gauge can break and ANY tank can leak. You had bad luck, but that doesn't mean that propane heat itself is a problem. I've used propane now for 14 years (because that's what we have where I live) and the tank has never leaked. As I wrote, you were unlucky, and/or the owner didn't maintain the tank (or have the propane company check on it). That is NOT the norm.
We were given about a $100 credit when we brought it to the propane company's attention. Even then it was a hassle and took multiple phone calls. That was the one and only time we had ever had propane heat. We've always had gas heat. You may call it silly but to me it was to much of a hassle.
We were given about a $100 credit when we brought it to the propane company's attention. Even then it was a hassle and took multiple phone calls. That was the one and only time we had ever had propane heat. We've always had gas heat. You may call it silly but to me it was to much of a hassle.
Sorry if I didn't sound sympathetic -- I AM, as I'm sure it was a pain in the butt. My point was that your problems weren't really specific to having propane heat -- they were things that could happen with others kinds of heat as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DougStark
If you're in a semi-mild climate, I'd go for a heat pump. When temps drop below 20 or so, switch off the heat pump and turn on the propane furnace.
Some newer heat pumps can even supply heat to the house when outside temps are 0.
OP is in New York, I think -- not really a "semi-mild" climate! Unfortunately heat pumps don't seem to work very well in the Northeast, despite what their manufacturers/salespeople say. A colleague of mine spent something like $20k on a heat pump system, and unfortunately it gave her nothing but problems -- then the company went out of business, and she ended up having to have the whole system taken out and replaced by something that would actually work well in New Hampshire. In some climates, heat pumps just aren't great. (I understand that in OTHER climates, they work very well.)
Propane and natural gas are both clean fuels. A cubic foot of propane has twice as much energy as a cubic foot of natural gas. But propane is more expensive. YYMV based on local costs.
The beauty of natural gas is that it's always there - no worrying about running out.
Also you may be locked into only one propane supplier if they own the tank. You can't shop around if you don't own the tank.
that's not true unless you live in an area where only one propane company provides service. If you can shop around (meaning multiple companies offer service) and you get a better price with a different company than the one who currently owns the tank at the house then you just call them and tell them to come pick up the tank. At least in the area where I live the propane companies (including the one my mom worked at for 36 years) will leave the same tank there and just handle the transfer (of the tank ownership) in the office.
We had propane in our last house. It was quite expensive. When we were looking to buy, some houses in town had propane. It was definitely a turn-off.the house we bought had natural gas, which is my preference.
We had propane in our last house. It was quite expensive. When we were looking to buy, some houses in town had propane. It was definitely a turn-off.the house we bought had natural gas, which is my preference.
I think that would be MOST people's preference, but natural gas is simply not available everywhere!!
Sorry to be so emphatic, but there are so many threads here on how to heat one's house, and several posters write in those threads, "Just get natural gas!" as if everyone everywhere can get it. Please remember that many of us -- including the OP -- live in areas where natural gas is simply not an option (and never will be in a lot of places, including where I live).
Now, if I were moving to a city where natural gas were available, and there were some houses on it and some not, then yes, I would be looking more favorably on the houses that had it. But again, there are many many areas of the U.S. where it simply is not an option.
The OP already wrote (post #3 of this thread) that natural gas is not available. She has no choice but to look at other options.
I think that would be MOST people's preference, but natural gas is simply not available everywhere!!
Sorry to be so emphatic, but there are so many threads here on how to heat one's house, and several posters write in those threads, "Just get natural gas!" as if everyone everywhere can get it. Please remember that many of us -- including the OP -- live in areas where natural gas is simply not an option (and never will be in a lot of places, including where I live).
Now, if I were moving to a city where natural gas were available, and there were some houses on it and some not, then yes, I would be looking more favorably on the houses that had it. But again, there are many many areas of the U.S. where it simply is not an option.
The OP already wrote (post #3 of this thread) that natural gas is not available. She has no choice but to look at other options.
I understand that. I was just stating my experience. I have never lived anywhere that natural gas is not commonly available. On the flip side, until a few years ago I had no idea that people use oil to heat their homes. It's obviously regional
That said, I would probably prefer propane to electric. I had an apartment with electric heat and don't think I would want to hear a whole house that way.
I have three houses, one uses natgas, one propane, the third is electric. So I can offer you insight into all.
First, ANY gas is going to be more efficient than the alternatives. Gas is better than oil, far better than electric. Electric is the most inefficient.
Natural gas is better than propane, for mostly obvious reasons. It's the most cost-effective, never needs refills, use all you want, etc.
Having said that, there is nothing wrong with propane. And if it's your only choice, that's ok. We have a 1,000 gallon tank, buried, so there is nothing to see. It runs four heating units, two fireplace log-lighters, a cooktop and a tankless water heater. They all work great, no unusual problems, no unusual maintenance needed (due to the propane, that is).
If you are worried about propane not working as well as natgas, don't. All the equipment works fine, it heats just as well, cooks fine. The differences between natgas and propane are logistical (refills, tank location, etc), NOT the actual use of the gas.
We use about 100-150 gallons in the winter months, and far less in the summer. Our supplier comes by on a regular run, and the tank never goes below 50% (although it could; he just keeps it refilled).
Make sure you have a properly sized tank. Make sure you have access to a propane company that does refills. Other than that, no worries.
If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.
PS: We have standby generators (Generac) on two of the houses. One runs on natgas, the other propane. So even that isn't an issue with propane.
If you are familiar with natural gas, then propane will be pretty much indistinguishable in performance. Cost is higher than natural gas in some areas. We have had propane in our last 2 homes and we are fine with it. If you have a large (500 gal+) tank you may get by with one annual fill and can time hat for when prices fall in the summer. In our area prices right now are unusually low due to the oil glut, we can purchase for $1.70/gallon right now. If you have a smaller tank you will have to have the tank topped up on a monthly plan or something similar. It's really no big deal. They will deliver and leave a bill on the door for you to send in a payment or they will just bill you after the fill. We own our underground tank, so we shop around for the best price once a year. If you lease the tank from your supplier you will be locked into that supplier and if you switch they will come and take the tank and then you have to lease one from the new supplier or buy one outright
I wouldn't rule out a house with propane. In some areas there is no access to natural gas, so it's propane or a heat pump. Many people don't like heat pumps because they like that blast of hot air you get from a furnace. A lot of people don't know the correct way to operate a heat pump and cause themselves to run the electric bill up, or they live in a climate too cold for a heat pump to be economical.
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