[pauldorell]

We got our 12/3/12 delivery price of $4.87/gal. changed to $3.80/gal. by complaining to the supplier. The problem is we're only using about 150 gallons per year, which is not enough to pre-buy at a fixed price. The daily price is how they get you, and the same thing could happen even if we changed suppliers. We may end up doing that anyway, but we'd have to get the tank changed.

[joe moving]

Here are some of the co-ops I've seen:

Neighborhood Savings Group********* ************** - Home

https://www.vsecu.com/loans/other-lo...ram#/tab/rates

http://www.cooppower.coop/products-a...-buying-groups


I've been thinking about this and when we get a house I'll probably try to get a tank big enough to last all year and fill up once a year.

[joe moving]

Got another question. I can't find the old post I was asking about propane tanks.

If you chose not to buy your own propane tank---what do they charge you to either rent or borrow one? Does it mean you end up getting gouged on propane prices?

[tkln]

We don't get charged anything for our tank (well, we haven't since we bought the house anyway) but we can only get propane from Bournes...so if they want to charge me $5/gallon vs another company charging $4, I have no choice unless I buy my own tank.

We only have propane for our generator so it has not been an issue.

[joe moving]

Thanks ok. I was debating spending the $4000 for a 1000 gallon underground tank on a ductless mini split heat pump instead but you really need two $4000+ heat pumps to heat anything but (and maybe even) super insulated house...makes a $1500 Rinnai seem more attractive.

[joe moving]

I found a link here that shows current real propane prices.

Note the $1.64 price for Irving for 500-1000 gallons.

https://www.vsecu.com/personal/membe...ricing#Bournes

[joe moving]

Will heating companies normally provide a buried tank if they own the tank or only above ground?

Sounds like Gillespie may be willing to provide their own buried tank. I'm not sure the terms of this - probably have to use them for a set period of time or maybe they have the right to dig it back up and take it back if/when I stop using them?

[jackmccullough]

I think buried tanks are pretty rare.

[joe moving]

Talked to Gillespie - I think they will bury their tank if you pay for excavation and it's no charge for the tank itself as long as you are a customer. I might go that route.

[jackmccullough]

Go ahead and bury your tanks if you want, but it does make it harder to change companies (say, for instance, if Gillespie goes out of business), and you never know if sometime in the future land permitting or real estate standards might require you to dig it up or something in order to sell it. (Been there with an underground fuel oil tank.)

If the issue is aesthetics I'm pretty sure you can build a lattice frame around the above-ground tank to cover it up.