Propane prices in your area?

[coobie]

Just had my 500 gal. filled up this past week,$1.35 gal. lowest price I have seen in many years.I finally got off my wallet and bought our own 500 gal.tank this year.We only use 400-450 gal. a year since we heat with wood pellets and corn.What are propane prices in you area?Just curious,coobie.

 

[sweettractors]

One distributor $1.49 and another $3.00. Both in the same town. The $3 distributor says the $1.49 distributor sells junk gas that has less btu and is dirty. Ken Sweet

 

[coobie]

One distributor $1.49 and another $3.00. Both in the same town. The $3 distributor says the $1.49 distributor sells junk gas that has less btu and is dirty. Ken Sweet

We got one of those $3 dollar guys also.IMHO they will be out of business soon as they are rude and never take care of there customers.coobie

 

[funwithahoe]

One distributor $1.49 and another $3.00. Both in the same town. The $3 distributor says the $1.49 distributor sells junk gas that has less btu and is dirty. Ken Sweet

Wow - You won't be losing money until you are at half the BTU's! Not sure I know a lot about "dirty" gas. Does it talk dirty or does actual dirt fly down the line? I don't mind people trying to make an honest living but let's not be silly - The distributor not you Ken:laughing:.

 

[rgold1963]

I wish I could find it that cheap. Last month I paid $1.73 for 1000 gal. I go through about that much every 4-6 weeks this year with the lousy weather we've been having. I own my own tank and some of the price quotes I get for that quantity are just ridiculous. I would be out of business if I had to pay $3/gal especially this time of year. The propane business seems to be about as crooked as they come. When I call a distributor and ask for a price for a thousand gallons and the first thing they say is "who am I talking to" I just hang up. They have an enormous markup at most places and hope that you will pay what they ask.
As far as "dirty" gas, I have heard that one a thousand times. I love it when they try and tell you that the other guy has "watered down" his gas so you aren't really getting a better deal. If that was the case, I would have had a tank full of water out there years ago.

 

[bp fick]

Yeah, we paid $1.79 here in the Northern Mitten last month. What you gonna do? It was only a $1.59 last year, but since it is directly related to the barrel price of oil, it is going to fluctuate and rumors are that if oil goes back to the north side of $80, we'll see $2.50 propane again.

At that point, it passes electricity. Yup, I've done the math. $2.30 propane is more expensive than using electricity at our rates. YMMV.

 

[Tennessee 8n]

We're DOWN to $1.89 (1.79 if you pay in full by a certain date.) cheapest I've seen it since I moved here to SE Tennessee 4 years ago. Last fill was 2.19. They knock off .20 a gallon if you own your tank. This is the cheapest dealer in the area. I called Surburban propane once and they were over $4 a gal when my guy was $2.19!

 

[greasemonkeyok]

"Dirty" propane has more ppm of sulfur than clean propane. BUT, it is highly likely that the dealers in your area all buy from the same rack. Then again, they may not have purchased at the same time - summer is always cheaper.

Cost per gallon is also going to be affected by transportation. If there are no gas plants that sell propane to dealers in Washington, the cost of transportation from the nearest producing state becomes a factor.

 

[Dallas_Lilly]

Wow it must have to be be piped a long way to get to Arizona. I paid $2.89 a couple for weeks ago and that is pretty much what everybody charges. I have seen it get to around $3.50 in the winter time.

 

[bdeboer]

Local Co-ops price is $1.749 for fill by August 31st. Fixed price ie. pre-pay is 1.849 with delivery by March 31st 2011.

 

[Angelus]

My grandfather started a propane business back in the 1940s. Our family sold the business in the late 80s. I was involved in the industry association through the late 90s. Most of the guys I met were very honest people.

Here is why prices may be different among different dealers in the SAME part of the country. Some dealers have invested in large tanks, which they fill with propane bought when prices are low. So they have more flexibility with pricing. The guys who were lucky enough to have money to buy bulk gas when prices where low are likely offering the lower prices. The high-priced guys are likely that way because they bought more expensive gas (read: bought at the wrong time) and have to sell it for more than what they bought it for.

And just for the record, you can't compare propane prices in DIFFERENT parts of the country. There are many factors (transportation, number of local refineries, pipeline proximity, etc.) that affect the cost of LPG.

 

[sweettractors]

The highest distributor, by far, is a public stock exchange traded company and largest of all in this area of Ky. They have the attitude, take it or leave it. Ken Sweet

 

[JDL538]

Propane is $1.35 in N.KY if You buy 1001 gal. THRIFTYPROPANE.COM
Only sell to 4 or 5 States.

 

[rcaretti]

I was just quoted $2.59 here in Maryland - that's their lock-in price through May 31, 2011. The EIA web site has the average residential price in Maryland at $2.87, so I'll be signing the contract...

 

[Chilly807]

We buy it by the pound here... no idea how many pounds in a gallon, but the going rate is about 60 cents a pound at Costco. I don't know what residential delivery rates are, those may very well be in gallons.

Sean

 

[ToadHill]

To fill a 20 pound tank takes 4.8 gallons if my memory serves me right. So the cost per gallon would be about $2.80 per gallon.

I just signed up for refills this winter at $2.19. That's 20 cents higher than last year.

 

[bdeboer]

$1.89 here last week

 

[sodamo]

$5.40 /gal my Sept fillup.

 

[Sigarms]

Here is why prices may be different among different dealers in the SAME part of the country. Some dealers have invested in large tanks, which they fill with propane bought when prices are low. So they have more flexibility with pricing. The guys who were lucky enough to have money to buy bulk gas when prices where low are likely offering the lower prices. The high-priced guys are likely that way because they bought more expensive gas (read: bought at the wrong time) and have to sell it for more than what they bought it for.

You forgot the most common reason.

The less you buy, the more they charge.

Personally, at least with my own LP company, if I could drop them in a heart beat, I would (numerous reasons why it is difficult to do so, but I'm slowly working on it).

 

[ronjhall]

$5.40 /gal my Sept fillup.

Hope the weather stays warm.
Filled my RV with propane yesterday. $3.80 a gallon. It is cheaper at other places, $2.50 and less per gallon. But driving the RV there would cost more in fuel than the savings for 8 gallons of propane.