Propane costs up

[ericm979]

SPUG is awesome, and a good model to follow.

 

[Tinhack]

Wouldn't you know it. I've been accumulating parts (tanks, switching regulator, hose and wire) for a whole-house generator. I bought two 100lb tanks at a really good price off Amazon a few months ago. I see the tanks have about doubled in price. I don't have them full yet as I don't have the generator. I was about to spring for the generator after I got the tanks but Amazon has been playing the pricing game on my "Shopping Lists" so I put that off as well as a few other purchases.

I actually had the generator in my Cart for a few days then they added over $200 to it. After that, I moved it to "Save for Later". The price came back down so I moved it to my cart again. A couple of days later, I was going to pull the trigger and it said the generator was no longer available. I just deleted it then.

I guess I'll wait. The 13-22Kw generators have been bouncing all over the place in price since the big freeze down here. Some of the well known names have a 6-month waiting list.

 

[Oaktree]

I think it's all about greed. Markets are manipulated and seldom to the consumers benefit.

Somewhat, but no more than any other commodity. It's gonna cost more the further you are from the source due to transportation costs.

Buy your own tanks if you can.

Maybe if you're a large industrial user, but not really an option for most of us. Most propane providers won't fill a tank they don't own for liability reasons.

 

[orezok]

That may well be true on the liability issue but it seems counterintuitive. If they own the tank, liability is all theirs. If you own it liability should be yours.

 

[MoKelly]

Must be nice. Had our tank filled a couple months ago and it was pushing $4/gal, probably over that now. Fortunately, we only use it for cooking & hot water, use maybe 150 gal/yr.

A neighbor of mine who currently heats with propane is seriously considering going electric. Who'da thought electric would ever be an economical heating option??

Not particularly. Wood heat is way too established here in northern New England for us to give up without a major fight. I do see how it might be restricted in densely populated areas though.

Hope you are correct.

Most votes come from cities and my experience is they are either ignorant of rural life or don’t care.

MoKelly

 

[Diggin It]

That may well be true on the liability issue but it seems counterintuitive. If they own the tank, liability is all theirs. If you own it liability should be yours.

Somebody here who talks generators explained it once .... regardless of who owns what or who installs or repairs what, they don't want to be the last one on site doing something before the big kaboom.

 

[plowhog]

hey don't want to be the last one on site doing something before the big kaboom.

I switched propane companies about 3 months ago. After setting the tank, the technicians checked the pressure (bar?) at various locations in the house. Then they checked every single propane appliance, recorded the model and serial number, and verified no leaks.

btw they said the pressure was a little low, robbing appliance efficiency.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

You can buy high-efficiency wood stoves (actually you have to). I suspect wood burning will be possible for at least 20 years yet, possibly more. Firewood cutters contribute to wildfire prevention, right?

The loggers in my area leave an amazing amount of material on the ground in the Bunyan State Park. Its free fire wood for those with the wherewithal to call the DNR and ask if they can pick it up. Meanwhile, my pre-pay contract is $1.68 or 9 a gallon this year. I normally cook through 950 gallons a year.

 

[Doofy]

At $.28+ per KWH even at $4+ per gallon for propane, it is still a no-brainer to cook, heat water and dry clothes with it. Average yearly cost for propane has been about $350 including the $50 yearly tank rental fee.

 

[check]

I have a one year, fixed price price contract for $1.73 per gallon.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Wouldn't you know it. I've been accumulating parts (tanks, switching regulator, hose and wire) for a whole-house generator. I bought two 100lb tanks at a really good price off Amazon a few months ago. I see the tanks have about doubled in price. I don't have them full yet as I don't have the generator. I was about to spring for the generator after I got the tanks but Amazon has been playing the pricing game on my "Shopping Lists" so I put that off as well as a few other purchases.

I actually had the generator in my Cart for a few days then they added over $200 to it. After that, I moved it to "Save for Later". The price came back down so I moved it to my cart again. A couple of days later, I was going to pull the trigger and it said the generator was no longer available. I just deleted it then.

I guess I'll wait. The 13-22Kw generators have been bouncing all over the place in price since the big freeze down here. Some of the well known names have a 6-month waiting list.

Get on the Home Depot mailing list. I picked up a propane-only standby generator there for about 35% off a while back. It was an unadvertised, mailing list only sale. Maybe it will come around again, maybe not, but put it on your wish list on the web site.

 

[bjr]

Unfortunately buying tanks would make no difference. They got a monopoly and charge the same price year round. BUT, they do provide you with a jar of Vaseline with your annual contract.

I just have the gas logs fire place. Up here WA state it does make a difference owning your own tank. Just to be able to shop around and there can be a big difference. I own a 100 gallon "Jug". Amerigas are a bunch of bandits up here. I deal with a farm coop but he won't fill the smaller 25 gal tanks and I have five of them I have to take them to town and get dockside prices. I won't make this political, but what ever happened to "all the above" for energy sources and natural gas being one of them. We need the distribution lines ran out to the rural areas and up the city and towns streets and stop exporting to the world.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I just have the gas logs fire place. Up here WA state it does make a difference owning your own tank. Just to be able to shop around and there can be a big difference. I own a 100 gallon "Jug". Amerigas are a bunch of bandits up here. I deal with a farm coop but he won't fill the smaller 25 gal tanks and I have five of them I have to take them to town and get dockside prices. I won't make this political, but what ever happened to "all the above" for energy sources and natural gas being one of them. We need the distribution lines ran out to the rural areas and up the city and towns streets and stop exporting to the world.

NG would be a loser for me. Electricity is my only utility, and it runs about $100/month, including heat, AC, pumping and heating water, lights, computers and entertainment. Generator fuel was a one time outlay for tanks and propane, which has been sitting there unused for years.