Fireplace advice appreciated

[texasjohn]

Eddie, as regards your wood shed, what if you made it do double duty.

How about a combination wood shed and tornado shelter? Fill it up with wood after tornado season is over, burn it in the winter, empty in spring for storm shelter.

If you make it strong enough, 4 sides, bottom and top, then it will be available when you need it, hopefully, never!

 

[Blackbird_BX]

Eddie:I handled the "looks like a beached submarine" issue by aiming the tank directly at the house, so it looks smaller, and putting it in the woods about 200' away from the house.

Our 500 gallon propane tank is buried, so only the top of the "conning tower" is visible. It is a fairly common practice here, even for leased tanks.

 

[EddieWalker]

What type of line, and how big, do you run from the propane tank to the house?

I think I'll have time this week to stop in at the propane dealer this week. I'm clueless on this, so I'm just going to go in and ask for advice and what's available.

One day when I open the RV Park, I plan on selling propane. I have an area cleared and leveled with a road to it for RV's to drive up to. My initial thought is to get a small tank for just the house, then upgrade it to one in the thousands of gallons range when I open the park. If I plan on it, then I can run the lines that I need now, or have it as part of my plan for the park.

Thanks,
Eddie

Here's a picture of a fireplace that we realy, REALLY LIKE!!!!

 

[CurlyDave]

You must live in a high-rent district.

When I researched propane tanks, I thought I wanted a buried one, but none of the suppliers around here had any experience with them.

I live with a bunch of cheapskate rednecks...

 

[CurlyDave]

What type of line, and how big, do you run from the propane tank to the house?

I ran a 1-1/2" electrical conduit from the house to the pad for the propane tank. The propane company came out and ran plastic tubing through it and then set the tank.

As I recall, this was some overkill, since they only needed the conduit under the driveway, and under any concrete in the path of the line. They could have put the rest of the plastic line in an open trench.

The conduit was cheap insurance against something going wrong and having to replace the line a few years down the road.

The line needed to be a minimum of 18" deep.

Check around for prices. A lot of companies will give you your first fill of a new tank at a rate which is competitive with what the local gas stations charge for refilling tanks brought to them, but will then charge about $1/gallon more for subsequent fill-ups. I found one which delivers for the same price as it fills carry-in tanks.

 

[westbrooklawn]

Eddie -

When you check on propane, compare the cost of buying a tank vs. leasing it. In our area you can get much better prices on propane if you own your own tank (even from the same company that leases to you!). I know that sounds crazy, but around here the payback on the purchase is about 2-3 years via the lower price on propane coupled with avoiding the annual lease cost.

In my case I was leasing a 100 gal. tank at a trailer I own at the lake. My lease was $65/yr., and I was paying $1.95/gal. (this was about 6 years ago). I wasn't too happy with the company I was dealing with, so I called another one to come fill my tank... their price was $1.75/gal, but, the kicker... "we can't fill your tank if you don't own it". I went back to my original company and found out I could buy the tank from them for $260, and guess what... If I bought the tank from them, not only would I eliminate my annual lease cost, but then they could also offer me their "customer owned" tank rate of $1.75!!! It seems like if you own your tank, and any company can fill it, you suddenly put yourself in a position of being able to have all propane companies compete for your business!! I told several friends about this, and those that were leasing all ended up buying their tanks also. Things may have changed since then, but it is worth checking out.

 

[EddieWalker]

Awesome advice!!! I'll be sure to ask about buying the tank and rates for propane comared to leasing the tank. Thank you.

Eddie

 

[Blackbird_BX]

Hmmm, I need to go and check on what the deal is with the propane company. We just picked up what the previous owner had set up. My memory is that the only time money is involved concerning the tank is that if we change companies, we have to buy the tank or return it. Not sure who digs it up. I imagine that I could dig it up with the backhoe on the BX24, but don't think I'd want to (vision of tractor lying next to a large crater with the reminants of an exploded tank at the bottom).

 

[rox]

Eddie & also REALLY like that fireplace. I think it would look really nice in the sise home you have. I like how the stone does not go all the way to the ceiling but it still has height. It is enough to make a statement but now overbearing. I have seen stonework goe all the way up and lked it but the size of the room has to be big enough to handle it. I also like on the one you have picked out the marble (or is it granit?) that is the same green color marble we had in our previous home. that smooth ste marble/granit gives it a bit of class. I know you like the 'lodge" rustic style and i think the fireplace conveys that but I think the marble gives it jsut a touch of class.. those are not very big slabs of marble/granit (it looks like marble to me) I wonder if you start ow if you can't get a deal on some cut offs from the countertop people.www.craigslist might be a source for you on that. Again i REALLY like the design you and Steph have picked out.

 

[EddieWalker]

Rox,

Thanks, that one really cought our eye and is by far our favorite so far. We're still in the dreaming stage of this, so it could be awhile until we actually get moving on it. I've got a list of things I want to get done this year and the fireplace is one of the most expensive, and least needed on our priorities. I still haven't made it to the propane company yet.

Eddie