LP prices?

[kenmbz]

I just paid $4/gallon here, but tank rental is part of that.

 

[bdhsfz6]

My neighbor paid $3.89 last August, up over $2/gal from last year. There are two other companies selling for considerably less but he is under contract. He says the worst move he's ever made was renting and not buying the tank. He's been using LP for over 20 years now and the fees & extra costs are over twice what the tank would have cost.

I burn oil but that price is high as well. Consequently, we both have coal stoves.

 

[coldsteelva]

I will say the 2nd year we were using our company, when the LP prices (and oil in general) dropped significantly due to a mild winter and lower demand, the company actually adjusted the fully-binding contracted price downward which left most customers with an account credit for subsequent use. They didn't have to do that, but they did and likely cemented some return customers for life.

 

[Fxfymn413]

I'm curious about the folks who own their tanks. Does any supplier make you get an inspection of the tank by their company before they will fill it? If so do they charge you for the inspection?

 

[ddbackhoe]

I'm curious about the folks who own their tanks. Does any supplier make you get an inspection of the tank by their company before they will fill it? If so do they charge you for the inspection?

In my experience, yes. They all want to perform a leak test and a visual inspection/ equipment inventory plus proof of tank ownership. I have not paid for this yet.

 

[skipmarcy]

Just filled a 20# grill cylinder 2 weeks ago at our Co-op and it was $2.09 per gallon.

 

[bdhsfz6]

These LP, fuel oil and even coal prices are getting to the point where electric heat pumps are a viable option. As a result, I'm having my 20 year old ductless A/C system replaced with a new ductless system that provides both heat and A/C much more efficiently. This way, I can choose between electric, fuel oil and coal heat sources depending on price.

Yes, electric rates are going up as well but in most states, you can choose from a list of suppliers which lets you shop for the best price. The choice is limited with fossil fuel suppliers in most areas where gouging and price fixing can exist.

 

[shooterdon]

I have two 500 gal tanks. One I own, and the other I decided to rent for $54/year. I cannot buy a tank for $54/year so renting the second made sense. My small local supplier gives me the owner owned price for propane which is $.10/gal less, I have never been charged the rental cost. At $1.59 locked in price for this year, it seems like a good deal compared with what some are paying, but I realize different regions have different pricing.

My neighbor is $.80/gal higher with another company. He is not the brightest star in the Milky Way and seems content to stay with Amerigas.

 

[stephenh]

"I'm curious about the folks who own their tanks. Does any supplier make you get an inspection of the tank by their company before they will fill it? If so do they charge you for the inspection?" quote


We own our 500 g tank. One supplier will only fill tanks they lease out [Calgas]. I've been with two companies over the last few years. Each requires they leak test the tank before the first fill. I don't remember the charge. If there was one. But they are both less expensive than the Calgas that won't fill owner tanks. I always fill in the summer, the winter price here in the mountains can be double the late-summer price. My 500 gal [actually that means 425 gal. of gas] needs filling about every five or six years. We heat with wood, so cooking is the only use of the propane....

 

[ning]

I'm curious about the folks who own their tanks. Does any supplier make you get an inspection of the tank by their company before they will fill it? If so do they charge you for the inspection?

Often they do, but typically not if they were the last ones who filled it
Some charge $10-$15, some are free.
We ask when getting bids and figure it into the "who's cheapest".

 

[gasman1075]

I'm curious about the folks who own their tanks. Does any supplier make you get an inspection of the tank by their company before they will fill it? If so do they charge you for the inspection?

If you own your own tank you also own the liability / service issues with that tank.

 

[coobie]

$1.70 per gal.here

 

[Carl_NH]

We use LP only for cooking, and had a 120 g tank installed in 2008 by a local propane Co. never charged a rental fee, (we paid more per gal). Anyway they sold to Amerigas in 2018, and we started getting $65 annual rental fee, and a premium price of $4.39 g due to low usage, so told them to come and get it in 2021.

So bought a new 120 from a local propane co $700 total for delivered, installed & filled tank which will last us two years and we get .15 off a gal for owning tank.

 

[Diggin It]

I have two 500 gal tanks. One I own, and the other I decided to rent for $54/year. I cannot buy a tank for $54/year so renting the second made sense.

and seems content to stay with Amerigas.

I don't know what new ones cost now, but I paid about $750 for mine in '99. Your $54/year over 22 years would be nearly $1,200



Got a passle of post cards for Am-Gas over the summer. Checked their website and everything I saw raised my Spidey sense. It all seemed super scammy.


Most recent quote was $2.849 which is higher than typical, but not the highest I've seen.

 

[coobie]

I don't know what new ones cost now, but I paid about $750 for mine in '99. Your $54/year over 22 years would be nearly $1,200



Got a passle of post cards for Am-Gas over the summer. Checked their website and everything I saw raised my Spidey sense. It all seemed super scammy.


Most recent quote was $2.849 which is higher than typical, but not the highest I've seen.

New 500 gal.LP tanks around here are $1200-$1400 bucks.

 

[Fxfymn413]

In my experience, yes. They all want to perform a leak test and a visual inspection/ equipment inventory plus proof of tank ownership. I have not paid for this yet.

Thanks for all of the replies. We use Southern States and when we had the tank installed it came rent free. Several years later they sent us a bill for the tank rental which my wife challenged. When she told the company we still had a copy of the contract they backed off. Now I have the feeling they are simply increasing the price to make it up so its probably time to make a change.

We use propane for cooking, hot water, back up heat on the main floor, and to power a stand-by generator. Our last delivery was $3.41 per gallon and I paid $2.79 per gallon at BJ's a couple of weeks ago to fill some 20 gallon tanks.

My main concern about purchasing a tank is I don't see us being here a whole lot longer; maybe 10 years at most. The other concern is my area is only served by the major players so I'm not sure I can get a low enough price to make up the cost of the tank.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Having a owned tank would make a good selling point.

 

[Carl_NH]

We use propane for cooking, hot water, back up heat on the main floor, and to power a stand-by generator. Our last delivery was $3.41 per gallon and I paid $2.79 per gallon at BJ's a couple of weeks ago to fill some 20 gallon tanks.

My main concern about purchasing a tank is I don't see us being here a whole lot longer; maybe 10 years at most. The other concern is my area is only served by the major players so I'm not sure I can get a low enough price to make up the cost of the tank.

You don't have a location in your profile but Southern States Propane services eastern MD/VA areas? Is this your area?

If your not getting a tank rental fee due to your contract exclusion, I don't see an ROI for you to buy two 120's or a 250 G tank as your usage like ours isn't high enough to get a lower rate. Seems like 500+ gal/year with regular delivery is where lower costs can kick in, otherwise we low consumers of LPG are not profitable for the big cos.

New empty tanks installed are about $3/gal with regulator etc. more if underground.

 

[deserteagle71]

We use LP only for cooking, and had a 120 g tank installed in 2008 by a local propane Co. never charged a rental fee, (we paid more per gal). Anyway they sold to Amerigas in 2018, and we started getting $65 annual rental fee, and a premium price of $4.39 g due to low usage, so told them to come and get it in 2021.

So bought a new 120 from a local propane co $700 total for delivered, installed & filled tank which will last us two years and we get .15 off a gal for owning tank.

My tank rental fee (Amerigas) went from $33 to $133 a year so I just bought my own tank also.

 

[coldsteelva]

Why or how in the world does ANYONE still use Amerigas? Is it marketing or the pretty trucks? I know they lock you in with the 'free' tank as long as you buy X gallons, but then charge ridiculous rates for the gas or charge you a crazy rental fee and still charge higher than everyone else in the region.