Propane Prices

[coobie]

Couple questions for you guys:

1) What's currently a reasonable price per gallon for propane these days? I live in the northern VA area

2) If you were to approach a company that you're currently leasing a tank from with the proposal to buy the tank, what would you say is reasonable for a 14-15 year old 500 gallon in-ground tank? I'm currently leasing, but I think I'd rather buy it from them and shop around each year.

I just filled for $1.29 per gal..

 

[coobie]

Don't know price in your area. 1.40-2.00 in Central IL. Most suppliers around here won't sell tanks as far as I know. After this weeks experience I actually don't know if a tank would pay for itself in my lifetime unless I found one for under $1000. Tank companies seem to want about $1500 for a refurbished 500 gal. tank plus delivery, $2000 for a 1000 gal. As long as my supplier is willing to match or come close to competitors on price, I'm staying with them. They don't charge rent on the tank and maintain it for me.

Kevin

Refurbished 500 gal propane tanks around here go for $500-$600 bucks.That price is me picking up and setting my own tank.

 

[coaster]

Don't know price in your area. 1.40-2.00 in Central IL. Most suppliers around here won't sell tanks as far as I know. After this weeks experience I actually don't know if a tank would pay for itself in my lifetime unless I found one for under $1000. Tank companies seem to want about $1500 for a refurbished 500 gal. tank plus delivery, $2000 for a 1000 gal. As long as my supplier is willing to match or come close to competitors on price, I'm staying with them. They don't charge rent on the tank and maintain it for me.

Kevin

I guess that would be okay if my company was the same. I refilled in May. The best I could get from them was $3.15/gal. The rent on the tank is a little over $100/yr. I'd like the freedom of shopping around every year.

 

[coaster]

Refurbished 500 gal propane tanks around here go for $500-$600 bucks.That price is me picking up and setting my own tank.

That sounds reasonable. It's about what I would expect - definitely no more than $700 or so. Thanks.

 

[Oaktree]

2) If you were to approach a company that you're currently leasing a tank from with the proposal to buy the tank, what would you say is reasonable for a 14-15 year old 500 gallon in-ground tank? I'm currently leasing, but I think I'd rather buy it from them and shop around each year.

Be careful with that. Many suppliers will not fill a tank they don't own, at least around here. This policy may vary by region. Kind of sucks, but I'm guessing it's a liability issue.

 

[coaster]

Be careful with that. Many suppliers will not fill a tank they don't own, at least around here. This policy may vary by region. Kind of sucks, but I'm guessing it's a liability issue.

If you own your own tank, the suppliers in our area say that they will only fill it IF they do some type of inspection to verify that it's safe or something first. But... they never actually do the check, they just fill the tank. A friend of mine has owned his tank for 20 years now and when he happens to contact a new company about filling his tank, they say that they'll have to do the check, but not one in the last 20 years has ever followed up on that - they just come out and fill it up. Sounds like another thing trying to push you into leasing from them.

 

[lilranch2001]

I just contracted for a minimum of 400 gallons at $1.59, I was on budget contract last year, but then I bought my 1,000 gallon tank ($2,200) and also installed a air source heat pump in Jan, and my propane usage dropped considerably this spring, so I went with assuming I will need at least 400 gallons, but the budget they proposed was based on the previous 2 years, which would have been way more propane than I think I need