Propane Question

[inphx]

I am building a residential home on the outskirts of town. Natural gas is not available. Is there some portable tanks like forklift tanks that i should consider to give me more options on where i can fill them verses having a truck (afraid of service agreement) to come to me to fill them?

I don稚 mind purchasing a few spare portable tanks because of the price variance I see at fill stations. I imagine deliver prices (I can稚 search for) are higher.

I only have 3k feet , one oven/cooktop, and heat for a low desert Arizona home. Il like the on demand water heaters and was considering electric but gas is more common.

 

[kf4uda]

If there is a Tractor Supply around you they have 20,30,40 and 100lb tanks

Manchester Tank & Equipment Steel DOT Vertical Liquid Propane Cylinder Equipped with QCC1/OPD Valve, 40 lb. - 5000403 | Tractor Supply Company

 

[grsthegreat]

Sure do...they are 100 gallon tanks. we use them to provide propane for jobsite heaters all the time.

You can also purchase your own 250 gal - 3,000 gal propane tank from any vendor. Its done all the time. Its actually required if you plan on burying your tank.

The delivery prices here in No. Idaho are exactly the same s the drive in fuel depots. They dont charge anymore to deliver here...not sure about AZ.

 

[JD 4520]

You won't (certainly should not) have to sign a service agreement if you own your own tank. I can't see that having a portable tank would make a lot of sense unless you only have to fill it a couple of times a year, if so that isn't much fuel use.

 

[bp fick]

All I can say is look into the options.

We're trying hard to get off of propane. Oh, sure, I'll probably keep some kind of propane capacity, but honestly? It's become a killer. $2.49 a gallon and going up all the time. It's painful.

 

[murphy1244]

Geothermal for primary and propane as back-up. Where you live..

 

[DutchHenryBrown]

I rented my last propane tank but then you have to buy from that supplier only. This time I purchased my own tank and can have it filled by anyone with the best price. In South Eastern AZ about 2 months ago I paid $2.56 a gal. today in the paper same supplier selling it for $2.72.

 

[om21braz]

I rented my last propane tank but then you have to buy from that supplier only. This time I purchased my own tank and can have it filled by anyone with the best price.

+1 I'd certainly take that into consideration. Suppliers in our area vary widely on price.

 

[charlz]

I switched over to wood pellets versus propane for heat a while back, propane is probably the second most expensive option after electric. I still have a propane stove/oven and can run the propane furnace for when the pellet stove can't keep up. Propane is expensive, tank rental, they jack up the price I pay $.10 for 'insurance' on their tank etc etc. Maybe you will have a good propane dealer in your area but then again maybe not. I would look at everything but propane.

I am not sure how long a 100lb propane tank will last running a hot water heater. Since you are in AZ and building the house why not look at solar thermal for hot water and maybe back that up with propane or electric? I would love to have solar thermal but it wasn't designed into my house so almost impossible to do now.

 

[CurlyDave]

I checked with all the local suppliers.

Many offered a low initial price for the first fill, but much higher prices for subsequent ones.

I finally found one who had prices competitive with with the gas stations where you bring the tank in yourself.

I rented a 500 gallon tank for $75 per year. Doesn't make sense to purchase at this rent. The tank is big enough that I fill once in August and might need 100 extra gallons to get through the winter, sometime in February. Just be sure to only order 100 gallons.

They will always try to sell you a service plan where they fill it every month. This only insures that you will buy at the highest prices possible. Buy in the summer and minimize your winter purchases.