Propane shortage

[Tollster]

I have not read all the threads, but around here, if you own your own Propane tank, its 1.00 cheaper per gallon, or very close to it.

Be sure to read your bill, and beware of automatic refills, we have one major company who will top off 80% full tanks when the market price is at its highest, they have been sued, but because it is their tanks, the home owners have little they can due, and yes, padlocks, have been cut by the gas company.

 

[deerseeker001]

i would switch company in a minute

 

[PastTense]

Prices are going crazy; there is an emergency for propane in much of the midwest:
"Everyone, From the Director of Emergency Management, Lincoln County, Wisconsin: If you are not already aware of the situation, there is a shortage of liquid propane gas (LP) in Wisconsin and nine other states in our region. Due to the shortage, prices have increased to triple what they were a month ago. A survey of local distributers today shows the price of LP at between $4.85 and $6.10 PER GALLON. Along with this, distributors are rationing amounts with each delivery between 100 and 200 gallons. If you call today to get a delivery you can expect to wait between 7 to 14 days for the delivery. With the cold temperatures expected this next week it is in everyone's best interest to check your tank often and call to get on a delivery schedule when your tank reaches 30%. DO NOT wait until you are almost out and expect to get quick delivery. Some parts of northern Wisconsin have had small delivery companies run out of LP and are not able to get a supply for a week or more. A couple small companies have closed their doors. Most all supply companies in the area and other areas of Wisconsin are only delivering to their own customers. They are refusing to take on new customers at this time as they are in a rationing situation. It is time to look at your usage of LP and consider rationing your supply. Turn down your thermostat, close off vents to rooms that do not need heat, and consider alternatives for heating your residences. Restrict or stop using LP in areas that are not essential to life safety. If you unable to get a supply of LP and are close to running out, consider plans to stay with someone who has heat, reduce your temperature as low as you can to conserve what LP you have, and make plans to drain water lines if need be. The weather forecast for the next thirty days is for temperatures to average 10 degrees below normal. The start of next week is to be extremely cold so prepare NOW. The forecast for this shortage is projecting there may not be relief until sometime near the end of February."
Wow, we just got a delivery of LP gas, which we use to heat with. - Democratic Underground

 

[teejk]

I have not read all the threads, but around here, if you own your own Propane tank, its 1.00 cheaper per gallon, or very close to it.

Be sure to read your bill, and beware of automatic refills, we have one major company who will top off 80% full tanks when the market price is at its highest, they have been sued, but because it is their tanks, the home owners have little they can due, and yes, padlocks, have been cut by the gas company.

I think they will only fill to 80%, never above because of expansion. And I've never seen the fills based on prices...reputable outfits track your history and try to make sure you don't run out because then (at least in Wisconsin) they are required to perform a leak check. But you are correct in the "owning". You can choose your provider that way. From what I've read, people with the option to go Nat gas have been doing so and there are (or will be) a lot of LP tanks for sale if you can figure out how to get it from point A to point B. I wonder if people doing septic or cemetary vaults have looked into expanding their business. The trailer is about the same (sling type) and the weight of an empty LP tank has to be less or equal.

 

[teejk]

New construction radiant heat is easy to run in a track T&G subfloor material, where the tubing gets pounded into the track with a rubber mallet, and done.There is no need for gypcrete, and it can have any flooring material installed on top of the tubes/track. There is no need to create a box of air under old construction joists in existing construction either, BUT one does need to lay the track as a new subfloor under whatever the new floor material will be. It is more expensive to install initially in some instances, but it is quicker to lay out and install in new construction/ some retrofits, etc. which can offset some of the higher initial material cost.
Since radiant heats the entire room's contents vs. just the air it stays more constant and recovers quicker in garages, large rooms etc. than conventional heating like forced air. It is more even than forced air for the same reasons.

You are talking about "above" installation I think which would certainly be less work than "below" (punching all those holes in the floor joists to loop the tubing was a major PITA and there are strict code rules on where one can punch the holes). In new construction you would still want to plan for it because you are adding a minimum of 1/2" to your subfloor, most likely more. And I think you would still be limited to the lower boiler temps. In either case, real wood flooring is not an option unless you want to pay for quarter sawn. We opted for engineered flooring here because we have sandy soil and dogs and that option made sense for us. I know it isn't cheap to install or operate, but I love the comfort of the heat over convection heating.

 

[LD1]

At current 3.50-4.00 per gallon prices, electric is cheaper in my area right now.

At 0.12 per kWh, equal money will buy about double the btu's as propane.

 

[kenmac]

My MIL said she called last week for propane and they told her it would be the week of Feb.1st. B-4 they would deliver. I hope they get to her B-4 she runs out because, I know where she'd coming it she runs out


If I were a propane customer, I would want to know what caused the shortage?? This isn't the 1 st time we've had cold weather like this. If delivery is the problem, how have they delivered it in the past when temps were like this ??

 

[EMB5530]

Cool calculator. I'm not sure if it takes into account the efficiency of the various heating appliances.For example radiant heat via a wood stove is going to be far less efficient in terms of transfer than a gas furnace. I mostly heat with oil, but like heating with wood a secondary source because it makes me warm twice, when I chop it and again when I burn it!

While really cheap I'm sure glad all my neighbors don't burn wood and coal!!

Gonna have to call BS on that one. You can't say that rad heat is less efficient unless you have seen the design of every home and stove installed. In terms of heat, radiant heat is one of the best and most comfortable of all ways to heat a house. Why do you think floor heat is so popular? Design your home correctly and a wood stove is all you will ever need.

My:2cents:

 

[batwing]

Gonna have to call BS on that one. You can't say that rad heat is less efficient unless you have seen the design of every home and stove installed. In terms of heat, radiant heat is one of the best and most comfortable of all ways to heat a house. Why do you think floor heat is so popular? Design your home correctly and a wood stove is all you will ever need.

My:2cents:

We are old enough to have used about everything, never thought blowing cool air around was that comfortable, our old house had wood heat and propane furnace backup.

 

[buickanddeere]

Simple use electricity for heat wen LP is that expensive.
How many people actually know the break even point when LP becomes more expensive that electricity?