Propane Users: Plans for the Future?

[PastTense]

Virtually everyone in the Midwest and nearby states using propane has been shocked by the big rise in propane prices this winter. If you fit in this category is there anything you plan to do differently in the future?

Personally I always do a summer fill as well as pre-buy enough propane for a bad winter, so won't change anything in this regard. My supplier is a very large agricultural coop, so am not worried they will go out of business. I have some portable electric space heaters just in case. Basically I don't plan to make changes unless there is a long term major increase in propane prices.

What is everyone else here planning to do?

 

[ovrszd]

Suppliers here did not honor the pre-buy contracts. Even on the ones that paid upfront. Used the Emergency Clause in the contracts.

If possible, I think the only insurance against this is to Summer buy and have a tank large enough to hold a Winter's amount of Propane. My neighbor does that with a 1000 gallon tank. He filled last Summer for .99 p/gallon.

 

[jtygoku]

I'll continue to pre-buy, my supplier did not invoke the emergency clause, thankfully. I'm also going to spend a little time costing out a larger (1000 gallon) tank plus replacing our worthless prefab fireplace with something that might actually provide measurable heat in the house - I have plenty of timber available on my property.

 

[newbury]

We had two 250 gallon propane tanks with about 200 gallons each in them that were stolen. Since they were just filled to the 200+ gallon level about a month before they were stolen we only replaced the one at the house which runs our H20 heater and emergency heat. The other one for my workshops has left me without heat down there and I'm planning on putting in woodstoves.

I generate a lot of firewood from my sawmill. I'm also looking for a solar solution.

 

[LJH]

Our supplier is a co-op also but still not immune to raising cost from their suppliers. So far, no increase notices for us but I've no doubt they'll arrive eventually. We only use propane for cooking, water heating and the clothes dryer. If prices went berserk on us like is happening in the Midwest I'd start hanging the clothes to dry, cook a whole lot more on our wood-fired kitchen range and consider heating water with either solar or compost, the latter being the best option for us due to solar aspect. Probably ought to be doing all that anyway, just lazy.

 

[TripleR]

We will have our fireplace with insert checked out; haven't used it in a while.

 

[GPintheMitten]

My SIL called me a few days ago. He heats with propane. He's considering a geothermal conversion. I suggested looking at what the longterm payback would be and to research tax credits and power company incentives. But regardless I advised that he add attic insulation and check the whole house for any outside air intrusion. That and consider putting plastic window sealing stuff up. Propane is about $4/gallon. His last bill was over $800.

 

[C4Ranch]

One of my neighbors just installed 2 electric heat pumps to cut down his propane use

 

[rekees4300]

Suppliers here did not honor the pre-buy contracts. Even on the ones that paid upfront. Used the Emergency Clause in the contracts.

That happened to me and I'm really POed about it! A deal is suppose to be a deal. Going to do something to take back heat control but haven't decided what yet.

 

[TnAndy]

Heated with wood for 30 years. Cut off our place, price stays pretty much the same year in, year out.

Changing from propane to electric is jumping from the frying pan into the fire, if you ask me. Obama has declared war on coal fired electric, which is a large portion of electric generation. Throw in plain old ice storms, aging grid, solar flares and EMP, and you're taking a lot of chances that the power is going to be there. At the very least, I'd have a wood backup. Amazes me how many people depend on a fuel source they have zero control over.