Propane for a house

[Rem700]

So if ya don't know already (the cool kids know.....sorry if your not cool ) we are moving. New house has an underground propane tank to run furnace and range. I have never had a house on propane nor do I know anyone immediately who does. I do know a few folks on here are on propane. So I wanted some info if you please.

How does cost compare to natural gas? I don't mind buying all at once if I'm not paying LG and E on a monthly basis for gas.

What is normal tank capacity and how long does it usually last? I know energy efficiency and tank size has a lot to do with that but throw me a ballpark for say a 500 gallon tank? I have no ide what size it is in reality.

Any other info is appreciated as well.

[JustShootIt]

We heat with propane...

I used to hate the idea of gas, but it's really efficient and much better than electric heat...second to wood IMO

We use Irvington Gas to fill ours....and they offer several different options.

1) Prepay....buy in off season and usually save a significant amount. This year in winter it ran close to $3 a gallon.. it was as low as $2.20 during summer... maybe a little less.

2)They will pro rate or figure what average consumption from previous years in that household and accept monthly payments.

3) Fill as needed...

They will only fill your tank to 80% capacity. We typically prepay for 2 tanks each year... or about 800 gallons a year. We heat about 2,000 sq ft....

We usually call to have it filled once it hits 20% mark.

[JustShootIt]

I'd guess that you have a 500 gallon tank....at minimum... that's the average size for a house that uses gas exclusively

[Rem700]

Thanks for the info. Very much appreciated.

[Dave1965]

What JSI said, we heat with propane. Our house is around 3600 sq ft.
Usually tends to run between 2.60 and 3 when we order. Our company is in Taylorsville because that is who the builder got the tank from when he built the house. They own the tank, we have to buy from them. Usually they know when its low but a new buyer you may have to go on prorated bill (pay so much a month average price) or pay when delivered. Don't run out because then you have to get a costly pressure check. We usually order around 250 gallons at a time, the tank holds 500 but they won't put more than 400 in it generally.

We heat pretty liberally and keep it toasty warm so our bill per year is probably around 1200 or so (100 a month) and we also use gas hot water (use about 25 gallons of gas a month for that).

[Livewire]

We lease our 500 gallon tank for $12 a year.

We use the budget plan that our supplier offers.

They look at your last years usage and and divide it over six monthly payments.

They offer a small discount per gallon and it locks our price in for the year.

We only use propane for the central heat and gas logs in the back of the house.

The gas logs are great for supplemental heat and winter power outages.

[Rem700]

For supplemental heat we do have a wood burning fire place. So that should certainly help. Thanks for all the info guys.

[Rem700]

Plenty of stuff on the property to burn too. Plus I'll be taking down a few more trees so I'll start a nice wood pile for fire pit and fire place. Yay land!!!!

[mtchbrian]

What in the house feeds off the gas? We have propane but only our furnace uses it. I'd say we use around 200 gallons a year(that's just a guess). We also had a heat pump installed when we had the new ac unit installed. It really helps out keeping the gas usage down, but your wood burner should the same

[Rem700]

Just furnace and gas range (oven and stove). I may hook up the gas grill to it eventually also. BTW i installed your old AC unit in our old house. It was still going strong when we sold the house a few months back!

[mtchbrian]

Just furnace and gas range (oven and stove). I may hook up the gas grill to it eventually also. BTW i installed your old AC unit in our old house. It was still going strong when we sold the house a few months back!

Good to hear. It worked great for us until we added on. It just was too small for 750 extra square feet

[Rext]

I just sold my house. We lived there for 15 years and had a 1000 gallon tank in the ground. We had two furnaces (downstairs/basement was rarely on) water heater, two fireplaces (never used) and grill on the deck. I would say I used at least a tank and a half throughout the year, maybe possibly two if it was really cold? My house was pretty big and open. They will only fill to 80% as stated above. Best thing to do is buy the tank outright so you can expand the people that will fill it. Propane is not regulated like the gas companies so there is a lot of things they do different. If you do not own your tank,you have to buy from who does own it. I bought my 1000 gallon in ground tank for $700. I saved that much on the price of gas over less than two years by being able to shop around. Suburban Propane is the worst. My tank is in the ground and after dealing with their monopoly over me because they would not sell the tank, I told them to come get it! They said that I would have to dig it up etc etc. I told them it wasn't mine so they could dig it up. I told them I was going to stop paying the lease on it and have another company bring another tank out and hook me up to it! That pissed them off. But, they got around to naming a price and I paid for it. That allowed me to shop the price and save a bunch of money. If you don't own it, they have you by the balls since they all have a "gentlemans" agreement not to fill someone elses tank. But, I like gas heat over electric and the cost wasn't, in my opinion, any more than electric. I had Bluegrass RECC in Nicholasville. My electric was never over $250? in the summer and usually around $100? in the winter. My electric bill for march was $99,May was $137 just glancing back. FWIW good luck

[Rem700]

Thanks for all the info guys. I will find out about who owns the tank on Saturday when we go for the home inspection.

[Rem700]

Tank is owned and not leased. So who to buy from now? After a little google fu i found Suburban and Empire. Any others that you all would recommend?

[Niceguy]

Tank is owned and not leased. So who to buy from now? After a little google fu i found Suburban and Empire. Any others that you all would recommend?

Prospect Propane (146 between LaGrange and Pendleton), Amerigas I think is a OC one also. Don't know much about either though.

[Rem700]

Ok google fu found lots more. Looks like I have about 5 companies to get prices from. who ever is cheapest gets the business!

Empire
Ferrelgas
Prospect Propane
United
Suburban

[Niceguy]

Ferralgas, that's what I was thinking of...

[rustynuts]

Empire! Has to be....

[Rem700]

Empire! Has to be....

LOL i was thinking the same. MK is the man!