Propane Pricing Winter 2017

Its December and officially winter. We are in the cusp of our first polar vortex of year. Temperatures are expected to be 20-30 degrees below normal this week in the key propane market areas of the Midwest & East Coast.

Let’s do a quick update on propane prices today. As of week ending 12/5/2016, according to the EIA the average price of retail propane on the east coast is $2.886, versus this time last year of $2.671. This price is made up of all retail propane so it includes everything from baroque tanks to 1000-gallon tank prices for whole house heating. In addition, this price includes gallons sold to customer owned and company owned tanks.

Total Propane inventories for the US are currently at 99.252 (million barrels) as of week ending 12/2/2016. This is versus 100.658 (million barrels) as of week ending 12/4/2015. Inventors are down versus last year but are still within the range of the seasonal average for this time of year.

Crude Oil Prices jumped up last week when OPEC announced a production cuts. All crude oil derivative energy products (gasoline, heating oil) followed suit and jumped across the board. In addition, Natural gas prices have been steady this winter as well. Propane is a byproduct of the two and has risen as well. Long term, Propane in the us is made domestically and is a byproduct of US drillers of oil & natural gas. If OPEC decreases production, those barrels taken off the market will be replaced by US crude oil barrels. So this announcement might have a long term impact of reducing propane prices.

The other factor driving prices is the impending cold weather that is upon us. Having a cold early winter could create inventories to draw down and could keep pressure on prices this winter. In the short term crude oil and natural gas prices rising will also keep some pressure on prices.

I would recommend for anybody that is on a will call delivery basis to call and get their tank topped off sooner than later . While prices have gone up slightly it is still a very good to top off any tanks. Get local quotes here.

The article Propane Pricing Winter 2017 was syndicated from Compare Propane

October 20, 2016

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10 Questions to Ask When Choosing your L/P Company

Use this Propane Service Guide to Help You Select the Right Company

Fall is here and it’s to start thinking about heating your home. If you’re looking to switch L/P companies or finding a company for the first time here are 10 questions to ask before making your decision.

1) Dependability – it doesn’t matter if you are going to get one delivery or 10 deliveries a year. You want to know that you are in good hands. If you call when you tank is low, a company should be able t delivery within 2-3 business under normal working conditions. Ask the company representative how long typical time is for will call deliveries. If you are automatic what is the company policy on run outs? How long will you wait for your delivery?

2) Emergency Service – Ask if there is 24 hour emergency service. If there is an issue you want to know your company is there for you. They should have an after-hours procedure that they can explain to before you sign up. You always seem to need a delivery or have an issue at the worst times. Its important your company is there for you.

3) What happens after the first fill price? Propane companies can be very aggressive in summer offering low first fill rates. Ask if there are price protection programs available. Also, if you only get 1 delivery of propane per year o less be honest with the company and simply say “ I might only use 50-100 gallons a year, will my price go up drastically if the market doesn’t move?  The company should be able to provide an expected price range

4) Budget Plans – Ask your company if budget plans are available. Paying for all your deliveries during the tough winter months can be difficult. Being able to spread your payments out over the whole year can be quite benefit to you & a great question to ask when signing up.

5) Tank options – If you are new to propane and need a tank installed there are few general questions to go over. Ask about the rental fee if its an above ground tank. If you are installing an underground tank ask if there is lease & buy options available. If you are going with a lease option where the company retains ownership of the tank ask if there is a buyout option. It should be made clear upfront.

6) Years in Business – This is a great opening question. Obviously if a company has been around a long time they are doing something right. They are serving their customer’s needs. Obviously, new companies can do this too. But I think it’s important to know. Also, if they are new to propane it’s good to know the background. Was the company a heating oil company now offering propane or HVAC Company etc. You want to know your company knows what it takes to serve homeowners/business during the cold winter months.

7) Delivery Fee’s – Ask if the company charges a HAZ MAT fee and or a delivery fee. If yes ask how much. A little quick math can show what you are really paying for propane.

8) Leak Check & Service Applications – When signing up ask if the company is capable of performing leak checks and running gas lines for additional propane applications. All companies should be able to perform a basic leak of your system. Also, a great benefit of propane is its versatility around the house. Choosing a company that can run additional lines in the future for you can save a lot of time and money instead of needing to call a plumber or somebody else out.

9) Safety & Insurance – When it comes to propane safety needs to be a priority. You can ask about their safety performance and ask if they are fully insured. In addition, you need to ask if there is a leak what is the company’s procedure is.

10) On-line customer tools – Lastly, this day in age its nice to see your account online. You can see past deliveries, order propane and pay a bill. This is a question to ask when signing up.

The article 10 Questions to Ask When Choosing your L/P Company was syndicated from Compare Propane

Tips On Tailgating with Propane

Summer’s over, so you know what that means…football season has begun! While some might think the grilling season has peaked, true football fans know that that is definitely not the case. Tailgating for your team is half the fun and everyone can agree that nothing is better than the smell of BBQ lingering around your tailgate spot. So, don’t pack up your grill just yet! See how easy it is to root for your team and grill with propane on a portable grill, at your next game. Here’s how:

1. Check your tank

Nothing is worse than running out of propane in the middle of any BBQ. Don’t be that guy by planning ahead and checking your tank to make sure that you have enough fuel to last you the entire tailgate (or however long you plan to be grilling). Fill up your tank a few days before the game, so you won’t be driving around and looking for a fill station on the morning of.

Check out our propane tank refill guide.

And if you can, securely bring a second tank if you think that you will need it. (We said securely, because safety is always a priority with propane. Make sure your propane tanks aren’t rolling around in your car when you are driving, by putting it in a box or plastic crate. Also, note the weather and don’t leave a propane tank in the car for a long period of time).

Watch this video on how to transport your propane tank:

2. Gather Supplies the Day Before

The propane for a propane grill is obviously important, but let’s be honest, the food is key. Get the food, marinades and cooking supplies like tongs, etc. the day before your tailgate. Marinade the meat the night before and set everything up, so it will be ready to go the day of. Pull the cooler out of the garage and grab ice, so you are all set. Once you set up shop in the parking lot for the tailgate, it is almost impossible to drive out to go get anything that you might have forgotten at the store. And let’s be honest, no one would want to anyway… so it’s better to prep ahead of time.

3. Know the Rules

Every parking lot and stadium is different, but most have a defined set of rules when it comes to tailgating. To save yourself any potential trouble, be aware of these rules before you go. Nothing kills a party like having to pack up and move spots (or worse shut down) during the middle of the day. Most places have their rules and guidelines up on their website, so check there first and if you don’t seem them, consider calling and asking. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

4. Get there early

The early bird gets the worm and that is true when it comes to tailgating! Pick the best spot next to the grass, water, stadium, bathroom…whatever you prefer. The bottom line is that when you get there early enough, you can choose your spot and won’t have to worry about fitting your car into one of the last parking spots.

5. Space it out

Not only will getting there early help you find the perfect location, but you will also be able to put out all of your stuff (including your valuable propane portable grill) and find the best place. If it’s a hot day, put the grill away from your sitting area, so you aren’t making your friends sweat more than they already are. If it’s a cold day, maybe everyone won’t mind sitting down wind of the BBQ’s heat. And as always, be safe. Don’t put your grill under a tent or too close to any chairs or tables.

6. Time Accordingly

Think about what time you will want to eat and what time you will want to enter the stadium. Want to make sure you see the teams run onto the field? Then, start grilling early enough to fill up your friends’ stomachs before this. Also, make sure that you have enough time to shut everything down and pack up what you can.

7. Securely shut off

Once you are ready to go into the game, double-check that you have securely shut off your propane grill and closed the valve on the BBQ propane tank. Do NOT put your tank in your car. Leave it outside until after the game and then, make sure that it is fastened properly before you go to transport it, so it will not roll around the car or back of your truck.

We hope these tips help you have a great time at your next tailgate! If you have any propane grilling questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Info@ComparePropane.com.

The article Tips On Tailgating with Propane was syndicated from Compare Propane

Summer is Thunderstorm Season aka Generator Season

Summer brings all kinds of fun things. BBQ’s, hanging by the pool, vacations and the heat. But with all that fun we also get thunderstorms. And once we get through all the storms of summer we have hurricane season though the end of November. The last 5 years has shown us that extreme weather is becoming more and more common place. Therefore, home generator sales are growing each year.

Generators for your home come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. You can have portable generators that can be used to service standalone appliances during a power outage. Becoming more popular now more than ever are whole house (also known as Standby generator). Standby generators basically keeps your home powered as if it never went out.

If you have a whole house generator it can be fueled by propane, natural gas or even diesel fuel. The vast majority are powered by natural gas or propane. For the purposes of this article we are going to focus on whole house generators with propane fuel.
The same generator can use Natural gas or propane. There is a very simple switch inside the generator itself that allows the same generator to use either source.

Whoever is doing the installation will be able to very easily set up depending on what fuel source is available at the residence. If you have Natural gas lines already run to the house chances are you will use that to power your generator. If natural gas is not available at then a propane tank or tanks will need to be set up.

What size generator?

There are various tools to determine what size generator is needed. I would recommend going on the leading standby generator sites to determine which is right for you. But for the purposes of this article I will use ball park generalities. A home that is approx. 2000-3000 sq ft with one air conditioner and primary heat source is a fossil fuel (natural gas, propane, heating oil) a 16 kw could possibly suffice. Larger homes with multiple ac units or homes that use electric heat pump as primary heating source might need to go with a 22kw generator or larger.

How much Propane will I Burn?

The smaller end of whole house is a 16kw generator. This will burn approx. 2.4 gallon per hour while running at full capacity. The larger 22kw generator will burn roughly 3.4 gallons per hour. These numbers are based on the generator running at full capacity. While your generator will be running the entire time you are without power it might not necessarily running at full capacity. I have found that if you take these numbers and halve them it’s what you will roughly be burning per hour.

Generators will exercise (run) every week or every 2 weeks depending upon set up. This keeps everything running smoothly. Expect to burn approx. 10-20 gallons a year.

Propane Tank Size

Now that we know what gallons per hour your generator will be running lets figure out your propane tank size. Its generally recommended to have at least 250 gallons of propane capacity for generators. Its always better to be safe than sorry when determining what tank application is best for you. If you don’t have power there is a possibility of wide spread outages. Think Hurricane Sandy. Parts of the east coast were without power of weeks at time. While this is at the extreme end the spectrum its entirely possible to happen again

In addition, a ice storm in winter could lead to prolonged outages as well. So lets decide what tank we need to have 4 days of power outages. Generally, your propane company should be able to deliver within 4 days. If you are burning 1.5 gallons per hour and you have you will burn though about 144 gallons in 4 days.

Above Ground/Underground Tank

There are a few different options in how to set up propane tanks for your generator. One way is to set 2-120 gallon above ground propane tanks. They will need to be set 10 ft away from the generator and any other electrical source of ignition. Your local propane dealer will either be able to lease the tanks or sell the tanks outright. For leased tanks you can expect to pay a rental fee of $125-$250 per year. The price per gallon with vary. Because generator usage isn’t very consistent and there is a good chance you might only get a delivery every few years its hard to ball park price per gallon but the range will be $2.799-$3.799 depending on your area and how much propane you use.

Another option would be bury a 500 gallon tank. The cost to bury a tank and run lines to the generator will vary from area to area but rough estimate is $3,500-$5,000 depending on how much work is involved. While the outlay is greater the price per gallon can be expected to less. A rough estimate for a delivery as of 8/8/2016 would be approx. $1.599 -$1.899

The article Summer is Thunderstorm Season aka Generator Season was syndicated from Compare Propane

The Easiest Way To Get Propane Quotes

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Does My L/P Tank Need to Be Re-certified?

If you have a DOT propane tank it will need to be re-qualified after 12 years of manufacture date. Sounds good. How do I know if I have a DOT tank and why is it called DOT?

Smaller portable propane tanks tank size from 5lbs to 420 lbs or 1 gallon to 120 gallon tank can be transported over the highways and roads are therefore are regulated by The Department of Transportation. That’s what they are called DOT tanks.

Most BBQ tanks and smaller 100lbs are DOT tanks. Therefore tanks are called DOT tanks.

If you have a 100 gallon tank at your home it could be a DOT tank or an AMSE Tank (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers). If you have a DOT at you home it will be need to be requalified 12 years after manufactures date. If you have an ASME tank there is no requalification needed.

How do I know if I have a DOT tank?

They make it pretty easy as it will be stamped on the outside collar of the tank. It will say “DOT-”

 

 

Once you establish you have a D.O.T. the next step is to find the manufacture date. Once again its stamped on the tank collar. Per DOT regulations tanks need to be recertified every 12 years from date of manufacture and every 5, 7 or 12 years thereafter depending upon how the last certification was performed.

 

 

This tank would need to be requalified on 4/2020

Types of Re-Certification

A tank can be requalified by visual inspection. Only a qualified technician can perform this test. If you have a bbq tank that needs use to be requalified locally you can take it to where you normally have your tank filled and they should be able to help you. IF you have a DOT at your home, your propane provider should be able to re-certify the tank for you.

Another way to requalify a tank is to do what called “Proof Pressure” where the tank is tested with air at twice the marked service pressure. If this test is completed it will need to be retested 7 years after this date.

The last test is a “Volumetric Expansion” test that is a water jacket hydrostatic test where the tank is tested at twice the marked service pressure. Tanks will need to be re-qualified 12 years after this type of testing. After a certified technician requalifies a tank he/she will mark tank with the date and type of test performed.

Summary

The basic idea to come away with from this is that 99% of BBQ tanks are DOT tanks and they will need to be requalified 12 years after the manufactures date stamped on the collar of the tank. If your tank is approaching recertification date just take it to where you normally have them filled or to your local propane dealer and they will be able to help you out. You will not be able to get your tank filled right away but should be able to exchange it for another. If you have DOT at your home, your propane dealer will be able to requalify the tank using one of the above methods.

 

 

Ever wonder what hazmat codes mean? Check out this video explanation:

The article Does My L/P Tank Need to Be Re-certified? was syndicated from Compare Propane