Propane Tank

[Sir Henry]

I’m renting a 500 gallon propane tank. It rents for free if I buy enough propane which I didn’t this year. Plus they charge more for the propane. Last year I called around and few were available and the ones that were cost not only an arm and a leg but also a kidney.

I’ve found a 1,000 gallon tank for $2,800 and think I’ll get it. With it filled to 800 gallons I should be able to go all winter. Or at least late enough that I don’t have to worry able the truck not being able to make it up my driveway.

I may get another 1,000 gallon tank for my new garage/barn and maybe a 500 gallon tank for my three car garage which will become a workshop and one car.

[markiver54]

Wow! the price one has to pay for creature comforts!

[dave77]

Yes, very expensive to buy and to fill! We get fairly cold Winters here although not nearly as cold and as long as Wisconsin. My electric bill for my small all electric home, a heated shed and a couple of 250 watt heat lamps that are on full time for the chickens is only around $170 a month. Drops to around $80 a month in the Summer and that's with Central AC and my friends 5th wheel's AC. My friend is living in her 30 ft 5th wheel and even with a 1500 watt radiant heater (which along with her water heater and lights are on my power bill) she probably spends close to $300 on propane for a very cold month. Our propane prices here are quite a bit higher than the national average, cost last Winter was around $3.89 a gallon, around a $100 to fill 4 nearly empty 30# tanks.

[PJM]

bought my tank 25 years ago and had it put in ground. checked around and no one is selling them . they would rather rent them to you and jack up propane price. Another rip off. If it goes I will probably switch to oil. more expensive than propane, but much more btu's /gallon .Propane has about
60% of the btu's in oil per gallon. Oil tanks are readily available.

[Sir Henry]

bought my tank 25 years ago and had it put in ground. checked around and no one is selling them . they would rather rent them to you and jack up propane price. Another rip off. If it goes I will probably switch to oil. more expensive than propane, but much more btu's /gallon .Propane has about
60% of the btu's in oil per gallon. Oil tanks are readily available.

Heating oil may have more BTUs but more of them go up the chimney. Plus a gallon of heating oil runs $3.89 a gallon compared to $2.19 for propane. All said and done propane is about 20% cheaper here.

Propane also lasts forever and so do the tanks. New regulators might be needed every 20 years but the tank’s themselves last a long time. Many of the tanks here are from the 50’s.

[Mags]

Propane is also non polluting. With a properly tuned flame - heat, carbon dioxide and water.

[dave77]

Don't understand why the wide price range for propane, under $2 a gallon in N. Dakota and $4.60 in Florida. I guess transportation costs will vary, but over double the cost?

Same with gas prices, average cost in Texas $3.10, WA 4.59 and we have a refinery around 200 miles away. our state gas is more but only by 30¢.

[Sir Henry]

Don't understand why the wide price range for propane, under $2 a gallon in N. Dakota and $4.60 in Florida. I guess transportation costs will vary, but over double the cost?

Same with gas prices, average cost in Texas $3.10, WA 4.59 and we have a refinery around 200 miles away. our state gas is more but only by 30¢.

Home delivery of 400 gallons here is $2.19 but go into town and fill up a five gallon barbecue tank and it’s $4.65 a gallon. And a one pound disposable bottle is $9.95.

[Mags]

No idea what the cost of propane is here. Have a 100 gal tank to fuel the kitchen stove and deck BBQ. Refill the tank about every 5 years.

[dave77]

Don't understand why the wide price range for propane, under $2 a gallon in N. Dakota and $4.60 in Florida. I guess transportation costs will vary, but over double the cost?

Same with gas prices, average cost in Texas $3.10, WA 4.59 and we have a refinery around 200 miles away. our state gas is more but only by 30¢.

Home delivery of 400 gallons here is $2.19 but go into town and fill up a five gallon barbecue tank and it’s $4.65 a gallon. And a one pound disposable bottle is $9.95.

400 gallons is way more than we need, a 150 gallon tank would be more than enough. Haven't checked for the delivery per gallon cost but one of the local places charges a $100 delivery fee which would add almost a dollar per gallon to the cost. Would have to rent the tank as this is not a permanent situation. I will check it out before Winter, not fun loading up 4-30# tanks in the pickup every month, 120 gallons would be more than enough to get through the Winter, her propane stove uses hardly any propane compared to furnace.