I use this site to determine the actual delivered cost of HHO (currently about 3.80).Very handy....
https://www.huskyheatingoil.com/index.asp
They're the only dealer I've found here that honestly lists prices without some sort of deal.
Now they're rationing LP keep those stoves going!
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https://www.huskyheatingoil.com/index.asp
They're the only dealer I've found here that honestly lists prices without some sort of deal.
A neighbor said he wanted more than his 200 gallon ration so he called two other propane suppliers and they aren't taking any new customers until supplies come back in line with demand. And up here there's only a few suppliers within a reasonable distance.
My propane supplier called last week to "make sure" we hadn't run out of fuel. I assured them we were fine,tanks are sitting @60%. "Is this a year round residence?"she asks."Yes it is",I tell her. "Well, what else are you heating with?" None of your buisiness is what I thought! I told them I am using pellets. "well your contract requires you to use at least 100 gallons per year,last delivery was one year ago."
"Well,I don't need, or want a delivery. Can't afford it. How's about I pay the rental fee for the tanks?" I ask. "You'll still be billed for 100 gallons." I'm told." What's the current price per gallon?" I ask. "you'll have to talk to our manager,I can't tell you" What? Well, I'm told it's $3.90 per gallon. "BS,I aint takin no delivery". They tell me I'll be billed for the 100 gal whether I take delivery or not! Last year,in January,price was $2.74. WTF!!
After talking with the manager,he has agreed to leave me alone till april. At which time they are gonna come and take one of the 120 gallon tanks.(Have 2 currently)
Boy,are these bastards greedy! Trying to strong arm me into takin 100 gallons,needed or not!
I mean,I offered to pay the rental fee for the tanks. I know they need to make money,but damn!
"Well,I don't need, or want a delivery. Can't afford it. How's about I pay the rental fee for the tanks?" I ask. "You'll still be billed for 100 gallons." I'm told." What's the current price per gallon?" I ask. "you'll have to talk to our manager,I can't tell you" What? Well, I'm told it's $3.90 per gallon. "BS,I aint takin no delivery". They tell me I'll be billed for the 100 gal whether I take delivery or not! Last year,in January,price was $2.74. WTF!!
After talking with the manager,he has agreed to leave me alone till april. At which time they are gonna come and take one of the 120 gallon tanks.(Have 2 currently)
Boy,are these bastards greedy! Trying to strong arm me into takin 100 gallons,needed or not!
I mean,I offered to pay the rental fee for the tanks. I know they need to make money,but damn!
My propane supplier tried that 3 years ago. Said I was under the minimum yearly usage(100 gallons) so he filled my tanks and charged my 5.00 gal. Called him and told him he could take his tank out that week. Got a new supplier that has no yearly minimum. We only use propane for cooking and clothes drying.
17 states have now declared a energy emergency to allow propane trucks to run longer hours hoping to refill depleted stocks of the fuel.
From NBC
More than 14 million families across the U.S. use propane to fuel their furnaces, according to the Propane Education & Research Council.
Kasich followed the lead of officials in 17 other U.S. states — mostly in the Midwest and North — who declared energy emergencies and loosened rules for propane transportation from other states, most of which are effective until the end of January.
In many of these states, residents are also being urged to cut down on propane usage since supplies are limited.
"Propane customers in the Upper Peninsula should use their propane supplies wisely in the coming weeks by reducing usage and avoiding energy waste," Michigan Public Service Commission Chairman John Quackenbush told NBC affiliate WILX on Monday.
In addition to residential propane customers, over 1 million businesses across the U.S. rely on propane.
However, the energy shortage is not just a result of families and business owners trying to keep buildings comfortable during the persistent cold spells. The Midwest started the winter with a propane deficit since a greater than usual amount of propane was used in November to dry corn crops during a rain-soaked harvest, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
“Propane prices in the Midwest will likely need to rise to keep propane in the region,” according to the EIA.
More than 14 million families across the U.S. use propane to fuel their furnaces, according to the Propane Education & Research Council.
Kasich followed the lead of officials in 17 other U.S. states — mostly in the Midwest and North — who declared energy emergencies and loosened rules for propane transportation from other states, most of which are effective until the end of January.
In many of these states, residents are also being urged to cut down on propane usage since supplies are limited.
"Propane customers in the Upper Peninsula should use their propane supplies wisely in the coming weeks by reducing usage and avoiding energy waste," Michigan Public Service Commission Chairman John Quackenbush told NBC affiliate WILX on Monday.
In addition to residential propane customers, over 1 million businesses across the U.S. rely on propane.
However, the energy shortage is not just a result of families and business owners trying to keep buildings comfortable during the persistent cold spells. The Midwest started the winter with a propane deficit since a greater than usual amount of propane was used in November to dry corn crops during a rain-soaked harvest, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
“Propane prices in the Midwest will likely need to rise to keep propane in the region,” according to the EIA.
Have you considered buying a used 250 gallon tank. It gives peace of mind when they can't hassle you about your tank any longer!
That is my goal, to be free of relying/dealing with any one supplier. I hear that tanks have to be certified/inspected every so many years?
Not stationary tanks. I asked about that when I bought my tank and they said nope, Stationary tanks never need to be tested as far as hydro testing. But the manufacturers ID plate can't be painted over or missing.
Some gas (methane) wells are high in ethane (also goes into the NG pipeline) and propane, said to be 'wet' wells. Some aren't. While LP has been used for fracking at some sites (less water to get rid of), I think they recover most all of the LP back out, so they aren't losing it that way. Too expensive otherwise.
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http://www.weather.com/news/weather-winter/propane-shortage-cold-weather-20140121
With colder then average temps, many people in the mid-west are in for a very cold winter if this shortage continues. Even if your lucky enough to buy some propane to fill the tank, due to supply and demand the prices are through the roof. A lot of people just do not have that type of money. Myself if I was relying on propane like I was before I got my stove I would be looking for another job just to make ends meet.
I am very thankful for my wood stove.
If it wasn't at 500
I would give it a hug. 
With colder then average temps, many people in the mid-west are in for a very cold winter if this shortage continues. Even if your lucky enough to buy some propane to fill the tank, due to supply and demand the prices are through the roof. A lot of people just do not have that type of money. Myself if I was relying on propane like I was before I got my stove I would be looking for another job just to make ends meet.
I am very thankful for my wood stove.
If it wasn't at 500
I would give it a hug. 
Kinda scary that they are exempt from FMCSA hours of service regs, and driving a bomb.
Kool_hand_Looke
Feeling the Heat
Light in the Dark
Feeling the Heat
My propane went up 60 cents a gallon in 3 months.... perfect timing to be running my stove this winter (where I didnt have one previously).
Kool_hand_Looke
Feeling the Heat
Suppliers scrambling to keep up with deliveries right now. I called for a tank fill before Christmas - just got the fuel today. Enough to get me through the winter, unless it stays -25 for 2 more months...
. Price way up from last fill too.
. Price way up from last fill too.
This is the first time in 29 years that my parents did not pre-pay for their propane. The last 2 winters they took a hit and the price fell. To get "insurance" and have a pre-pay price fall with the local price it was something ridiculous like 20 cents a gallon. Not to mention other restrictions like they had to use up their pre-paid amount by X date in the spring, etc....
Long story short, my father made the executive decision to not do pre-pay this year. Mom pays the bills but dad doesn't speak up often so she listened....... It was a riot last Sunday when we visited hearing mom rag on dad that the price had jumped 87 cents from the last bill 45 days ago,,,,,, and that new figure was about 70 cents higher than the pre-pay...... Ya win some, you lose some.
As with many things, being diversified is smart. They are entirely propane, but I'm willing to bet they'll have a mini-split to help supplement in short order
pen
Long story short, my father made the executive decision to not do pre-pay this year. Mom pays the bills but dad doesn't speak up often so she listened....... It was a riot last Sunday when we visited hearing mom rag on dad that the price had jumped 87 cents from the last bill 45 days ago,,,,,, and that new figure was about 70 cents higher than the pre-pay...... Ya win some, you lose some.
As with many things, being diversified is smart. They are entirely propane, but I'm willing to bet they'll have a mini-split to help supplement in short order
pen
As with many things, being diversified is smart. They are entirely propane, but I'm willing to bet they'll have a mini-split to help supplement in short order
pen
I might go that route here one day. Right now we have propane, wood, and electric (oil filed heaters) in the mix. I believe the mini splits can make a bit of heat even on some fairly cold days..? A friend has been running one for a few years now. Problem free and it sips the electricity.
We have a heat pump with a propane furnace back up and propane for cooking and hot water at the house in the country. We won't be full time residents there until my husband retires. The first year we were there, our propane tank rental had been paid by the builder. The second year, our propane tank rental balance due was higher than the amount we spent to refill the tank. I offered to buy a larger tank outright and on the spot if the company would waive the tank rental balance, and they did. (Reading some of your experiences above makes me see how lucky we are to have a cooperative propane supplier.)
We've been discussing an alternative heating source and we will have one installed, hopefully next year. The electricity is provided through a coop; rates aren't too bad but they are higher than buying electricity directly from the big utility like we do in town. And of course, propane is propane.
I was pushing hard for a wood stove, because if the power goes out in the winter we'd still have heat (as opposed to a pellet stove) and we wouldn't have to run a propane generator to provide electricity to use the blower on a propane fired furnace.
The Hubs was leaning toward an LP gas stove for the convenience factor- and we aren't getting any younger, and we won't be any younger when he retires. That causes me some pause too; I'm not blowing it off. We are in good shape, however, and we've watched a lot of other people keep their wood stoves going in the winter just to keep heating costs down as well as having a fail-safe back up heat source. This wood stove population includes elderly couples and elderly widows, who may compromise and have split wood delivered, but they still haul their own wood up to the house and tend their own stoves.
My husband isn't afraid of physical work or DIY but he was trying to be long-sighted and prudent.
He was impressed with the newer wood stoves at the Wood Stove Decathlon and had pretty much hopped on board with the wood stove idea- and then these stories about LP gas shortages and price spikes hit the news.
It's all but a done deal now- it won't happen this year, but I'm pretty sure that I'm going to get a nice wood stove for the country cottage.
And The Hubs gets a chain saw- something we've talked about getting in the past, but there really wasn't a need for it before.
We're hoping that we can start accumulating the wood this year.
We've been discussing an alternative heating source and we will have one installed, hopefully next year. The electricity is provided through a coop; rates aren't too bad but they are higher than buying electricity directly from the big utility like we do in town. And of course, propane is propane.
I was pushing hard for a wood stove, because if the power goes out in the winter we'd still have heat (as opposed to a pellet stove) and we wouldn't have to run a propane generator to provide electricity to use the blower on a propane fired furnace.
The Hubs was leaning toward an LP gas stove for the convenience factor- and we aren't getting any younger, and we won't be any younger when he retires. That causes me some pause too; I'm not blowing it off. We are in good shape, however, and we've watched a lot of other people keep their wood stoves going in the winter just to keep heating costs down as well as having a fail-safe back up heat source. This wood stove population includes elderly couples and elderly widows, who may compromise and have split wood delivered, but they still haul their own wood up to the house and tend their own stoves.
My husband isn't afraid of physical work or DIY but he was trying to be long-sighted and prudent.
He was impressed with the newer wood stoves at the Wood Stove Decathlon and had pretty much hopped on board with the wood stove idea- and then these stories about LP gas shortages and price spikes hit the news.
It's all but a done deal now- it won't happen this year, but I'm pretty sure that I'm going to get a nice wood stove for the country cottage.
And The Hubs gets a chain saw- something we've talked about getting in the past, but there really wasn't a need for it before.We're hoping that we can start accumulating the wood this year.
http://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/ng_pri_sum_dcu_nus_a.htm
Wellhead price does not include final cleanup or transportation and delivery which are substantial costs.
Its nice having a whole winters supply of fuel by september. Iv done that even when i burned oil. Was much cheaper in summer anyhu.
Yell, I seen that, pretty crazy. Maybe it's because most of the US is getting colder than normal weather but a couple years ago I would have bet propane would be plentiful and relatively cheap by now.
Boy would I have been wrong!
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