Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Propane Service: How To Choose A Provider

By Cath Buhr


Propane is a common source of fuel for homes across the United States. Not only is it cleaner and safer than using other types of fuel, it also is less expensive than these other types of fuel. Before you select a propane supplier, consider the following tips to guide you to the best propane service in your area.

When you purchase propane, you obviously will need someplace to store the propane, and this means you need to rent or purchase a propane tank or perhaps more than one tank. There usually is a fee for tank installation as well, around $100 to $200 dollars depending on the size of the tank. Above-ground tanks range in size and price. A 120-gallon tank will cost about $350 and a large 1,000 gallon tank might cost about $2,000. You also can inquire about a lease to own type of program.

Before you buy a tank, ask the company if they offer both a warranty for the tank and a guarantee that they will repurchase the tank. This means if you change to another fuel source or move from your home, the company will buy back the tank, usually at the price you paid for it in the first place. Look for a 10-year warranty that covers any possible manufacturing defects, but keep in mind that valves and regulators might need to be replaced, but these usually aren't included in the warranty.

Propane is similar to gasoline and other sources of fuel in that the price goes up and down. With propane, it is most expensive during the winter, which of course is when you need this heating source the most. To avoid paying higher per gallon costs, you should consider paying for your propane in advance. You can buy all of your propane for the year at extremely low prices. If you cannot afford to pay for a large amount in advance, ask about price caps. These are programs where you pay a fee, maybe $100 per year, and you are guaranteed that your price per gallon won't go above a certain amount, even if propane prices skyrocket.

Of course, none of this means anything if the propane you buy is of poor quality. Not all propane that is sold in the United States is the same. There are basically two categories of propane, HD5 and HD10. HD5 is the highest quality propane that you can buy in the United States, and it is definitely what you want when you are looking for a propane supplier. One way to tell whether or not you are truly getting the best possible propane is to look at the flame on your gas range. If it is a strong blue flame, then the quality of the propane is higher. A flame that is a rainbow of colors indicates that your tank is less than 90% pure propane fuel.

HD5 propane is regulated by the federal government, and other countries won't allow us to import any other type of propane. Americans shouldn't have to settle for less than HD5 propane, either, so make sure that your supplier uses this high quality propane. Consider getting in touch with the team at Thrifty Propane, which only sells HD5 propane and even offers a low price guarantee. You can also buy your tank from Thrifty Propane or lease to own a tank.




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