Another propane story

[Coldfront]

These propane dealers IMO are the scum of the earth. This was about 6 years ago. I heated my house with propane only, so I got on this even pay, keep full program where my gas bill was the same every month through out the whole year I was never to worry about running out they would come out every so often and make sure I had enough. I would notice that when the price of propane was low they would let me run way low, but when the price was high they would hurry out and top me off. At the end of the year I would pay the difference and they would recalculate my even pay bill amount. I got tired of this BS, always filling me when the price was at or near its highest. So I canceled the keep fill program and told them I would call them when I needed gas and pay as I go. So one cold winter I let it run to low and ran out, I call them for gas and they say my scheduled delivery route isn't until the 15th of the month and if I need it before then I have to pay an emergency fill extra delivery price of $75. The low life scum sucking bastards. I told them to come pick up the tank I was switching suppliers.
So fast forward a couple years my furnace breaks down I call the bastards to see if there service people can come fix it because they are the closest to me, they say no they can't come fix it because I don't buy my gas from them.
I swear I will never burn propane again. :censored:

 

[kodiakyardboy]

ouch

Where are you exactly? I had a similar experience in the Superior area.

 

[Laird]

My personal experience has been that the service people who work for propane companies do not know their stuff as well as the furnace guys who don't anyway. Two or three trips to fix every problem after several years made me call a dealer who after looking at the furnace guessed who had been working on it before him.

 

[Coldfront]

I'm in Hayward area. It was northern lakes co-op. Also once I fixed the furnace myself, I needed a new ceramic igniter they wouldn't sell one to me they said for liability reasons, they would have to come and install it for $75 service call plus the cost of the igniter. I had to drive 60 miles round trip to the next town to someone who happily sold it to me. That is like a auto parts store telling you they can't sell you brake shoes for liability reasons. It is pure B.S.

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

I installed an ignighter

I'm in Hayward area. It was northern lakes co-op. Also once I fixed the furnace myself, I needed a new ceramic igniter they wouldn't sell one to me they said for liability reasons, they would have to come and install it for $75 service call plus the cost of the igniter. I had to drive 60 miles round trip to the next town to someone who happily sold it to me. That is like a auto parts store telling you they can't sell you brake shoes for liability reasons. It is pure B.S.

I installed an igniter. I got it off of Ebay. I think I got it for $40.00-60.00. Had I called for service....I believe it would have cost me 3X that amount or more. It's been a long time since I've paid someone to fix something. Once I knew what the problem was it was an easy no brainier fix.

Dan

 

[Metals406]

Our local propane Nazi's operate the same way here... They must have meetings nationwide to figure out how to be a huge b@stard to everyone.:censored:

From hearing all these stories from all these different states, it seems there isn't a good one anywhere.

 

[billyjoejr]

I have worked for a propane company for 20 years and I tend to agree with you. Most of the big companies, the ones that start with a F, S or A are great salepeople for the company I work for. I have heard some real horror stories from customers that switched to us. Alot of times 2 to 3 dollars more per gallon than what we sell it for and a list of extra charges longer than my arm.

The way to get the cheapest propane is to buy your own tank and shop around. Those same companies that rape their leased tank customers give propane away to the customers that own their tanks.

I work for a farmers co-op company and we are always fair with the price and I believe provide great service.

The smaller companies are usually best for price and service.
The bigger companies know there is no end to the number of people they can rape, so why stop. Over the years I have lost customers to them over price. The customer is usually back in 3 to 4 years because that low price kept going up and never came down.

Shop around even if you lease the tank. A lot of times the bigger companies will match a lower price.

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Price shopping

I have worked for a propane company for 20 years and I tend to agree with you. Most of the big companies, the ones that start with a F, S or A are great salepeople for the company I work for. I have heard some real horror stories from customers that switched to us. Alot of times 2 to 3 dollars more per gallon that what we sell it for and a list of extra charges longer than my arm.

The way to get the cheapest propane is to buy your own tank and shop around. Those same companies that rape their leased tank customers give propane away to the customers that own their tanks.

I work for a farmers co-op company and we are always fair with the price and I believe provide great service.

The smaller companies are usually best for price and service.
The bigger companies know there is no end to the number of people they can rape, so why stop. Over the years I have lost customers to them over price. The customer is usually back in 3 to 4 years because that low price kept going up and never came down.

Shop around even if you lease the tank. A lot of times the bigger companies will match a lower price.

I own my 500 gal tank. We've been buying from a Co-op for the 3 winters we've live here. How fast do the prices of propane change? Does it change as fast as gasoline? Do they change their prices with the market value or with the price they paid for their supply?

I hope that the gas in the tank will last until spring. Burning wood I can keep the gas furnace off. However, there is still the cold water heater and range.hone:

Thanks

Dan

 

[kodiakyardboy]

Most folks in the Hayward area have enough $ to not even worry about propane prices. My father in law has a "cabin" on Round lake...

 

[billyjoejr]

I own my 500 gal tank. We've been buying from a Co-op for the 3 winters we've live here. How fast do the prices of propane change? Does it change as fast as gasoline? Do they change their prices with the market value or with the price they paid for their supply?

I hope that the gas in the tank will last until spring. Burning wood I can keep the gas furnace off. However, there is still the cold water heater and range.hone:

Thanks

Dan

Prices pretty much follow crude oil prices like gas. They also follow demand. The refineries raise the price of propane and heating oils in the winter due to demand just like they raise the price of gas in the summer for all those vacationers.
The real racket is with the big guys. Exxon, Shell, Texico, etc. They own the refineries and set the base price that all propane companies pay.
For the last three years propane has only gone up. A couple months ago it took a huge drop with gas. I think a couple weeks ago the Arabs decided to cut production. We also had fairly cold weather system here in the PNW for the last couple weeks. Whatever the reason, propane for us went up 6 cents two Fridays ago followed by a 4 cent increase the following Monday. It has remained the same since then.

 

[csj11]

I got tired of the tricks too!

I bought my own underground 1000 gal tank. I got it at a local farm supply company. Paid for itself after a few years of price negotiation. Keep the receipt to show proof of ownership!
I call around to price gas during summer fill time. The first person you talk to at each company gives the same BS of a very high per gal price and absolutely no flexibility, I ask to speak with the manager and work out a much better deal!
YMMV

Scott

 

[Moss Man]

There is alot of B.S. around these parts too. When we built the house we are in now we had 3 propane devices; cook stove, heater and hot water heater so the company that installed the devices put in a 100 pound tank. Since the we sold the gas stove and put in an electric one and we also stopped using the heater most of the time. We still have the 100 pound tank of theirs, but we got off the automatic delivery and now watch the guage and call when it gets down to 25%. Most propane companies here charge by useage, the less you consume, the higher the price per pound goes......no win situation. We only heat our hot water with an instantaneous propane heater and that uses so little, we don't make a fuss about it. The house is heated with firewood cut from our woodlots.

When we started watching the tank ourselves, they warned us not to run out as they would be charging a $100. if we did and that doesn't include any propane.

 

[Coldfront]

Most folks in the Hayward area have enough $ to not even worry about propane prices. My father in law has a "cabin" on Round lake...

I beg to differ, most people who live around Hayward can't afford to live on a lake. It is mostly out of town weekenders who own the lake property. If your father in law has a cabin on Round I'm sure he isn't worried about the price of gas, that is about the highest price lake property in the county, his property tax divided by 12 months is most likely higher than my mortgage payment.

 

[kodiakyardboy]

True! Property tax is unreal there. I feel for you.

 

[bigjake]

I had a propane nightmare it would be a long post but in short i only use it to
cook and they told me the 90 pound tank only last a month compared to the one before that last a year.i was told i had a leak funny i never had a leak until
the tank was changed.in the end after a long fight i found out the tank had
about 15 gallons of water in it . i bought my own used tank had it filled a year
ago BTW i had no leak and i threw there tanks in my dumpster after a year
they wouldnt pick them up .Never again with that company the only time they
were nice is when they took my money when i moved in.