Educate me on Home Propane Gas Service - Please

[alarmguy]

When I bought my home in 2019 there was already a propane tank installed that supplied the gas stove, dryer and furnace. And feeds the Generac generator when it kicks in. The water heater is electric. The tank is leased and I pay a small yearly lease, I think it is $75. There are three propane suppliers in my community, I see one of their trucks on my street almost daily topping off the tanks of their customers.

I have no idea what the other companies individual rates are. But I know that in order to switch suppliers it could cost me a lot of money to have the supplier owned tank removed and a new one installed, whether I would own it or lease it from the new supplier.
So in a lot of ways, unless you actually own the tank, they kind of have you over a barrel and most people just continue to use the same supplier.

There is no "locking in" the cost for a season. It is seasonally adjusted to market rate. My house is 1400 square feet and during the winter months I keep the thermostat set to 60 in the daytime and 56 at night and I dress warm. The Southern California mountains experienced the harshest winter in decades and my last two propane bills were around $720 each. Ouch ! I'm sure glad it is finally spring. In the spring and summer $300 worth of propane generally will last 3 months.

Yeah, I only have the locking in idea because of the north when we had oil heat we would lock in the rate for the season every August when the prices were low.

 

[brianl703]

New construction in the Carolinas for the last couple decades water heaters are placed in the garage if you are within 100 or so miles of the coast.

Hopefully the garage stays above freezing. A tankless water heater will freeze MUCH quicker than one that has a tank.

 

[alarmguy]

This right here

We bought our own 1000 gallon tank in 2005 (used $1100), it paid for itself the first year with the savings from being able to shop the free market for the best price. Our original supplier was gouging the crap out of us on price (Hoosier, which then became Suburban) . They sent us a nasty gram after a few years of not buying enough propane for their buried 500 gallon tank on our property. I said come dig it up or sell it to me. I bought it for $800.

No option to change the tank size everything is already installed. Let’s go and HOA requirements. I’m sur OK

Hopefully the garage stays above freezing. A tankless water heater will freeze MUCH quicker than one that has a tank.

I agree. There was a section of our own old community new builder used tankless where we moved from.
Wintertime temperature is a much colder there and in severe freezes every few years they would be somebody with a frozen waterline. Not overwhelmingly cell, but some.

Granted it warms up during the day and it starts working again and being everything is PEX no one has ever had a frozen line break.
Fact of the matter is in today’s world tankless water heaters are promoted, as, green, energy, saving, almost like it’s something special. We all know it’s not, but buzz words sell homes.

I am impressed that an independent energy audit was done of our house before we moved in, the sticker was placed on the electric panel. I haven’t looked into it too much, but it tells about air infiltration tests and etc..

 

[alarmguy]

I ran the pipe myself. It isn't rocket science. If you can use the grill somewhere close to your fireplace or kitchen, this would be easy. Yes, the propane in your big tank will be substantially less than the small tanks, not to mention the fact that you never have to worry about running out or going to get another one.

Yeah... we dont have a crawl or basement. I assume I would have to "thread" pipe which I am clueless about. Im sure it would be worth it though to get a plumber here and run a line to our back patio (that isnt built yet and I dont know when it will be*LOL*) to connect the grill.
It would be perfect to know and I just dont know where the grill will go at this point. I hate to go out and buy 20lb tanks for the grill. Just purchased a new Weber. Anyway, we are doing so many things at one time. Not sure what to do about the grill, hate to buy a tank but ...

 

[wag123]

Yeah... we dont have a crawl or basement. I assume I would have to "thread" pipe which I am clueless about. Im sure it would be worth it though to get a plumber here and run a line to our back patio (that isnt built yet and I dont know when it will be*LOL*) to connect the grill.
It would be perfect to know and I just dont know where the grill will go at this point. I hate to go out and buy 20lb tanks for the grill. Just purchased a new Weber. Anyway, we are doing so many things at one time. Not sure what to do about the grill, hate to buy a tank but ...

What I did on mine is this... I found a 90 degree elbow behind the gas range and replaced the elbow with a tee, then I ran a 12" piece of threaded gas pipe straight through the wall behind the range and installed a gas valve (that had the correct 3/8" fitting for the grill hose) on the end of it outside. If your fireplace or cook top is on an exterior wall you could do the same, assuming that one or the other is somewhere reasonably close to where you want to keep the grill. You can purchase flexible grill hose in various lengths up to 25'.

 

[alarmguy]

What I did on mine is this... I found a 90 degree elbow behind the gas range and replaced the elbow with a tee, then I ran a 12" piece of threaded gas pipe straight through the wall behind the range and installed a gas valve (that had the correct 3/8" fitting for the grill hose) on the end of it outside. If your fireplace or cook top is on an exterior wall you could do the same, assuming that one or the other is somewhere reasonably close to where you want to keep the grill. You can purchase flexible grill hose in various lengths up to 25'.

Duh.
Yeah, I could put in a "T" only thing on the outside wall is the cooktop, being its new construction actually it is nicely in the wall with a shut off valve. The 120 propane tank is pretty much on the outside of that wall and would be more simple.
It is on the side of the house and would have to run to the back.
At this point, being we just moved in, this will be more of a wish list thing for now. It makes a lot of sense for sure.
1st photo is under the cooktop in the kitchen.
2nd photo would be easier outside the house. (after the regulator)

 

[Pablo]

View attachment 152383

 

[alarmguy]

Yeah, looks like heck, good news is you dont really see it in the way it is positioned on the house. Would send another photo but cant be seen from the front or back yard.
Sloppy work for sure and its the way they are all done, though now looking at my neighbors at least the pipes are straight!

 

[Pablo]

Yeah, looks like heck, good news is you dont really see it in the way it is positioned on the house. Would send another photo but cant be seen from the front or back yard.
Sloppy work for sure and its the way they are all done, though now looking at my neighbors at least the pipes are straight!

I would complain to the builder/plumber and if no satisfaction then gas company. Looks hazardous!!