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Old 12-17-2014, 04:54 AM   #1
ericnh
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Thumbs down Eastern Propane - 2 tanks sitting in my driveway for three weeks!

I switched to Irving because they gave me 60 cent/gallon lower price than Eastern... and I use 2,500 gallons a year - $1,500 savings! Anyhow, Irving is very professional - schedule a date to come out and replace the tanks and do a house inspection prior to hooking up tanks. I call Eastern and they say they can't come out until Dec 1st to pickup the tanks (over a week). They don't show and don't call! I was traveling for a week and come back and the tanks are sitting in my driveway.... I call again, ohh sorry we can come out in 2 weeks.... I tell them that is unacceptable and they say we will pick them up tomorrow. Another trip and come home to find them still sitting in the driveway! Keep in mind that they are 60% full and probably over $500 in propane they owe me. I have my third call in and " they pick them up asap". I find it interesting how these companies can't handle normal operations...... I am sure others are having service issues as well.
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Old 12-17-2014, 07:29 AM   #2
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Sell them and keep the money. Then call Eastern and say "thanks for picking them up, when can I expect my check?".
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Old 12-17-2014, 08:15 AM   #3
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I had a Rymes 500 gallon tank sit in my front yard for over 9 months.
I actually paid to have that old tank brought out front - to make it easier to see and pick up.
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Old 12-17-2014, 08:36 AM   #4
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Make a sign that says "Eastern Propane can't run properly run their business", or something like that.

Hang the sign on the tanks and make sure it's visible from the street.

Take a pic, send it to the local branch manager.

The tanks will be gone by lunch time
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Old 12-17-2014, 09:07 AM   #5
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Personally, I would send Eastern a certified letter before getting into a quagmire of selling someone else's tanks. Just my 2 cents.

More importantly, I would join the fuel club (http://www.thefuelclub.com/index.htm). For $35 membership, they have a contract with Irving where my delivery in early December was under $1.80 a gal.
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Old 12-17-2014, 10:07 AM   #6
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Default Sounds familiar

I have two 500 lbs tanks ready for Dead River to pick up three years ago! I am still waiting! meanwhile they would have to cut through the underbrush around the tanks to get to them!
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Old 12-17-2014, 11:48 AM   #7
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Sell them and keep the money. Then call Eastern and say "thanks for picking them up, when can I expect my check?".
Haha good one!!
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Old 12-17-2014, 12:55 PM   #8
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One good way that one can stop encounting this type of a problem and that is purchase your own tanks and then you can purchase your gas from any one you chose to get from without tank replacements. One thing that might happen and that is the company you chose may want to check the system for leaks and certify your system and I have not had anyone charge me for this check since I have been doing this.
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Old 12-17-2014, 02:14 PM   #9
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Default Your Own Tanks

How long have you had your tanks with this approach? Do you have to get the independently certified every 10 years or anything like that?

I'm using Amerigas and buy very little propane. Seasonal home with a stove and hot water.

Amerigas grants me the privilege of using their 2 100lb tanks for a lovely $72.00 per year rental fee. I suspect I can do a lot better buying my own 2 tanks but am wondering what other laws or requirements I would face with my own tanks.
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Old 12-17-2014, 02:37 PM   #10
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Default It's HOW you ask for tank removal...

I had a similar problem when I bought my cottage. It was being serviced by a large concern in Laconia and the seller informed me that the remaining propane was paid for and that it was now mine. I called the propane folks to transfer the account and was presented with a lengthy legal document to sign. After reading it, I decided that I wasn't about to sign-away all of my rights for three generations just to buy propane and told them so. Their response was to come out and disconnect the tanks. My response was to reconnect the tanks and continue to use-up my propane.

Once the tanks were empty, I moved them to the side of the driveway and notified the company to pick them up. [They suggested I get a truck and bring them in myself.] A year later, after repeatedly requesting the tanks' removal, I sent a simple email asking them if they were going to pick up the tanks or if they were abandoning them. If the latter, I said I would notify the authorities of the abandoned tanks and see if they wouldn't remove them for me.

The company picked-up the tanks the next day.

[BTW, I don't know what "authorities" are concerned with propane tank "dumping", but I'll bet there's at least one. ]
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Old 12-17-2014, 03:02 PM   #11
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Default Your Own Tanks

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How long have you had your tanks with this approach? Do you have to get the independently certified every 10 years or anything like that?

I'm using Amerigas and buy very little propane. Seasonal home with a stove and hot water.

Amerigas grants me the privilege of using their 2 100lb tanks for a lovely $72.00 per year rental fee. I suspect I can do a lot better buying my own 2 tanks but am wondering what other laws or requirements I would face with my own tanks.
Same situation here, stove and water heater. I ended-up buying an RV dual regulator and two 40-pound tanks. I get a couple refills at Trustworthy in Laconia or Aubuchon in Alton each year. In a pinch, a 20# grill tank works just fine. The regulator came with a neat little battery-operated remote alarm that flashes whenever one of the tanks is empty. In my case, this is about a month's warning to get a tank refilled. BTW, the tanks have the same limited lifetime as grill tanks and are supposed to be checked whenever they are refilled. However, I've found that my sheltered tanks, which are clean, rust-free and look like new, usually miss the date inspection.

Just be careful... Follow the installation directions that come with the regulator, use soapy water to check for leaks (always a good idea, regardless of how you get propane) and never use solder or a torch on, or near, gas lines. [An obvious warning, but I've seen people do it.] If you don't know what you're doing, hire a plumber.
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Old 12-17-2014, 07:40 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by feb View Post
How long have you had your tanks with this approach? Do you have to get the independently certified every 10 years or anything like that?

I'm using Amerigas and buy very little propane. Seasonal home with a stove and hot water.

Amerigas grants me the privilege of using their 2 100lb tanks for a lovely $72.00 per year rental fee. I suspect I can do a lot better buying my own 2 tanks but am wondering what other laws or requirements I would face with my own tanks.
Close to 20 years and changed companies 3 times and right now back to the first company. I use my 2 200 gallon tanks for complete house generator and only the generator. I have them come every October to fill it and last year was a great year as the bill was for only $63.28. (Mostly for weekly run time of 12 minutes each) I do have my tanks certified every 10 years which most all the gas companies do not do. I have the company that I'm using to supply the gas for doing the certifying just before filling time and so far at no charge.
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Old 12-17-2014, 08:04 PM   #13
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Feb, check out iriving for propane. I was in the same boat as you 3 years ago and Irving worked out well. No rental fees and they pressure tested system when they brought the Irving tank. So far I have been very happy with them.
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Old 12-17-2014, 10:20 PM   #14
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Feb, check out iriving for propane. I was in the same boat as you 3 years ago and Irving worked out well. No rental fees and they pressure tested system when they brought the Irving tank. So far I have been very happy with them.
Is that on a yearly residential home or seasonal home???
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Old 12-18-2014, 06:46 AM   #15
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It is on a seasonal home but the never inquired if it was seasonal or year round. The only rep from Irving that came out was the serviceman who brought the tank and did the pressure test. Very professional and nice serviceman.
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Old 12-18-2014, 09:31 AM   #16
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Default Call them once more and...

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I switched to Irving because they gave me 60 cent/gallon lower price than Eastern... and I use 2,500 gallons a year - $1,500 savings! Anyhow, Irving is very professional - schedule a date to come out and replace the tanks and do a house inspection prior to hooking up tanks. I call Eastern and they say they can't come out until Dec 1st to pickup the tanks (over a week). They don't show and don't call! I was traveling for a week and come back and the tanks are sitting in my driveway.... I call again, ohh sorry we can come out in 2 weeks.... I tell them that is unacceptable and they say we will pick them up tomorrow. Another trip and come home to find them still sitting in the driveway! Keep in mind that they are 60% full and probably over $500 in propane they owe me. I have my third call in and " they pick them up asap". I find it interesting how these companies can't handle normal operations...... I am sure others are having service issues as well.
...tell them they have two business days to pick up the tanks, or you will contact the NH Consumer Protection people to make a complaint, that you will contact the Better Business Bureau, and that you will forward all this information to as many newspapers in the area as a letter to the editor.

I don't think they will want this info going any further.
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Old 12-18-2014, 12:22 PM   #17
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...tell them they have two business days to pick up the tanks, or you will contact the NH Consumer Protection people to make a complaint, that you will contact the Better Business Bureau, and that you will forward all this information to as many newspapers in the area as a letter to the editor.

I don't think they will want this info going any further.
FWIW, in something like this I would probably NOT mention the BBB. Most businesses see them as nothing but a scam, they want you to "subscribe", and then you can get better ratings. Almost always any time the BBB comes up it's a sign of someone who is out of touch.

Posting negative reviews on Facebook/Yelp/Twitter/etc. carry far more weight than throwing a complaint into the abyss that is the BBB.
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Old 12-19-2014, 07:01 PM   #18
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DOT tanks need to be tested every 12 years, ASME tanks do not.

Most companies do not test tanks, doing gas checks or leak tests do not certify tanks.

Propane companies will not fill tanks unless you can prove the tank(s) belong to you... filling another companies tank is not done.

Some companies do not charge a rental fee as long as you use one tank per year... to set a tank which cost $500-600 and make $15 dollars per year on an account is foolish for them!

As suggested, purchase you own tank(s) then find the best price .

Placing the tank by the road and notifying them will assure a quick response.

Full 120's will weigh 700 pounds , so eat your Wheaties before you decide to move them.
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