Buy or rent propane tank?

[Jdarby]

I purchased our own tanks for our generator. I heard horror stories about propane companies procrastinating about removing their tanks when you want to swap vendors. A new vendor won’t service another company’s tank so you can be held hostage by the supplier until they get around to removing their tank. I just had to show proof of ownership to our supplier when we got it filled the first time.


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[DougNH]

We have Eastern propane, 500-gallon tank. It is used for cooking, garage heater, and two gas fireplaces, also soon to be whole house gen, which is why we original installed the larger tank.

It has been in the ground about 5 years and we receive a $280/yr rental fee as we do not use a full tank every year, which is waved if you use at least the full tank. So, getting tired of paying this fee I asked to buy it last month, figuring I would get some kind of discount seeing it is 5 years old… no. They want $3274 for the tank, I thought this was a bit much.

[tis]

Originally Posted by DougNH

We have Eastern propane, 500-gallon tank. It is used for cooking, garage heater, and two gas fireplaces, also soon to be whole house gen, which is why we original installed the larger tank.

It has been in the ground about 5 years and we receive a $280/yr rental fee as we do not use a full tank every year, which is waved if you use at least the full tank. So, getting tired of paying this fee I asked to buy it last month, figuring I would get some kind of discount seeing it is 5 years old… no. They want $3274 for the tank, I thought this was a bit much.

Everybody has been complaining about this charge from Eastern since Wolfeboro Oil sold.

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by DougNH

We have Eastern propane, 500-gallon tank. It is used for cooking, garage heater, and two gas fireplaces, also soon to be whole house gen, which is why we original installed the larger tank.

It has been in the ground about 5 years and we receive a $280/yr rental fee as we do not use a full tank every year, which is waved if you use at least the full tank. So, getting tired of paying this fee I asked to buy it last month, figuring I would get some kind of discount seeing it is 5 years old… no. They want $3274 for the tank, I thought this was a bit much.

Once their tank is in the ground on your property good luck...Proulx in Newmarket wanted a few grand to sell me a 120 gallon buried tank that had been in the ground for 15+ years at a home we purchased, after we had been complaining about the horrible pricing. We were small volume users but were getting hosed. I finally told them to come dig it up and remove it, but warned them that they would have to cross my septic tank and new patio/walkway to get to it, and if anything was damaged they would hear from my lawyer. After a bit of back and forth they gave me a great rate going forward.

At another home we purchased a 320 gallon tank in order to be able to buy where we wanted. I think it was $2500, but it didn't take long to offset that and start saving.

We will be adding a 1000 gallon tank at our new home in Gilford. We will probably look to buy it. Our driveway is steep and we want enough on hand so that we can fill in the fall and not have to worry about it. We will be running a range, generator and possibly some heat. Probably overkill on size, but that the way I tend to roll.

[swnoel]

Originally Posted by Jdarby

I purchased our own tanks for our generator. I heard horror stories about propane companies procrastinating about removing their tanks when you want to swap vendors. A new vendor won’t service another company’s tank so you can be held hostage by the supplier until they get around to removing their tank. I just had to show proof of ownership to our supplier when we got it filled the first time.


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

I've removed hundreds of tanks in the past when people switched to the company I worked for. There never was any issue.

[Jdarby]

Originally Posted by swnoel

I've removed hundreds of tanks in the past when people switched to the company I worked for. There never was any issue.

So you removed another company’s tanks when the customer switched to your company??? What did you do with the tanks since they weren’t yours nor the customers property??? Just curious.


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[swnoel]

Originally Posted by Jdarby

So you removed another company’s tanks when the customer switched to your company??? What did you do with the tanks since they weren’t yours nor the customers property??? Just curious.


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

You move them to the side and set your own.

[LikeLakes]

Own or rent - we chose to own, I like the flexibility. It was expensive and they are even more so now, but it would be my preference.

Tank size - I would stay with your idea of going with 1000 gallons. Think ice storm, hurricane, whatever ... something that disrupts supply for a while can get suppliers backed up on deliveries, or short on supply. Having that cushion of extra fuel gives peace of mind. You'll likely have to buy, Rymes in particular won't upsize your tank and probably won't let you buy one to start with. Eastern might be more user friendly in meeting your tank desires.

[TiltonBB]

There would be a considerable savings over time to owning your own 1,000 gallon tank.

I installed three 330 gallon oil tanks at a house I owned for 25 years. I would call local oil companies in July for prices and fill them then. Most years I needed another 100 gallons or so in the spring to last until July, when it was time to fill them again.

I avoided the winter increase in fuel prices that seems to happen every year and got some great pricing because of the volume in one delivery.