Things You Need to Know About Propane Gas Distributors Today

Switching propane gas distributors can be a daunting process, especially with the sheer number of dealers and suppliers vying for your business. This is why it pays to know the right questions to ask so you can be better informed about the propane gas dealers at your disposal and choose the right company to provide the best services to suit your needs.

A good question to ask your prospect propane gas distributors would be what kinds of services besides propane deliver they can provide. While you could probably make do with a supplier that can simply fill your tank up on a monthly basis and send you the bill for the service, it pays to choose a company that can provide you a much wider scope of services to help maintain the safety, reliability, and quality of your propane system. Choose a company that can help you with and through emergency situations and provides you good maintenance services to avoid the same. Many propane gas distributors offer additional services like emergency delivery, appliance tune-ups, gas line checks, installations, tank replacements, and more.

Assess your personal needs and choose a provider that can help you with all your propane service requirements. Never sign with a propane company that doesn’t cover every service you require and has very rigid restrictions when it comes to seeking the same services from another supplier.

Another important consideration when choosing a propane distributor is the propane pricing they follow. Many propane gas distributors offer very flexible pricing and payment programs that accommodate the regular rise and fall of propane prices in the market. Does your prospect provider offer fixed monthly payments? Do they have advance purchase programs? What types and size of tanks can they serve? Companies that offer flexible budget plans and payment programs allow customers to better plan for their propane expenses.

What is Propane Gas and What are its Uses?

Propane is a versatile alternative fuel source that offers a wide range of uses and applications. This colorless, odorless gas produced from the refinement process of natural gas and petroleum fuel, resulting in an alternative fuel and energy source that has much less carbon content, which means fewer greenhouse emissions and more eco-friendly use. Consumers who buy propane gas find many practical uses for this alternative fuel including but not limited to:

                                      

•  Home or space heating – Residential customers as well as commercial/industrial business owners choose propane as an economical alternative for home and space heating. Some of the greatest advantages of using propane as an alternative fuel source for space heating include less expensive installation and cheaper running costs. Propane also makes for a more energy efficient fuel source that can be used for powering a wide range of appliances, including radiant floor heaters, and general HVAC applications.

• Cooking – many professional and residential cooks choose propane as cooking fuel because of its heating efficiency and its ability to cook food faster, while leaving no effect on food’s taste.

• Water heating – Many tankless water systems use propane as a fuel source. Homeowners that buy propane gas for their water heating system report huge savings on their fuel consumption and gas bill since their switch to propane.

• Daily home use – There are also numerous home appliances that make use of propane gas for power. Some of the most common home appliances that benefit from the low-cost and energy efficiency advantages of propane include fireplaces, clothes dryers, grills, outdoor lighting, pool heaters, and many other household devices.

•  Generators – Emergency power systems or generators are also among the most common devices that make use of propane gas. Propane powered generators are also much preferred because of their reliability and efficiency during emergency situations.

Must Know Things About Propane Regulators

Propane gas regulators are among the most important components of an LPG system. Their main purpose is to control gas flow and pressure from the storage tank unit to the devices or appliances within the gas system. A propane regulator also serves as a critical safety barrier between the high-pressure environment of the propane storage tank and the end-use appliance. Because of its crucial role in the propane gas system, LPG gas suppliers refer to the propane regulator as the heart of a propane gas system.

The propane regulator likewise compensates for the pressure differences within the tank in order to allow a steady flow of the needed pressure to the appliances they are supplying gas to. Because not every application is similar in pressure requirement, regulators are required to meet the high or low-pressure needs of devices. There are different types of propane gas regulators that you can purchase from LPG gas suppliers. While the general purpose of gas regulators is the same, various applications also require different kinds of regulators, hence the difference in type and design of devices that can be installed in your system. As a matter of fact, a single propane system can make use of multiple regulators to increase efficiency in fuel supply. Some of the most common types of regulators you will see in the market include first stage regulators, second stage regulators, high-pressure regulators, integral two-stage regulators, automatic changeover regulators, and adjustable high-pressure regulators.

Propane regulators, like any other part of your LPG system, require protection and regular maintenance. For the most part, this means keeping the device covered and making sure that it is free from damage caused by the elements and even some insects that tend to nest around different parts of a propane system. Their internal moving parts are also prone to regular wear and tear, which means maintenance is required to prevent the system from malfunctioning. LPG gas suppliers know exactly when your propane regulator requires maintenance or replacement, which is why regular servicing is also needed to ensure the optimum performance of your system.

Some Essential Safety Tips for Using LPG Gas at Home

When using home heating propane, remember that safety begins with you. Propane and the appliances running on LPG may be approved and acknowledged as safe, but you still need to be responsible and do your part in ensuring that they will not cause any accidents or fatal issues in your household. Here are some important safety tips for using liquefied petroleum gas at home:

• Be careful when buying from LPG gas suppliers – Purchase home heating propane only from credible and established companies that have a good track record in providing high-quality products and services in your area. They must be authorized to sell in your area.
  
  
• Make sure the product is safe - If you are buying an LPG cylinder, you need to check for an intact safety cap and the company seal. See if it has been tested. LPG gas suppliers must indicate the test’s due date and the last time it has been conducted. If it is past the date, reject the product.

• Cook safely with LPG – Never put plastic or flammable items near the flame, and never leave the cooking unattended, as the vessel could overflow, extinguish the burner, and cause a gas leak. After cooking, remember to switch off the regulator knob.

• Keep emergency numbers within easy reach – List down the numbers of the LPG supplier and the fire department or save them in your mobile phone in case of an emergency, like a leak or the presence of carbon monoxide.

• Know the smell of the gas – Home heating propane is colorless and odorless, but manufacturers add a distinctive smell, usually that of a rotten egg or sulfur, so you can easily tell if there is a leak.

• Install carbon monoxide & smoke detectors – They will go off if there is any trouble. Just make sure they’re checked periodically for function and batteries, and that they’re installed near heating and cooking devices or wherever LPG is used.

Heating Your Home with Propane Fuel is a Better Option

One of the most energy-efficient sources of power, propane makes an excellent and economical fuel option in homes. As a matter of fact, Americans use at least 18 billion gallons of LPG each year to heat their homes, cook their food, dry their clothes, heat their water, and run their vehicles safely and efficiently. Below are even more reasons why you should buy propane to heat your home:

• Propane is a readily available fuel choice. Propane companies abound locally mainly because propane is easy to produce from all-natural components. At least 90% of all propane used in the US is produced locally, which makes propane easily accessible everywhere. Propane can likewise be stored in liquid form, making it easy to transport virtually anywhere in the country, especially in areas that are beyond the reach of local natural gas depots.

• Apart from propane’s abundance, people also choose to buy propane because the fuel is easy to store and use. Propane companies can deliver propane directly to your home and refill your on-site tank or exchange your used-up tank for a freshly filled cylinder. These storage tanks are also environmentally friendly and require minimal maintenance, lasting up to 40 years when used properly.

• In terms of environment-friendliness, propane has been recognized as one of the cleanest-burning fuels, approved and listed in the National Energy Policy Act of 1992 as well as the Clean Air Act of 1990. It is an insoluble, non-toxic substance that doesn’t pool, spill, or leaves contaminating residue. In fact, the exhaust that propane emits creates up to 60 to 70% less hydrocarbons than that of gasoline. Propane is, therefore, among the safest alternative fuels to use at home, not to mention being the cheapest to use and maintain, thanks to its abundance and reliability.

Ways to Cut Down on Your Heating Bill with Propane Gas

It makes sense to choose propane if you are looking for an efficient, reliable, and safe alternative to electricity and other fuels for your appliances and vehicles. Propane for forklifts is found to be effective in reducing fuel and maintenance costs, while increasing productivity in the workplace. When used at home, residential propane gas is capable of providing the same cost savings, but this time, for heating, cooking, and drying clothes. Check out these tips on how you can reduce your heating bill with LPG.

• Choose a dependable supplier – Look for a leading provider of propane gas services to businesses and homes in your area, and make sure it is an established business that has an excellent rating with the BBB (Better Business Bureau). Seasoned suppliers can tailor a fuel package that will ensure cost-effective supply of propane for forklifts or for residential use every month and every year.

• Explore payment plans – Choose a level monthly payment plan for residential propane gas, so it will adjust the payments each month according to the prices of LPG and your actual usage. That way, you can avoid high gas delivery fees. The monthly payments will be applied to your account balance. If you need propane for forklifts, make sure that the supplier offers a cost-effective payment plan with a ‘never-run-out’ guarantee.
  
  
• Choose the right appliances – Consult with the LPG service provider for advice on choosing appliances that run on propane. That way, you can be sure that you are upgrading your devices to only those that are energy and fuel efficient in the long run. High-quality appliances that run on residential propane gas should last for at least two decades, too, and they will require minimal maintenance and cheaper servicing.

• Turn down your thermostat – Heaters and boilers that run on propane have a thermostat, which you can turn down during the day or while you are away to reduce your energy bills. In fact, you could save around one percent on heating bills for every degree that you turn it down in the winter. If you are cold, consider layering warmer clothing.

How to Get the Best Price for Propane Gas

Propane is an exceptional energy source. However, propane prices, like other fossil fuel rates can be volatile. If you rely on propane gas for most of your home heating and energy generation requirements, choosing the right propane dealers to partner with your propane gas needs is crucial to maximizing your budget and saving money on your regular consumption. A good way to start is studying price trends so you can schedule when to buy propane gas and avoid seasons when prices tend to soar high.

One of the main things you should know about propane prices is that they are hugely affected by overall fuel and crude oil market trends. Although propane rates do behave quite differently than oil and gasoline, they are usually affected by many of the same factors, especially since propane is produced from natural gas manufacturing and crude oil refining processes. By watching market trends and supply and demand in these areas, you can determine how much the price to buy propane gas will be affected during a particular time.

Propane dealers can also be great keys to getting the best prices for propane gas. Not only they offer great deals on pricing plans—they can likewise tailor programs to fit your budget and even help you save on your bill by providing payment schemes that help you work around propane price hikes. For instance, some dealers will charge a small fee for a capped rate, which allow you to get your propane supply for a fixed price, regardless of current fuel price movements. Others will even let you get your fill for less in times when fuel prices are a lot better than your capped rate. Propane dealers are also big on discounts, which help them cultivate customer loyalty, and allow customers to save much on their fuel consumption.