[ska///235i]

Im looking at a new home here in the Burlington MA area and this town is very popular with using LP. The tank is underground and Im wondering whats the Pros and Cons of LP.

I have oil/tank at my current home and during the cold months it can burn approx $300 of oil per month.

Anyone have experience?

[Mr Tonka]

yes, but i'm in FL. So i only use it for our hot water heater, gas range and poolside fire feature.

My experience probably won't help you much. I love cooking with gas rather than electric. And our hot water can be super hot without using much more energy. Seems to be efficient compared to electric hot water.

I'll likely be upgrading my tank size when i get a back up generator wired into the house. I supposed that could be another benefit for you if you chose that option.

[wdb]

We use propane for hot water (on-demand heater) and cooktop. In other words, we don't use very much at all. My experience indicates that prices can vary by a ridiculously wide amount from one supplier to another, so shop around. I think that, generally speaking, propane should be on par with or perhaps a bit less than oil in terms of total home heating cost. However that is subject to the whims of the market. I suspect that oil heat is going to be pretty cheap this coming winter, for example, whereas 3 years ago it was murder.

Our on-demand water heater uses a fraction of the energy of an electric water heater, and a fraction of the propane of a tank-style heater, so if you have one of those it will save you $$. And I agree with the Tonka man that cooking with gas is the only way to go.

[ska///235i]

Yes the new home has the tankless water heater (on demand).

I recall a friend that had LP had a $1000 bill during winter...dawm! I havent find out what the tank size is but guessing is a 500 gal tank so hopefully I can fill it up when prices are lower before the winter....my plan if I buy this house

[zx10guy]

My beach property in Delaware uses propane for heat, fireplace, and stove. Water heater is electric. The house is new construction and was built to meet Energy Star requirements. The builder even did a blower door test on the house to make sure the amount of air leakage fell in the acceptable range for an Energy Star energy efficient home.

With that said, I've been surprised by how much the propane bill has been. Obviously we don't stay out there all the time yet the bill is about as much as my primary home with natural gas heat, stove, fireplaces, and hot water heater. I think the big problem is the development worked a deal with one of the local propane cartels and they put in the underground tank. So we're locked in to using them for our propane. No shopping around allowed.

[wdb]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

I think the big problem is the development worked a deal with one of the local propane cartels and they put in the underground tank. So we're locked in to using them for our propane. No shopping around allowed.

This might be your problem. I went from paying approximately $5/gal to about $2/gal simply by changing providers.

[TomHudson]

Propane is a derivatived from natural gas and petroleum refining; therefore it's demand on cold winters can be a problem if the demand for the other two are static!

Last winter there were many customers waiting for propane deliveries, which can be nerve racking if you're heating with it!

[UncleWede]

Cabin is heated and cooked with LP, electric water (HATE worrying about whether the elements will work when we get there) Not sure how often it gets filled (pops pays for that) but it is above ground, about 200 gallons. Have never had an issue with the cabin getting warm and staying where I set it, even in the dead of winter with feet of snow on the ground and tank. The only addition I want to make is to add an outlet for the BBQ.

[FJJB]

My gut says oil and LP are comparable, although LP seems to get the nod for a modern system (i think most people putting in new or replacement systems near me these days are going with LP). I think the spot price for your fills would determine whether or not its cheaper in the same house, and the efficiency of the house will matter most.

I rented a ski cabin in Western MA for the family this year, and was consistently paying 400-600 a month in propane bills for mostly weekend use (during the week heating was left in the low 50's). But it was a drafty old farmhouse that was tough to keep warm.

At home in central NJ, I think a was paying around $100 less per month to heat a larger but somewhat more efficient home (80's construction) on the reverse schedule (heating full stop during the week but down in the 50's during the weekend).

Propane means an outside tank, whether above ground or buried vs. a basement tank for oil heat if that matters to you. My experience was also that you need fills more frequently with LP - every month or couple of weeks during the winter vs. 2-3 times a year for heating oil.

My experience anyway - your mileage may vary.

[ska///235i]

Originally Posted by FJJB

My gut says oil and LP are comparable, although LP seems to get the nod for a modern system (i think most people putting in new or replacement systems near me these days are going with LP). I think the spot price for your fills would determine whether or not its cheaper in the same house, and the efficiency of the house will matter most.

I rented a ski cabin in Western MA for the family this year, and was consistently paying 400-600 a month in propane bills for mostly weekend use (during the week heating was left in the low 50's). But it was a drafty old farmhouse that was tough to keep warm.

At home in central NJ, I think a was paying around $100 less per month to heat a larger but somewhat more efficient home (80's construction) on the reverse schedule (heating full stop during the week but down in the 50's during the weekend).

Propane means an outside tank, whether above ground or buried vs. a basement tank for oil heat if that matters to you. My experience was also that you need fills more frequently with LP - every month or couple of weeks during the winter vs. 2-3 times a year for heating oil.

My experience anyway - your mileage may vary.

This home is a new construction so I'm hoping it's very efficient can I ask you what size gal tank you have?

[FJJB]

LP tank at the rental was standard residential for central heating - 500 gallons. looks like a one person submarine.

Oil at home 550 gallons between two 275 tanks.

Most new applications seem to be LP. I tend to sweat the long term implications of burying tanks, but that is what most people do and you don't have to look at it. I wasted last weekend putting in a fence to hide the above ground propane tank for the backup generator.

[MiniXP]

Originally Posted by ska///235i

This home is a new construction so I'm hoping it's very efficient can I ask you what size gal tank you have?

It's probably pretty efficient if it's new constructions and built for propane.

Propane burns hotter than natural gas, but not as hot as oil. Propane is pretty cheap right now, but like anything else it can vary.

I don't know much about costs, but I know one of my parents house up in CT has propane and one has oil and they're thinking about switching the oil one to propane.

I live in NC now, so an electric heatpump is all I need lol.