In many parts of the country, people have natural gas piped directly into their homes for heating fuel. It can be expensive, but the convenience is wonderful. There are several other types of heating fuel as well, also expensive, and sometimes, less than convenient.
Many homes use propane from tanks outside that must be refilled and this system is especially common in rural areas. The price of propane seems to stay close to the price of gasoline, so roughly three bucks a gallon can add up quickly in cold weather.
Worse yet, if conditions are bad, such as icy roads, the gas man may not be able to make it to your home to refill your tank. It’s important to check it often to make sure it doesn’t get so low that it can become a dangerous situation in which you have no heat. It’s a lesson quickly learned after running out just once, but what’s a person to do when the price is high and there isn’t an “extra” 300-600 dollars available for propane?
Sure, some will say better planning is essential, but many who use propane tend to plan based on prior need. When winter lasts longer or is colder than expected and the purchase of propane is suddenly required later in the year than what was necessary in the past, it can leave any pocketbook in a bit of a panic.
One solution is to sign up for a plan that offers a locked-in price. It may be too late this winter, but may prove helpful next year. You can sign up when the price is low and purchase an amount of gas determined from the average used over the past few years. This way, even if you do end up buying extra propane late in the winter, you may only have to do so once, limiting the amount of high priced gas you’ll have to purchase. Check with your provider for details. Prices are usually cheaper during warmer months and specials are often run toward the end of summer, so you can get prepared before next winter’s winds begin to howl.