Home Propane: All You Need to Know
Mar 10, 2025
Buying a house with propane can be a great choice for efficient and reliable home heating. Here are some important things to know:
Understand Propane Usage: Propane can be used for heating, cooking, water heating, and even powering appliances like stoves, dryers, and fridges. It's a versatile fuel that can provide consistent and efficient energy for your home. Do an inventory of all your appliances to try and determine if they are powered by propane. They will have some sort of piping connected to them and often use a small amount of electricity, as well.
Tank Ownership: Determine whether the propane tank is owned or leased. If it's leased, you'll need to transfer the lease to your name. If it's owned, ensure the tank is included in the property sale. To help determine this, you should look for any sort of stickers or decals attached to the tank. Often the tank lids will be painted a specific color to assist propane companies with identifying ownership. If your unsure, give us a call with any information you have, and we can help identify ownership.
Tank Size and Location: Check the size of the propane tank and whether it's above or below ground. There should be a silver tag near, or under, the tank lid that will tell you the gallon capacity and year the tank was manufactured. Propane tanks with proper maintenance can last well over 100 years with proper painting and cleaning.
Maintenance Records: Ask for maintenance records of the propane tank and system. Regular maintenance is crucial for safety and efficiency. Most importantly, you'll want to ensure that your system within your house has only been worked on by certified professionals. Very few items on a propane system have an expiration date, but a few important components do. For one: regulators — they should have date codes you can read, and if unsure, we would be happy to take a look or replace them when we start service at your residence.
Safety Considerations: Propane has a distinct smell, similar to rotten eggs, which helps homeowners detect leaks. If you smell propane, turn off the supply, avoid open flames or electrical switches, and contact your propane supplier immediately. If you are unsure what propane smells like, ask any of our employees the next time they are out. They will release a small amount of gas from your tank outside to allow you to smell it. It is very distinct; you wont forget!
Cost and Efficiency: Propane can be a cost-effective energy source, especially if you find a reputable supplier with competitive rates. Ordering propane during the summer months can help you take advantage of off-season pricing. Like most energy sources, you always have the option to contract your gas or ride the market movements. We always recommend that you do some sort of price protection for the next season over the summer to ensure you're not surprised by rapid market movements during peak demand time. Think about buying gasoline over big travel weekends: it's almost always higher due to rapid demand change. The same thing happens when there are large cold snaps with the propane market.
Buy Local: Propane companies come in all sizes and service levels. Most of the largest propane companies are owned by Wall Street investors and serviced from out of state, or even out of country. We always recommend choosing a supplier that is part of your community. 1st Choice Energy Services has been owned and operated by over 5,000 of your neighbors for nearly 100 years and is a staple business in several rural communities but is still large enough to ensure you will receive the gas when you need it and has protected supply points throughout the region. Shortages are rare but its important to use a propane company with enough power in the region to secure gallons when times get tough.
Whether you're buying a home or planning to build, let us be your 1st Choice for propane in Ohio! Give us a call with any questions today.
Understand Propane Usage: Propane can be used for heating, cooking, water heating, and even powering appliances like stoves, dryers, and fridges. It's a versatile fuel that can provide consistent and efficient energy for your home. Do an inventory of all your appliances to try and determine if they are powered by propane. They will have some sort of piping connected to them and often use a small amount of electricity, as well.
Tank Ownership: Determine whether the propane tank is owned or leased. If it's leased, you'll need to transfer the lease to your name. If it's owned, ensure the tank is included in the property sale. To help determine this, you should look for any sort of stickers or decals attached to the tank. Often the tank lids will be painted a specific color to assist propane companies with identifying ownership. If your unsure, give us a call with any information you have, and we can help identify ownership.
Tank Size and Location: Check the size of the propane tank and whether it's above or below ground. There should be a silver tag near, or under, the tank lid that will tell you the gallon capacity and year the tank was manufactured. Propane tanks with proper maintenance can last well over 100 years with proper painting and cleaning.
Maintenance Records: Ask for maintenance records of the propane tank and system. Regular maintenance is crucial for safety and efficiency. Most importantly, you'll want to ensure that your system within your house has only been worked on by certified professionals. Very few items on a propane system have an expiration date, but a few important components do. For one: regulators — they should have date codes you can read, and if unsure, we would be happy to take a look or replace them when we start service at your residence.
Safety Considerations: Propane has a distinct smell, similar to rotten eggs, which helps homeowners detect leaks. If you smell propane, turn off the supply, avoid open flames or electrical switches, and contact your propane supplier immediately. If you are unsure what propane smells like, ask any of our employees the next time they are out. They will release a small amount of gas from your tank outside to allow you to smell it. It is very distinct; you wont forget!
Cost and Efficiency: Propane can be a cost-effective energy source, especially if you find a reputable supplier with competitive rates. Ordering propane during the summer months can help you take advantage of off-season pricing. Like most energy sources, you always have the option to contract your gas or ride the market movements. We always recommend that you do some sort of price protection for the next season over the summer to ensure you're not surprised by rapid market movements during peak demand time. Think about buying gasoline over big travel weekends: it's almost always higher due to rapid demand change. The same thing happens when there are large cold snaps with the propane market.
Buy Local: Propane companies come in all sizes and service levels. Most of the largest propane companies are owned by Wall Street investors and serviced from out of state, or even out of country. We always recommend choosing a supplier that is part of your community. 1st Choice Energy Services has been owned and operated by over 5,000 of your neighbors for nearly 100 years and is a staple business in several rural communities but is still large enough to ensure you will receive the gas when you need it and has protected supply points throughout the region. Shortages are rare but its important to use a propane company with enough power in the region to secure gallons when times get tough.
Whether you're buying a home or planning to build, let us be your 1st Choice for propane in Ohio! Give us a call with any questions today.