There’s a reason why the global propane market size was estimated at 195.3 million tons. Millions of people rely on energy sources — from residents to businesses and industries.
This is particularly true for people living in more remote areas, outside of traditional energy infrastructures. If you fall into this category, then you may be wondering how to choose between the various propane suppliers in your area. Finding a reliable company certainly isn’t easy. Luckily, in this article, we’ll give you all the tips you need to know. Let’s get started!
How to Choose the Best Propane Suppliers: Ask These Questions
If you live outside of conventional energy infrastructure, then there’s no reason to despair. There’s a lot to like about using propane to heat your home or business. For one thing, it burns much cleaner than other types of energy sources. It’s also safer than natural gas and more energy-efficient than electricity.
The only problem is that you need to find a supplier yourself. The best thing to do is to call up the companies near you and ask them these six questions. If they answer yes to all these inquiries, then it’s a good sign that they’re a reliable company.
1. Do You Operate Within My Area?
The first thing you should ask is if your home or business is within the operation area of the company. This should help rule out a bunch of viable options right off the bat.
Ideally, you want a moderately sized company that works mainly within one to two states. Be wary of larger companies with huge areas of operations. You might think more coverage is better, but this just means you’ll get less personalized attention.
2. Do You Offer Automatic Delivery?
No one likes having to constantly check and monitor their propane supply. That’s what makes automatic deliveries so great. With this feature, your propane company will monitor your fuel levels.
Then, when you’re running low, they’ll send someone out to refill. Most people prefer this type of method since it takes out the stress of daily monitoring. However, if you prefer monitoring the levels yourself, then the company should be able to accommodate this. In these instances, you order the delivery when you need it.
3. Do You Provide Different Size Propane Tanks?
Ideally, the company will provide a variety of propane tank sizes that you can lease from them. However, some companies require you to supply a tank yourself. The one benefit of this is you can get a used model to save a little money. But how do you know what size propane tank your home needs?
It’s important to factor in the size of your home and the number of appliances that use propane. Most homes won’t need anything larger than a one hundred pounds or one hundred gallon tank. These sites are convenient because they don’t need to be buried. However, larger homes may require larger underground tanks. In the 500 to 1,000-gallon size range.
4. Do You Install the Tank?
Installing a propane tank on your own can be a real hassle. This is especially true if you have a larger tank that you need to bury. As such, your propane supplier should offer installation services for new customers. Ideally, the installation will be free since they’re gaining a new customer.
5. Do You Provide Other Types of HVAC Services?
Since your propane will likely supply energy to your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning appliance, it makes sense that your company should also offer these services. In many cases, the problems that arise with the appliances are linked to the propane source. For example, propane-powered fireplaces require a lot of maintenance or they can leak.
As such, a propane company that offers HVAC services can simplify the process greatly. Why? Because you don’t need to communicate with multiple companies to fix a potential problem.
6. Do You Offer Flexible Payment Plans?
Propane costs a lot more during the colder months than the summer months. Unfortunately, this means that households struggling financially from month to month can be hit with a large bill in the winter.
As such, you should ask the propane supplier if they offer any sort of budget plan. These types of plans spread your propane costs into even monthly payments. That way, you aren’t hit with an unexpectedly large bill.
What’s the Most Important Sign of a Good Propane Supplier?
Ultimately, the most important sign of a good propane supplier is that they care about you. This means that they put your safety first. The best propane suppliers do this by sending their best technicians who won’t make simple mistakes. After all, these simple mistakes can potentially cause massive amounts of damage.
If there is a problem, then the supplier should offer a twenty-four-hour emergency service for dealing with it. No one wants to be just another number on a list. As such, it’s important that your propane company treats you with respect and develops a personal relationship with you. Otherwise, you’re just a replaceable customer to them.
Do You Live in the PA or DE? Get in Touch With Kauffman Gas
We hope this article will help you find the best propane suppliers in your area. If you want to skip the annoying step of calling a bunch of companies, then look no further than Kauffman. We’re a propane and HVAC maintenance company that services Chester County, Delaware County, Lancaster County, and Northern Delaware County.
Not only does our company answer yes to all the questions, but we also provide extraordinary customer service. That’s because we’ve been in the business for seventy-five years. As such, we know a thing or two about keeping our customers happy and comfortable. So what are you waiting for? Contact us today and let us take care of you.