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I'm in the process of buying a new (used) house. It was a bank forclosure. The underground propane tank has had the regulator removed and there is a tag on it that says "Propane & Propane Equipment is the property of XYZ Gas Company. To establish service, please call 123-4567."
So, does XYZ own the tank and other hardware? Do i have to re-use them or can i get a new regulator and gas from someone else? I assume that I'd have to pay for what gas is in the tank from xyz. Just wondering what my options are.
They own the tank and the gas inside... If the house went into foreclosure I wouldn't be surprised if the gas was not paid for by the previous owner. If it is an underground tank it would be easier to stay with that company. If above ground,,,,, shop around for the best deal. They will come get the old tank and your new provider will bring you a new one.
They can be either purchased or leased and the propane can be either COD or billed to an account. On a foreclosure it is probably hard to get any reciepts or lease agreements from the previous owner so if the gas company is not helpful I would make sure that the potential cost for tank and propane is reflected in the purchase price.
__________________
"Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good
of its victim may be the most oppressive." ~ C.S.Lewis
Shop for the best price you can get and go with them. If its not XYZ tell to come get their tank out of your yard. Prices here vary as much as a dollar, so its well worth shopping for the cheapest.
It's not always in your best interests to own the tank. Sure your gas is cheaper but some day it's going to need a hydrostatic test done. They are dated.
I'm not allowed to put anyone else's LP into any tanks that we have. This includes my cutting and welding gases.
__________________ 2003 Boston Whaler 255 Conquest w/ twin 200 HPDI's
I've never been a racist. I don't like the white half either.
I'm not allowed to put anyone else's LP into any tanks that we have.
Not allowed by whom? I now have NG but previously we owned a 1500 gal above ground LP tank and would just call to have it filled when we were low and would fill our own 5 gal LP tanks off of it for bbqing, fish frying, crawfish boiling,etc
__________________
"Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good
of its victim may be the most oppressive." ~ C.S.Lewis
Eastern Propane delivers the gas here in MA to 3 locations. They own the tanks at 2 of them we own the gas inside that is purchased from them. I bought the tank and paid for the install in Chatham. We can buy our gas from anyone after a year.
AE Robinson supplied my tank in Maine and I must buy my gas from them. They own the tank, I own everything else connected to or contained in it.
No other company will put any amount of gas into another company's tank.
__________________ 2003 Boston Whaler 255 Conquest w/ twin 200 HPDI's
I've never been a racist. I don't like the white half either.
No other company will put any amount of gas into another company's tank.
Even if it was purchased by you? It just surprises me because the only question that I have ever had is if I have a bill of sale. The tech said that if I had not had a bill of sale that they would not fill it because they assume it is being leased from someone and it is professional courtesy.
__________________
"Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good
of its victim may be the most oppressive." ~ C.S.Lewis
Please reread the last 2 sentences of paragraph #1
Most important is the last paragraph. If I/you/us/we own it then that does not apply. You must own the tank outright. Just because it's on your/leased/rented property does not mean that you "own" it.
Somebody owns that tank and must re-certify it when the expiration date is coming due. These numbers are stamped into the steel of the tank.
If you bought the tank and bought your gas cheaper you get to re-cert your own tank.
If you allowed the gas company to install a tank on the property but never paid for the tank they own it and would be required to reinstall a new one when the expiration date came due or re cert the present one. You would have paid more money per gallon for your gas through the years. One way or another you did not get a free tank and cheap LP.
Truthfully, it's a hydro test and I'm guessing they just swap them out. That's what they have done here. Tank life is about 20 years or so.
Not trying to be an a$$. Just clear.
__________________ 2003 Boston Whaler 255 Conquest w/ twin 200 HPDI's
I've never been a racist. I don't like the white half either.
I work for a gas company in NC, and install and sell LP gas tanks and appliances, as well as deliver LP.
#1... The gas company owns your underground tank and the pigtail and the first stage regulator (the red one at the tank). YOU own everything downstream of that, including the hard pipe or copper buried from the tank to your home. You may also own any hold down devices that are keeping the tank stable in the ground, IE, bulkheads if a mounded tank, the anode bag protecting the tank, etc.
#2...Before you go ripping the tank out of the ground and wrecking your landscaping, call around for the best price. Find the best price and then let XYZ company know what the price you found is. They may say no, we can't sell it for that. Then call the gas company that gave you the best price and tell them what XYZ said. Guarantee XYZ and the best price company will argue over the price and someone will call you back. NO gas company wants to spend 3 hours of labor ripping a perfectly good LP tank out of the ground so some other company can spend another 3 hours of labor putting another perfectly good tank back into the ground. All the gas companies know each other and swap tanks between companies all the time. It saves labor, period. So we generally switch them out after 20 years or so.
#3... You currently have an underground ASME certified propane tank buried in your yard. According to NFPA 58, NPGA, and UL recommendations, (although the local inspector can superceed this), there is no requirement for certification in LPG usage after any period of time. Yes, typical lifespan is 20-30 years with a properly installed anode bag, but many of the tanks we bury down here have lasted longer then 30 years. What happens is the steel actually absorbes the odorant (mercaptan) and then your ventfree firelogs stink when you burn them because the mercaptan never completely burns. Smells like you got a gas leak when the fireplace is on. There is a Data plate under the dome of the tank which shows when the tank was manufactured. It's pretty close to when it was installed. It should say Trinity, Manchester, United or a few other manufacturers. It'll also have the serial number and capacity labeled and the working pressure.
Hope this helps and I caught you in time before you went ripping up the lawn with heavy equipment.
Chris:
Not to derail the thread, but a quick question.
I intend to install a dual fuel stove (standard 45 burner 30"). What would be an adequate tank size?
Chris:
Not to derail the thread, but a quick question.
I intend to install a dual fuel stove (standard 45 burner 30"). What would be an adequate tank size?
That is what i have now. I have a Jenn-Aire... gas burners with a dual electric oven. A small one up top and a larger one below. It is an awesome stove.
Anyway, the tank i have is about 5' tall and maybe 16" in diameter. Not sure what the named size is.
Again, thanks for the replies. I'm going to just get the original gas company to come out and hook me up for the winter. Maybe next summer I'll re-visit getting a new provider. Unfortunately, the gas is for one of those old Lennox Pulse furnaces... so I'm probably going to be ripping that out fairly soon. I also am the proud owner of an Electric boiler for hot water base board heat. So, i have forced air and hot water. Both of those systems suck. AC is shot too. Next summer, as long as i can afford it, I'm probably going to have everything replaced. I'm thinking heat pump and a boiler. If i do get a real boiler... i might be switching over to oil. I dont know if they make a propane boiler.
Lots of options for LP boilers. The last house we had up north I sold to a guy who was a provider of LP down your way. In that house was the duel fuel Jenn Aire. We also liked that arrangement. Our tank was a 100 gallon but I replaced my electric hot water to LP. Smartest thing I did in that house other than to sell it.
__________________ 2003 Boston Whaler 255 Conquest w/ twin 200 HPDI's
I've never been a racist. I don't like the white half either.
I purchased and installed my own 1000 gallon propane tank. The propane company installed the anodes. Inspections were handled through the Township.
I buy my propane from any propane company that I want. They just ask for the bill of sale showing that I own the tank. It was the best move I made ten years ago because I save over a $1.00 a gallon. The initial cost of the tank was approx $2,000.00.
When I was making the decision to own or rent the local Agway propane company said if it was mine I would buy it outright. When the propane company owns the tank you are their hostage. I covered the cost of the system in the first two years.
My house (I'm the third owner) in Maryland came with a propane tank, and I thought I was stuck with the original company. So I called them and they said that, yes, after 5 years, I owned the tank and all, and just to call them if I wanted to change dealers. They suggsted that I first check that the new special price for switching was not just a come-on. Sure. Apparently, they try to stick all purchasers with a 5-year contract (?) so I intend to switch propane vendors before I sell the place. Shit, the place was built in '98, and I'm the FIRST owner who can dump these people? I don't understand how they can even get away with this crap. I'm switching pretty soon, once I can firm up the price.
In NJ, I can buy heating oil at spot prices; why shouldn't I be able to buy propane the same way?
You will save enough over the life of an inground tank to pay for itself many times over. I bought a house from fannie mae years ago, and told the gas company to sell me the tank or come dig it up. They settled for $500 bucks.
Propane tank & equipment, does gas company own? 
