Dear Friends,
There is no doubt about it; last winter proved to be a big challenge. First, we all had to deal with cold temperatures and snowstorms. Things got even worse by midwinter when propane prices really went up. During that time, we at Parker Gas did our best to minimize the pain for our customers by making short-fill deliveries until prices leveled off and began to drop.
While we cannot control all of the factors that affect propane supply and pricing, we have taken significant steps to ensure that you do not suffer when outside forces line up against us.
As a Parker Gas customer, you benefit from the fact that we have multiple supplier relationships and that we receive our fuel by different modes of transportation, including railcars and tanker trucks. We also operate our own fuel storage facility (see related article at right).
Of course we cannot predict the future, but we can tell you this: No matter what happens this winter, we will do everything in our power to keep you warm and safe, and maintain a dependable supply of propane for you at a fair price. It’s our way of making sure you’ll feel comfortable with us!
Warmly,
David Parker and Daren Parker
Congratulations to Larry W. Alger and Teri Connelly Arce, who each won a vacuum-cleaning iRobot Roomba® 880 in our spring contest!
What would you do with a $1,500 gift card that could be used however makes you happy? There’s only one way to find out. Enter our latest contest for your chance to win!
Read this newsletter, then go to our contest page at www.parkergas.com/contest.
All entries received by January 15, 2015, with the correct answers will be entered into a drawing for the $1,500 gift card. You can also enter the contest by calling us.
No purchase necessary. A purchase will not improve chance of winning. Visit www.parkergas.com/contest for details.
Because of the extreme cold last winter, everyone used more propane than usual. Fortunately, Parker Gas had the resources to meet these challenges.
Our customers didn’t have to worry about us running out of fuel because we own and operate bulk storage facilities, with the capacity to store over 500,000 gallons of propane at any given time.
We also have a full fl eet of trucks, so we can make immediate deliveries and get to everyone, no matter how heavy the volume of calls.
As the weather keeps getting colder, remember that your friends at Parker Gas are here for you, with the resources and experience to care for you no matter what this winter brings. Call us anytime you need our help.
You’re important to us!
It’s always tempting to save a few bucks by doing as many home repairs as possible. However, your home repair list should never include doing work on any gas appliance. That’s true whether it’s a stove, a dryer, a water heater or a furnace. Those are jobs that should always be left to a professional!
Every year, a few explosions occur because nonprofessionals tried to make repairs on gas appliances in their homes.
Please! Do not under any circumstances try to modify or repair valves, regulators, connectors, controls or other appliance and cylinder/tank parts. An improperly connected tank or appliance can cause a gas leak. If you want to move your tank, leave that to us.
As you can guess, gas appliances are complicated. That’s why we invest a great deal of time and money on training our technicians—to be sure they are prepared to diagnose and fix virtually any type of propane appliance in your home.
So if your gas appliance needs a repair, the only “tool” you should pick up is the phone. One of our certified and highly trained technicians will come to your home, size up the situation and get your appliance safely repaired.
And if you plan to add more propane appliances to your home, please call us so our experts can ensure that your new equipment is installed properly.
If you smell gas, don’t take any chances. After only the quickest glance at the on/off knobs on your stove (to see if that’s the source of the problem), open a window or two as you quickly exit the house with your family.
Do not smoke or operate lights, appliances, telephones or cell phones.
Go to a safe location where you can report the problem to us.
You should also call 911 to report the leak.
Most cases of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning occur during the flu season, which typically begins in the fall. Because many CO poisoning symptoms mimic the flu—fatigue, dizziness, nausea—most people initially don’t recognize the danger of the situation.
That’s why it’s important to have carbon monoxide detectors in your home—especially in your bedrooms. If the detector sounds an alarm, ventilate the home with fresh air right away. If you feel dizzy or drowsy, leave the house immediately.
Identifying carbon monoxide leaks can sometimes be complex because there are various causes, including:
All of these situations could set off a CO detector, but conditions can change by the time a technician arrives, which makes a diagnosis difficult. Help us by sharing as much information as possible so the source of the problem can be identified correctly.
When you own a home, it’s up to you to maintain it and cover the cost of repairs. If you own your propane tank, it’s much the same.
That’s why most customers choose to get their tank from us. Parker Gas provides the tanks for 9 out of 10 of our customers. And we only charge a lease fee for customers who don’t meet our minimum usage requirements.
If you have any questions about your tank, please feel free to call us.
There’s nothing like a fireplace to add a cozy touch over the holidays — and all winter long. A propane fireplace can warm a room, offering all the charm of a wood-burning fireplace but without the mess and maintenance.
We have a complete line of fireplaces, as well as inserts to convert a wood-burning fireplace to a gas hearth. Stop by and visit our showroom in any of our locations to see our great selection of styles to suit any decor, from traditional models to sleek contemporary options.
Call to learn more and to request a free estimate on a new propane fireplace.
Do you have a Facebook page? We’re excited to have just launched our page too! Join us for a chance to win an iPad mini. Entering is so easy:
A winner will be randomly selected from all the posts once we reach the milestone of 250 page “likes.”
A: You don’t have to call us, because we know when to deliver your propane. Our computer system monitors your fuel-use patterns and tracks outdoor temperatures. We schedule your delivery when your estimated fuel level reaches 25%. This provides enough reserve to make sure we get you more gas in plenty of time.
A: We stand by our delivery system. In the cases when people have run out of fuel, we’ve found that it’s because they either needed a larger tank or they added propane appliances without telling us. (We need to calculate the extra fuel you will use when you add a new appliance.) Please notify us if you have added more appliances in your home.
A: No, you pay less! We give all of our automatic delivery customers a 10¢-per-gallon discount.