Dear Friends,
We hear it all the time from our customers. They tell us how much they appreciate doing business with a family-owned and operated local business like us.
Our customers like seeing the familiar faces of our technicians and drivers who visit their home during normal business hours. And they also know they can count on seeing them again if they have to call us for emergency service.
So we can imagine what a letdown it must be when a large corporation swallows up another local propane company. Its customers feel a sense of loss, especially when it comes to that personal quality of service.
That’s why we are extremely proud of our long history of providing excellent service with a personal touch, and our team is continuously on the lookout for new ways to enhance the value we provide to our loyal customers.
So, please don’t just consider us your propane and service company. We consider you part of our extended family and we treat you that way. We want you to know we are always here for you.
Enjoy the warm weather and let us know if there’s anything we can do to make your life a little more comfortable this season.
Warmly,
David Parker
Daren Parker
Sit back, relax and watch your grass-cutting chores performed by the pre‑programmed Landroid robotic lawn mower. Read this newsletter and answer the questions by going to our contest page. All entries received by 6/28/19 with the correct answers will be entered into a drawing.
The Landroid uses a shock sensor system to mow around obstacles and automatically returns to its base for charging or in case of rain.
No purchase necessary. A purchase will not increase chance of winning. See contest page for details.
Q: How can I tell when it’s time to replace my water heater?
A: The last thing you want to see is a flood in your home because your water heater started to leak. Here are five signs that it may be time to replace your water heater:
Old age: The life expectancy of a water heater ranges from 7 to 13 years.
Higher bills: Your water heater may no longer be doing its job efficiently.
Rusty water: This usually means that the inside of your water heater tank is corroding.
Water stains: White stains on your glassware are a common sign of hard (mineral-containing) water in your tank. Those minerals reduce efficiency and shorten the life span of your water heater.
Unusual noises: Growling or gurgling noises coming from your water storage tank are usually a sure sign of sediment buildup — a problem that eventually requires the replacement of your water heater.
If you want to replace your water heater, call us or contact us through our website. Right now you can save up to $400 on a propane tankless water heater.
Propane can power just about any appliance inside your home — and outside too! Just when you think you’ve seen it all, you just may find something else that propane can do.
To give you a better idea about how “propane can do that,” take a look at some of your options for taking propane outdoors.
Grilling: Nothing beats the clean-burning precision of a propane gas grill. Whether you cook on a simple portable model or a high-tech built-in grill, you’ll get the same even-cooking performance, time after time, with no starter-fluid smell, dangerous chemicals, or mess.
Fire bowls: Many models have ignition systems that can be turned on and off with a smartphone or tablet. And unlike with wood fire pits, there’s no mess to clean up.
Lighting: Propane-powered outdoor lights can burn for just pennies per hour, and they can be matched to almost any outdoor décor.
Outdoor heaters: With freestanding or wall-mounted models available, you’re sure to find a propane patio heater that meets your needs and budget — and one that will work even if the power goes out.
Outdoor water heating: Enjoy a swim throughout the season by investing in a propane pool heater, which will heat your pool water quickly and efficiently — and far more effectively than an electric model.
Here are a few tips to help you cope with any extreme weather this summer.
People like heating their home and water with propane because they know they will have a reliable supply of propane on hand whenever they need it. Having a propane tank on their property gives them the ability to safely store a plentiful supply that’s always ready for immediate use.
Natural gas customers don’t enjoy the same type of security, as recent events have shown. This past winter in the Midwest, the combination of brutal cold and a fire at a compressor station resulted in the gas utilities pleading with customers to turn down their thermostats to prevent a serious natural gas shortage.*
Propane has a distinct edge over natural gas because of the way it’s processed and transported. After propane gets compressed into a liquid, all of this liquid petroleum gas (LPG) gets stored inside large tanks until it’s delivered to the on-site supply tank at a home or business.
Compare that to the delivery system of natural gas. If an underground natural gas pipeline gets damaged — or other problems occur — hundreds and even thousands of customers may lose their supply until repairs get done.
*Source: Detroit Free Press 1/30/19.
How many ways are you using propane at home?
Heat your home: propane-fired furnaces and boilers are much more efficient and generate greater comfort than electricity. And by increasing your usage, you may qualify for a lower price.
Heat water: propane water heaters can cost less to operate than electric units. They provide much more hot water faster, and come in both storage-tank and tankless options.
Cook: propane cooktops/stoves offer more precise temperature control and are cheaper to run than their electric counterparts.
Dry clothes: propane dryers are almost twice as efficient as electric models, drying your clothes faster and for less money.
Fireplace glow: imagine being able to start a fire with the flick of a switch. It’s possible with propane — and a propane fireplace delivers more heat into the room than a wood fireplace, without all the smoke and mess.
Emergency power: propane is a popular choice as a fuel for whole-house backup generators. And since your fuel is stored right on your property, you can continue to enjoy all the comforts of home until your power is restored.
It’s always a good idea not to wait until the fall to prepare for the cooler weather. That’s crunch time, especially if you have kids in school. With that in mind, here are five things you can do now that will make life a little easier later in the year:
Please call us or contact us through our website to learn more about our programs and services.
We were honored to help our many friends and neighbors affected by Hurricane Florence last fall. In response to the storm, our team in Wilmington donated propane to help fuel a kitchen that fed up to 1,000 people per day.
Unfortunately, full recovery from the massive flooding and extensive damage is far from over, and people are still in need.
If you would like to help, the North Carolina Propane Gas Association has an online form to accept donations. Please visit NCPGA.org and click the link for Hurricane Florence Disaster Relief Donations.
Some customers have asked why their propane tank gauge never reads 100% after a delivery. Here’s why:
The propane in your tank is a liquid, which changes to gas before it leaves the tank. But like all liquids, it will expand when its temperature rises. To make sure there’s room for the propane to expand safely, we typically fill tanks to about 80% of capacity. So a 500-gallon tank that’s 80% full will safely hold about 400 gallons of propane.
Keep in mind, the amount of propane in your tank doesn’t change when it expands and contracts — just its density.
We call this the 80/20 rule, and it’s especially important in hot weather and with aboveground tanks, which are not insulated from heat the way an underground tank is. Propane gas expansion is also the reason that you should never paint your propane tank a dark color: Dark colors absorb more heat.