Gas prices for home delivery.

I suspect that I'm getting ripped off by my new Gas delivery guy. What is the normal price for a re-fill...or is this like asking what is the length of a piece of string?
I'm not able to get up on the roof to look at the tank, and usually call for a refill of gas before I run out.
Any advice on how to gauge prices? Thanks.

It's all priced by the liter. Z gas charged 6.17 per liter plus 16% IVA on Monday. You've probably got a 300 liter tank on your roof. I don't think they ever fill over 80%, so if you are empty, max would be 240 liters.....we have run out twice in 7 years, never taken more than 230 liters.

As stated by many on previous threads.....get to know your usage, order every couple months, by the liter or flat amount ....ie.....125 liters or say 400 pesos, and make sure meter is reset to zero before they start to pump.

The only way you'll know is to get up a ladder and look; if you are unable to do it yourself, if you have a garderner or handyman, ask them. Or a neighbor.

After you see the gauge, it's just a matter of math.

OH..EDIT: We were told there is a remote gas tank reader that is available to be installed; we were quoted a high price, so we just get the ladder out once every 3 months. But there is a remote if you want/need to buy one.

We refill when the gauge is between 20 - 30 which is every 6 - 8 weeks, Our bill usually averages between 900 - 1100 pesos consistently this year.

I guess I'm confused. Why would they ever put a tank in a place where you need a ladder to reach it? Yes, I've only lived in two houses lakeside. But both of them had the tank located ground level so that the user could always check his tank settings easily.

Or is this what is what often happens on smaller lots? I don't know.

Also are you checking the setting on the meter of the truck before they start giving you gas? (You need to check to ensure that the meter is zeroed out.) That way you are not paying for someone else's bill as well as yours. In one house where I had a 300 liter tank that was close to empty, perhaps 10% full, the bill I paid was for 350 + liters which of course was more than the capacity of an empty tank. We caught the guy, phoned up the company, and the company offered to come to fill up my tank again, They thought I would not have that much room in the tank to fill. Well I filled the tank of the house next to me that needed perhaps 250 liters. So I paid for 350 liters but got 500 liters of gas. (The house next door was the one I was remodeling before I sold the house I was living in)

You won't see a gas truck without a ladder so on the roof is common. Frees up space below. Mine is one the roof but I have stairs.

My tank has a red line at about 3/4's and that's where they stop. Room for heat expansion. About 1500 pesos for 3/4's of a 300 litre tank

Thanks all for all the useful responses. I'm going to change my Gas company
as I'm now sure I was shorted as well as overcharged.

'Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me"

Yes, we live in a development that has placed the tanks on the roof, we don't have a Mirador as such, just ladders to reach the roof. Agree it would have been more convenient to place them in our yards, however we had no say in the matter.

Nosnow wrote:Thanks all for all the useful responses. I'm going to change my Gas company
as I'm now sure I was shorted as well as overcharged.

'Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me"

Yes, we live in a development that has placed the tanks on the roof, we don't have a Mirador as such, just ladders to reach the roof. Agree it would have been more convenient to place them in our yards, however we had no say in the matter.

Just remember “Noshow” it’s more than likely the delivery person doing the over charge, check the meter in the back of the truck and make sure it’s on zero. We did this until we felt comfortable with our delivery guy and pretty well knew what the expected cost should be. He also gave us his cell phone number so we only deal with him and we do tip. Deliveries are about once every three months and cost about 2,500 peso (fairly large tank) and we Tip about 100 pesos. (more during the Christmas season)

WOW.......you burn through a lot of propane. We use barely 1/2 that amount.

I can't believe the amount of gas some of you are using. I fill my tank about once every ten months, and yes I often sit in a hot Jacuzzi, I use a lot of hot water.

My secret? solar panels that pay for themselves in only a few years. And yes I do check the truck meter to make sure it's safe, and yes because I placed my tank on the ground I know about how many liters of gas I need.

MexicoPete wrote:I can't believe the amount of gas some of you are using. I fill my tank about once every ten months, and yes I often sit in a hot Jacuzzi, I use a lot of hot water.

My secret? solar panels that pay for themselves in only a few years. And yes I do check the truck meter to make sure it's safe, and yes because I placed my tank on the ground I know about how many liters of gas I need.

But Pete, you don't do any cooking. Besides that everyones lifestyle is different.

We cook at home every night, use the oven for Pizza on Sat. night and have guests on average of once a month using the oven to cook. We make desserts, pies, cookies. We have someone in our casita. We use one 300 litre tank in 6 - 8 weeks, an average of 500 pesos a month. We think that's reasonable.

To be honest I gave up on Zeta gas as they always said 45 minutes and
eight hours later at 9:30 at night they would show up. I switched to
Tomza and they show up withing 15 minutes of stated time.

Check meter on truck is zero

Go up on roof and watch tank be filled to 85% (max)

Know what kind of tank you have (300 liters)

Know what the gauge says when you start (1/2 full or 150 l)
fill tank and you know you shouldn't be charge for more
than the max of 85% or 255 litres minus the 150 so you
shouldn't take more than 105litres plus or minus 10% for
the accuracy of the gauge on tank.

So if they hand you a bill for more than 105litres plus the fudge
factor of the gauge 10% or 120litres you are getting ripped off.

Remember all this above assumes your gauge is accurate but you
get the idea.

I don't go through this anymore as I find Tomza to be very honest
but others may find this helpful.

Z

300 litre tank last me about a year but only have stove and
water heater kept pretty low. I shower with just hot water
no cold to save money as the standing temperature of water
heater is lower. Give it a try. Also no one can scald you by
turning on the cold water somewhere else in the house.
We eat out alot and don't use oven much. We found big
energy hog at our house was old gas clothes dryer and
switched to fold up clothes line and the sun.

Z

CanuckBob wrote:WOW.......you burn through a lot of propane. We use barely 1/2 that amount.

Medical issues, pool etc., getting old is not for wimps. At least it’s not costing us $500 USD per month anymore. I like thinking the glass is half full.