Suburban Propane prices

Propane prices are confusing: there is a lot of chatter on price gouging between propane companies on the Internet. This article should give you a better idea of Suburban Propane’s propane prices: how they are determined, what they are, and most importantly, how you can get the best Suburban Propane price for your home.

Does Suburban Propane have the cheapest propane prices?

The easy answer to this question is: no. Propane Deal compared propane prices for Suburban Propane, Amerigas and Ferrellgas at the end of the 2012-2013 winter season (October-March) in Ohio, which in terms of average prices is the closed to the national average. And in Ohio, Suburban Propane charged the highest prices for a home using mostly propane as energy (i.e., 500-gallon propane tank or larger): it asked for $1.799 per gallon for the first fill and subsequent $2.599. For a first fill, it was therefore more expensive than Amerigas, which charged $1.699 per gallon, or Ferrellgas, with its $1.499 per gallon propane price. However, after the first fill, the Suburban Propane price was also higher than Amerigas ($2.099 per gallon) and Ferrellgas ($2.37 per gallon).

The more accurante answer to this question is: it depends. In New Jersey, where Suburban Propane has its headquarters, its prices were cheaper than either of its two main competitors. Indeed, while the Suburban Propane prices were $2.04 per gallon for the first fill and $2.99 per gallon thereafter, Amerigas set its propane prices at $2.79 per gallon for the first fill and $3.50 per gallon for all subsequent deliveries, and Ferrellgas charged prices of $2.89 per gallon for the first fill and a whooping $4.09 per gallon for the next deliveries.

How can I get the best Suburban Propane prices?

Getting the best propane prices from Suburban Propane is not as complicated as it sounds. It all starts with establishing what you need from Suburban Propane: do you need to rent a propane tank, a maintenance plan, a budget payment plan or fixed pricing plan? Do you need propane delivered automatically or are you happy calling in when you need a refill?

These are questions you should answer before requesting detailed quotes from various propane companies that service your area, and not just Suburban Propane. It is by setting propane companies up against one another that you will get a price or a proposal that is not only most accurate for your home but that is as cheap as possible (or, if this is not as much of an issue, as comfortable as possible). Remember that the propane prices market is not regulated so propane companies, including Suburban Propane, have some leeway in setting propane prices for each customer.

Why are Suburban Propane prices never the same?

It is true: Suburban Propane will not charge the same price for a customer living in a four-person home in California as they will somebody living alone in Maryland. This is because many factors influence propane prices for all propane companies, including Suburban Propane.

• First, usage affects Suburban Propane prices. The large American propane company will set lower prices for customers who use a lot of propane since it is more worth their while. Therefore, somebody with a 500-gallon propane tank or more will tend pay a lower propane price at Suburban Propane than somebody only using propane for cooking and with a 120-gallon propane tank.
• Second, supply and demand affects Suburban Propane prices. The more demand there is for propane, the more the Suburban Propane prices rise. This is why Suburban Propane prices tend to be higher in winter (when people need propane for heating) than in summer.
• Third, location affects Suburban Propane prices. This is twofold: one the one hand, colder locations tend to push Suburban Propane prices upwards (e.g., Wisconsin), whereas warmer states use less propane and will be charged a lower Suburban Propane price; on the other hand, the closer you are to a major propane supply source (the Gulf Coast or Midwest), the lower the price Suburban Propane will charge.

Ultimately, there is only one solution: get detailed quotes and see whether Suburban Propane has the best price!