Category: Fuel For Thought

  • Bought a House with a Propane Tank? Here’s What You Need to Know

    Bought a House with a Propane Tank? Here’s What You Need to Know

    You’re moving into a new home. There’s a propane tank in the yard. Maybe you knew about it, maybe it was just sort of… there when you did the walkthrough. Either way, there are a few things worth sorting out before you need a delivery.

    First Question: Do You Own The Tank?

    New homeowners want as few surprises as possible – this is a big one: buying the house doesn’t automatically mean you own the propane tank on the property. The previous homeowner may have been leasing the tank from a propane company, which means the company still owns it and only that company can fill it.Here’s how to find out:

    • Check your closing paperwork. If the seller owned the tank, the transfer of ownership should be documented there.

    • Look at the tank itself. Leased tanks often have stickers or painted emblems with the owning company’s logo and phone number.

    • Call your realtor if you’re not sure. They can often track this down quickly.

    • If you’re confident you own the tank but don’t have paperwork, most propane companies, including Brooks Gas, will accept a signed tank ownership form. You confirm ownership and accept responsibility; we schedule your delivery.

    Why This Matters: It Determines Who Can Fill Your Tank

    By law, only the company that owns a leased tank can fill it. Filling another company’s leased tank is illegal. This catches new homeowners off guard regularly. You call for a delivery, and the company you’ve called has to turn you down because the tank on your property belongs to someone else.If you’re in a leased-tank situation and want to switch providers, it’s possible, but it involves coordination: the current company removes their tank, and your new provider installs theirs. There may be fees involved on the outgoing side. Call us and we can walk through what that looks like.

    Second Question: What Do You Need To Check Before Your First Fill?

    A tank that’s been sitting unused, or one where you don’t know the maintenance history, deserves a checkup before you start using it. Don’t trust that a home inspection covered this.

    • Check for visible rust, dents, or damage to the tank body, regulator, and piping.

    • Find the shutoff valve (on top of the tank, under the dome) and make sure it operates freely.

    • If the tank has been empty or idle for an extended period, request a pressure test and leak check before first use. A technician can catch problems a visual inspection won’t.

    • Note the tank size (it’s stamped on the nameplate) and think about whether it’s sized right for your home’s heating and appliance load.

    Third Question: What Kinds Of Appliances Do You Have?

    Walk through the house and identify every appliance that runs on propane and have them inspected. Pretty common: furnace, water heater, range/oven, dryer, fireplace, and backup generator. Make a list. If the previous owners left an appliance list, that’s a good starting point, but do your own walkthrough to confirm. Knowing what you’re running and roughly how much each appliance uses helps you anticipate your annual consumption and pick the right delivery plan.

    Fourth Question: Is Your Delivery Account Set Up?

    The worst time to establish a new propane account is when your tank is at 5% in January. Get ahead of it. Call Brooks Gas when you move in, provide your tank ownership documentation or sign the ownership form, and get on a delivery schedule. If your usage pattern is predictable enough, automatic delivery takes the whole thing off your plate.New to the area or not sure where to start? Just call. We’ve been doing this in southwest Missouri since 1949, and we’re happy to welcome you to our community!

    Questions? We’re here.

    • Marshfield: 417.468.2549

      Conway: 417.589.8961Seymour: 417.935.4100

      24/7 Emergencies: 417.468.5668

    Sources

    • Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) — homeowner tank guidanceU.S. Department of Energy — propane system safetykauffmangas.com — tank ownership and switching referencefosterfuels.com — switching propane companies guide

  • What Happens When You Run Out of Propane (And How to Make Sure You Don’t)

    What Happens When You Run Out of Propane (And How to Make Sure You Don’t)

    Running out of propane happens more than you’d think. You have a gauge. Maybe it’s the dead of winter. Maybe it’s the middle of summer and you thought you had more time. Life happens, and usually on a weekend, usually during a cold snap, and always at the worst possible moment, you run out of gas.

    Here’s what actually happens when a tank runs empty, why it’s more complicated than just a refill, and how to make sure it doesn’t happen to you:

    Not Just An Empty Tank

    When a propane system runs completely dry, the process of getting back online is more involved than a standard delivery. Completely running out of propane means a required safety inspection before service can resume, turning what should be a routine fill into a longer appointment with a larger bill.

    Here’s what happens: the tank is refilled, but before your appliances can be restarted, a technician has to perform a leak check on the entire system. This is required because when a system runs to empty, air and moisture can enter the lines. A technician checks every connection, valve, and appliance before relighting pilots and restoring service. Depending on scheduling and weather, this can mean hours without heat.

    It also typically costs more than a standard delivery. Emergency service fees, after-hours rates, and the leak check itself add up.

    Understand Your Gauge Reading

    The dial gauge on your tank is your first line of defense, and it has a few quirks worth knowing:

    • A 30% reading is the recommended threshold to call for a delivery because it gives enough cushion for the delivery to arrive before you hit empty.
    • The gauge reads the percentage of capacity, not gallons. A 500-gallon tank at 20% has 100 gallons left. A 250-gallon tank at 20% has 50. Know your tank size.
    • Gauge readings can shift a few percentage points with temperature changes. A tank that read 25% on a warm afternoon might read 22% the next cold morning with no usage.
    • The dial gauge is accurate to roughly plus or minus 10%, so treat a reading near 20% as a call-now situation, not a wait-and-see one.

    Get The Most For Your Fill During Missouri Winters

    EIA data projected residential propane prices rising from around $2.13 per gallon in October to $2.58 per gallon by March 2026, which is a 21% increase over the heating season. That’s not unusual. Retail propane prices tend to climb through peak demand months regardless of what wholesale prices are doing. 

    Calling for a fill in November costs less per gallon than calling in February.

    This is how Brooks Gas’ pre-buy program saves you money: you lock in your price before winter, take delivery on your schedule, and the February spike doesn’t affect you. Let us help you use the math of propane pricing to work in your favor when you plan ahead.

    What to do if you do run out

    If it happens, here’s the sequence:

    1. Call Brooks Gas immediately, don’t wait and hope it resolves itself.
    2. Do not attempt to relight pilots or restart appliances yourself after a complete runout. Wait for the technician.
    3. If you have alternative heat sources (electric space heaters, etc.), use them while you wait, safely, and not in enclosed spaces.

    Once the technician arrives, they’ll refill the tank, perform the required leak check, and restore service appliance by appliance. Plan for an hour from the time they arrive, depending on the number of appliances and any issues found – normal safety checks take around 30 minutes.

    The easier solution: don’t get there

    Check your gauge every week during heating season. Set a phone reminder if it helps. Call when you hit 30%, not when you hit 10%. And if you’d rather not think about it at all, ask us about automatic delivery, we track your usage and schedule fills before you need them.

    Questions? We’re here.

    • Marshfield: 417.468.2549
    • Conway: 417.589.8961
    • Seymour: 417.935.4100
    • 24/7 Emergencies: 417.468.5668

    Sources

    • EIA Winter Fuels Outlook 2025–2026 — retail propane price projections
    • Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) — runout and safety inspection requirements
    • propane101.com — tank gauge accuracy reference
    • crystalflash.com — delivery management and runout guidance
  • Why Did My Tank Only Fill to 80%? (And Other Delivery Questions We Get All the Time)

    Why Did My Tank Only Fill to 80%? (And Other Delivery Questions We Get All the Time)

    You call for a fill, the driver comes out, and when you check the gauge later it reads 80%. Maybe 78%. You were expecting something closer to ‘full.’ 

    So what happened? Did something go wrong, or did you not get what you paid for?

    Nothing went wrong. Here’s the plain-English explanation for this and a few other delivery questions we hear regularly.

    80% is Full

    Propane expands and contracts with temperature. A tank filled to 100% on a cold winter morning would be under dangerous pressure by a hot July afternoon. To allow safe room for that expansion, propane tanks are filled to a maximum of 80–85% capacity and the gauge itself is calibrated to reflect this, reading from empty up to around 80–85% even on a fresh fill. So when the gauge reads 80%, that is a full tank.

    Expansion and Contraction

    Say your tank was filled during the warmest part of the afternoon. By the next morning it reads 74% and you haven’t used any gas. You almost certainly do not have a leak.

    When propane is delivered during hotter parts of the day, the gas has already expanded before it enters the tank. In the cooler overnight hours, the volume of liquid propane contracts and the gauge can show a drop of up to 5% without any usage. 

    If you’re seeing this and it concerns you, the simplest test is to watch the gauge over a few days of normal use. A consistent, gradual drop that tracks with your appliance use is normal. A sudden large drop or a smell of gas is when you call us.

    How We Measure Our Deliveries

    The dial gauge on top of your tank is useful for monitoring your fuel level day to day, but it’s not what determines how much was delivered. The pump meter on the delivery truck is calibrated by law, is far more accurate than the tank gauge, and is what you’re billed from similar to how a gas station pump works. 

    The gauge on your tank is accurate to roughly plus or minus 10% and can be affected by temperature and tank orientation.

    What you’re billed for is what the truck meter recorded. If there’s ever a significant discrepancy that doesn’t add up, call us.

    The bottom line

    Propane delivery has a few mechanics that aren’t obvious if nobody’s ever explained them. We’d rather you understand exactly what’s happening than wonder about it. If something ever looks off after a delivery whether that’s a gauge reading, billing, or equipment, please give us a call.

    Questions? We’re here.

    • Marshfield: 417.468.2549
    • Conway: 417.589.8961
    • Seymour: 417.935.4100
    • 24/7 Emergencies: 417.468.5668

    Sources

    • U.S. Department of Energy — propane volume and temperature correction
    • Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) — delivery process reference
    • propane101.com — tank gauge and delivery mechanics

  • 7 Things People Get Wrong About Propane

    You’ve probably heard at least one of these. Maybe from a neighbor, maybe from someone online. “Propane is dangerous.” “Propane is bad for the environment.” “Propane is just for grilling.” 

    Some of these ideas have been floating around for decades, and most of them don’t hold up.

    Here’s the straight story on the most common propane misconceptions.

    Myth 1: Propane is dangerous.

    Propane is highly regulated at both the state and federal level under standards set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Propane does not ignite until the surrounding air reaches 940 degrees Fahrenheit, and it has the lowest flammability rating of any fuel. When a leak does occur, propane vaporizes and dissipates rather than pooling or soaking into the ground, and the rotten-egg smell added to it makes leaks detectable well before concentrations become dangerous. According to NFPA data, propane listed as the first material ignited accounts for less than 1% of all residential fires. The real risk with propane isn’t the fuel itself, it’s not knowing what to do when something goes wrong. That’s why we take safety seriously at Brooks Gas and are always a call away.

    Myth 2: Propane is bad for the environment.

    Propane produces roughly half the carbon emissions of heating oil, and fewer emissions than electricity generated by coal-fired plants. It is also nontoxic — in the rare event of a leak, it does not harm water, soil, air, plants, or aquatic life. Propane is officially recognized as an alternative fuel under both the 1990 Clean Air Act and the Energy Policy Act of 1992. There’s no perfect fuel, but calling it bad for the environment ignores a lot of context, especially when you consider what most electricity is actually generated from.

    Myth 3: Propane is only for grilling.

    Propane is at the heart of many backyard barbecues and family grill-outs, but it also runs furnaces, water heaters, clothes dryers, fireplaces, generators, pool heaters, and cooking ranges. 

    In rural Missouri, where natural gas lines don’t reach most homes, propane is frequently the primary heating fuel for the entire house (around 9% of homes across the whole state). 

    Propane is so widely used, it probably had at least a few roles to play in just getting the meat to your grill. It’s a really helpful sidekick beyond the home to heat greenhouses, dry crops, fuel forklifts in warehouses, and even power delivery trucks. 

    According to a report by WNEP, propane-powered delivery trucks are 75% cleaner than diesel-powered trucks and are around 53% more fuel-efficient, delivering an average of 4 miles per gallon more distance than their counterparts.

    Did you know that Brooks Gas also recently updated to propane-powered delivery trucks? [Link: Here’s a post about our new truck!]

    Myth 4: Propane is always expensive.

    Propane pricing fluctuates with market conditions, season, and delivery costs. But the cost picture doesn’t end at the price per gallon. High-efficiency propane furnaces can reach AFUE ratings of up to 98%, meaning nearly all the fuel you buy goes directly into heating your home. Efficient appliances that last longer and require fewer repairs change the math considerably. 

    Brooks Gas also offers budget and pre-buy programs specifically designed to reduce the sting of seasonal price swings. Please ask us about options if you’re worried about winter costs.

    Myth 5: Electric is always cleaner than propane.

    There’s no perfect fuel, like we said earlier. While energy sources like solar, wind, and hydroelectricity don’t have ongoing fuel costs, the development, infrastructure, and operational costs can add up. 

    In the U.S., natural gas and coal remain electricity’s largest primary energy sources. So sometimes even using all electric appliances won’t automatically translate to decarbonization or reduced environmental impact. Transmitting electricity through power lines also means that some energy is lost along the way. 

    Propane used directly at your home skips those transmission losses entirely, and it’s also why we’ll never give you any side-eye about solar panels on your home. Energy that’s close-at-hand is efficient energy.

    Like most things, the devil is in the details and paired fuel solutions are often the most efficient, especially for the environment. 

    Myth 6: You have to be a specialist to understand your propane system.

    No way. Honestly, just knowing what propane smells like, knowing where your shutoff is, keeping your tank and regulator clear of snow and ice – these are things any homeowner can learn in an afternoon. When something goes beyond the basics, that’s what we’re here for.

    Questions? We’re here.

    • Marshfield: 417.468.2549
    • Conway: 417.589.8961
    • Seymour: 417.935.4100
    • 24/7 Emergencies: 417.468.5668

    Sources

    • U.S. Department of Energy — propane emissions and efficiency data
    • Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) — myth-busting reference
    • NFPA — residential fire statistics 2012–2016
    • Clean Air Act (1990) and Energy Policy Act (1992)

  • What’s Happening in the Middle East and What It Means for Your Propane Bill in Missouri

    You’ve probably noticed that unleaded gas prices have climbed sharply. The conflict in Iran has disrupted the energy market, and if you heat your home with propane, you may be wondering whether any of this is going to show up in your next delivery bill.

    Here’s the honest, data-based answer: the worst-case global headlines won’t translate directly to your bill. If you’re curious why, keep reading.

    Here’s how global energy events reach your propane tank:

    The U.S. produces most of its own propane domestically as a byproduct of natural gas processing and petroleum refining. Your propane didn’t come from the Middle East. But propane pricing is still connected to global markets through a mechanism that’s worth understanding.

    Roughly 27% of global LPG exports (the category that includes propane) normally transit the Strait of Hormuz (https://deltaliquidenergy.com/how-the-war-in-iran-affects-propane-prices/). When that shipping route is disrupted, international buyers who normally receive propane through the Gulf have to find it somewhere else. Many of them turn to the United States, which has become one of the world’s largest propane exporters. When those buyers increase purchases from U.S. suppliers, domestic supply tightens, and that puts upward pressure on domestic retail prices even though the propane itself never went anywhere near Iran. Bloomberg

    Right now, several things limit the impact of international disruptions on US propane customers and in Missouri, specifically.

    The US is more insulated than most

    In the first week of the current conflict, U.S. natural gas prices rose about 7%, compared to 54% in Asia and 63% in Europe. Congress.gov That gap reflects a fundamental difference: the U.S. has large domestic production and storage infrastructure that Asia and Europe don’t have. Missouri also sits squarely in the middle of the US domestic supply network.

    U.S. propane prices have risen about 18% as of the first week of the conflict, compared to a 34% increase in crude oil over the same period. LP Gas Propane price increases lag oil significantly, which is due to maintaining high inventory levels.

    The U.S. produces a LOT of propane and stores it for a rainy day. When those rainy days happen, we’ve built up enough supply that your day-to-day price stays mostly the same and fluctuates most directly with the seasons.

    U.S. propane inventories and production entering the Iran conflict were at very high levels LP Gas, which means even sustained export demand would take time to noticeably draw down domestic supply. We are also approaching the shoulder season, the period between heating season and summer demand, when propane consumption drops naturally, giving inventories more time to absorb the pressure.

    None of this means prices are immune. But it does mean you probably won’t see the sort of immediate impact on your propane bill like you do at the gas station.

    What would make it worse

    The single biggest question is how long the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to commercial shipping, because international customers will continue to source propane from other locations including the U.S. Historical data from previous Iran-related escalations shows a consistent pattern: sharp oil price increases followed by stabilization once immediate supply risk becomes clearer. Middle East Briefing The June 2025 conflict briefly spiked oil prices and reversed when the ceasefire held. The current situation is more severe, but the same patterns will probably repeat.

    A prolonged conflict could incentivize more international purchases of U.S. propane Chatham House, which could create more local pricing increases over time as the U.S. supply draws down. Switching supplies is expensive and time-consuming, so even if the conflict ends tomorrow, international purchases could still remain high until the cost and effort of switching is lower than the cost of doing nothing.

    What this means for you as a Brooks Gas customer

    Missouri propane customers are among the most insulated in the world from this disruption. Domestic production is high, inventories are high, and the shoulder season is arriving. That could change if the conflict drags on and export demand persistently draws down U.S. reserves of propane.

    What hasn’t changed: planning ahead is always a good bet. Pre-buy programs and budget plans protect you against price spikes whether it’s a Missouri winter cold snap, a pipeline issue, or events on the other side of the world. If you’re concerned about what this means for your costs next heating season, we’re here and ready to help you plan.

    Questions about your delivery or pricing?

    • Marshfield: 417.468.2549
    • Conway: 417.589.8961
    • Seymour: 417.935.4100
    • 24/7 Emergencies: 417.468.5668

    Sources: LP Gas Magazine — U.S. propane market impact analysis (March 6, 2026); Congressional Research Service — Strait of Hormuz crisis energy impact; Goldman Sachs Research — oil price scenario analysis; Congressional Budget Office / EIA — U.S. natural gas price comparison data; Bloomberg — U.S. propane price surge analysis (March 18, 2026); NBC News — Iran war economic impact (March 22, 2026).

  • Take the Guesswork Out of Winter: Why a Level Pay Budget Plan Makes Sense

    If you heat with propane, you already know that winter bills don’t arrive on a schedule. One cold month, the kind Missouri gets without much warning, can land a large invoice at the worst possible time.

    A budget plan, sometimes called a level-pay program, is designed to fix that. Not by changing how much propane you use, but by changing how you pay for it.

    Here’s how it works:

    What A Budget Plan Is

    A budget plan estimates your annual propane usage and spreads the cost evenly across 12 monthly payments. Instead of paying large bills in December and January and almost nothing in June, your payments stay roughly the same all year.

    Your monthly amount is typically calculated using your historical usage, anticipated weather patterns, and current propane pricing. An automatic payment method is required and all payments start in May.

    At the start of each program year in May, Brooks Gas looks at what you’ve used, makes a reasonable estimate of what the coming year looks like, and sets a monthly payment that covers it.

    Know What To Expect

    Winter heating bills can swing dramatically based on temperatures. A prolonged cold snap that drives your usage up doesn’t change your monthly payment if you’re on a budget plan. That cost gets absorbed across the year instead of landing all at once.

    For households managing fixed incomes or tight monthly budgets, that predictability matters. A consistent propane payment is easier to plan around than a variable one. It sits alongside your mortgage, your utilities, and your insurance as a known number rather than an unknown.

    It also removes the situation nobody wants to be in: coming up with several hundred dollars on short notice in the middle of February because it’s been an unusually cold month and you’ve burned through more propane than expected.

    How End-Of-Year Reconciliation Works

    Budget plans aren’t designed to be exact to the dollar every month, they’re designed to keep your payments manageable and predictable over the course of the year. At the end of the program period:

    • If you used more propane than the estimate, you may have a small remaining balance.
    • If you used less, you’ll typically receive a credit toward the next year, or a refund.

    Programs are also reviewed periodically and adjusted if your usage changes significantly with a major renovation, a new appliance, or an unusually warm or cold season. The goal is to keep the estimate reasonable, not to lock you into a number that no longer fits.

    You’ll Love Level Pay

    A level pay budget plan is worth considering if:

    • Propane is your primary heat source
    • You’re managing a fixed income or a tight monthly budget
    • You want to stop thinking about propane bills as a seasonal disruption
    • You’re already on automatic delivery and want your costs to match that same hands-off approach

    If you’re a will-call customer who monitors your own tank and calls when you need a fill, a budget plan pairs naturally with moving to automatic delivery, the two work well together.

    Level Pay + Automatic Delivery: Your Gas On Autopilot

    Budget plans work best when your usage is predictable, and usage is most predictable when your deliveries are consistent. Automatic delivery, tank monitoring, and pre-season usage reviews all help keep your actual consumption close to the estimate, which means fewer adjustments and a smoother year.

    If you’re not sure whether your current setup supports a budget plan well, that’s worth a quick conversation with us before the next heating season starts.

    An automatic payment method is required and all payments start in May.

    Stress Less

    A budget plan doesn’t save you money on propane, but it changes when you pay for it, spreading costs evenly so winter doesn’t feel like a financial ambush.

    For a lot of customers in Marshfield, Conway, and Seymour, it’s the simplest thing they’ve done to make heating season less stressful.

    If you want to talk through whether a budget plan makes sense for your household, give us a call:

    • Marshfield: 417.468.2549
    • Conway: 417.589.8961
    • Seymour: 417.935.4100
  • Money saving programs and tips

    Money saving programs and tips

    From August 1st through September 15, Brooks Gas offers the ability for you to pre-buy your propane for the upcoming winter. Simply pay for the amount of gas you need for the upcoming winter and never worry about rising prices or running out of gas again. At the end of each April any undelivered gas will be credited to your account.

    Starting in May, sign up for the Brooks Gas Budget Level Pay Plan. The Budget Plan allows you to pay one monthly payment and puts a ceiling price on your gas. We also check your tank so you’ll never worry about running out of gas again. There are no signup fees and all accounts must have a zero balance by April 30.

    Protect against drafts by caulking and weather-stripping around windows, doors, and other openings such as ducts, fans, and vents.

    Inspect and tune-up your residential heating system regularly for efficiency. Contact Brooks Gas Service to inquire about a home heating system inspection. A properly working heating system is more efficient and will save you money.

    Change your furnace filter monthly. Clean filters will help your heating system work more efficiently. If on our Budget Plan, use receipt of your propane bill as a reminder.

    Invest in a furnace thermostat timer that can save money by lowering your home’s temperature when you are not at home. You can cut annual heating bills by as much as 10 percent per year by turning your thermostat back 10-15 percent for eight hours per day. Call Brooks Gas Service to inquire about having a programmable thermostat installed today.

    Switch to a propane water heater, which provides significant energy efficiency over an electric water heater. Over time, propane water heaters can cost one-third less to operate and recover hot water twice as quickly as electric water heaters. To save even more money, inquire with Brooks Gas Service about tankless water heaters.

    When using a water heater, turn it down from the standard 120 degrees to 115 degrees. You could save more than 10 percent on your water-heating bill.

    Install flow-restricting shower heads. You can reduce hot water usage by up to 50 percent without affecting shower pressure.

    Run washing machines and clothes dryers with a full load.

    Close vents and doors in unused rooms. Make sure your attic and basement are properly insulated.