If you are among the 11 members of my audience (including my mom) who read my newsletter last month, you’ll recall that I was being a little braggy about getting caught in a snowstorm in the St. Paul area. Then we got hit with a snowstorm here a few days later. I guess I’m not as special as my mom thinks I am.
April was a busy month for us. Even after a mild winter, it’s time for maintenance, deciding what fixed assets we will require next season to continue servicing our customers and doing some spring cleaning. Our crews have been busy trenching in propane lines from the multitude of tanks that we set temporarily this winter. Once the ground dried out, it was game on and our staff members rose to the challenge.
I’ve got a couple of safety issues to talk about. The first I’d like to talk about are propane regulators. Regulators last about 25 years. If you have a regulator that is over 25 years old, it should be replaced. You can tell the age of your regulator by a date stamped into the body of the regulator. If you can’t find a date stamp, you’ve probably got one that was installed when the Dead Sea was just feeling sick. Old regulators become a safety hazard because the diaphragm inside becomes brittle with age. If it rips, you will lose propane through the vent at a rate that could cause a dangerous situation. If not for your sake, call us to replace it for your family.
The second safety issue we’ve been seeing a lot of is air conditioning condenser units that are installed too close to regulators. There should be a minimum of 5 feet between the regulator and the condensing unit. We can easily move the venting on the regulator to get it back within code. Give your local Premier Energy office a call and we’ll take care of it.
Here’s a reminder of incentives that are available. For propane powered vehicles or conversions, there is a whopping $6,000 available. For propane water heaters, $600. For propane cook stoves, dryers and fireplaces, $300. New this year is a propane furnace incentive of $600 if you are changing from another form of heat (such as fuel oil) or if you are building a new house. Call your local Premier Energy location to find out more.
In June, we’ll be sending out our annual propane safety and contracting mailing. Once again this winter, propane prices increased. You can almost set your watch by it every year.
If you are a farmer, I hope you get your planting done in a timely manner. If you need any lubricants or diesel fuel, we can get it done for you. We’re still offering diesel contracts if you want to build a hedge against the geopolitical issues of the world. Give Shane a call at 608-504-6281.
May 27th is Memorial Day. Enjoy the day but please take a moment to reflect on the sacrifice of the men and women who died in active service to this nation. It’s the least we can do.
Thank you for your business
