Switching Propane Companies
What to know when switching propane companies
Switching propane companies shouldn’t be difficult. A couple of phone calls, schedule an appointment and voilà, new propane company! Unfortunately, the big internationally corporate giants don’t play by the same rules as your local, family owned propane suppliers. The big guys make up the rules as they go along.
One of the oldest tricks in the book: A customer calls propane company 1 to let them know they are going to discontinue service. They are switching to propane 
company 2. Company 1 – a super big greedy international propane corporation – decides to FILL YOUR TANK the day you call to say, “please stop deliveries”. They say you didn’t give enough notice, the delivery order was already dispatched, big pump out fee, etc. The easiest way to prevent this is to mark the tank with a big sign and take photos as proof in-case they filled it anyway.
Many consumers stay with their current propane supplier simply out of the ‘unknowns’ with how-to change regardless of how much that company may be overcharging or how bad their service has become.
We’ve also seen where some of the big Wall Street owned national propane corporations have scare tactics and hidden fees they want to charge if a customer attempts to change providers. If you’re looking to possibly change companies – here are some frequently asked questions:
Q: Is changing to Combined Energy Services a simple process?
A: Yes. It all starts with a call to our customer service reps who may be able to set it all up on the phone or we can have a field customer service / sales rep stop by your property for a no-obligation consultation. Very often it’s easier to have a rep look to see what you currently have, what we can do and any recommended changes. We make it all very simple and painless!
Q: My current tank belongs to another supplier. Does CES provide loaned tanks or do I have to buy one?
A: Yes! We have tanks of every size and even offer a variety of colors to choose from. No, we do not sell tanks. Find out why we prefer to lease tanks by reading this article.
Q: I have a buried propane tank owned by another supplier; can I still change to CES?
A: Certainly! We lease buried propane tanks (500 & 1000 gal common sizes) for $1 per year when used for central heating. We swap out your existing tank from another supplier at no cost to you. CES has our own fleet of excavation equipment and your new tank will be protected from corrosion with new sacrificial magnesium anode bags as required by code.
Q: What does it cost to change to CES?
A: Nothing. We install our loaned tank at no cost and typically provide the pressure regulator on the tank and any outside connections. If you’re heating with propane, we often can install the tank up to 100 feet from your home at no cost using buried plastic propane piping that will never deteriorate, the same that’s used for natural propane.
Q: Do I need to wait until my propane tank is empty before changing to CES?
A: Normally no. Depending on the jurisdiction we’re able to pump your propane over from the existing tank into our newly installed one. Some of propane 
companies have a “cancellation fee” or “tank pump out fee” for any propane remaining in your old tank so it’s best to consult with one of our sales professionals to see how best we can assist you. The one thing we’ve learned is make sure you put a big sign inside the tank lid of your old tank if you don’t want a refill since it’s a common trick for the super-big nationwide companies to immediately FILL YOUR TANK the day you call to say stop deliveries. It’s often a tactic to keep you as a customer by adding expense to the switch. If you’re making a move – put a sign under the lid and even take a photo of it. This way if they come and fill it, you don’t have to pay for the propane and they then must remove a full tank.
Q: Does CES have repair service for my propane burning appliances & heating system and are they available after hours?
A: Absolutely! Our service staff is available 24/7 so any time you have a problem we’re just a phone call away any time night or day!
Q: How can I be sure you’re not just like the other companies and I’m going to hate you as well?
A: This is the great part about dealing with a local, family owned & operated company. We’ve been servicing propane customers in the region since 1968 and have thousands of satisfied, long time customers. To read some of what our customers have to say -click HERE.
To learn more about becoming a CES customer, to find out what we offer, pricing plans and what makes us different from all the competition, feel free to give us a call at 800-874-1975 or complete the form below.
If you have questions about your service or products we offer, please email info@combinedenergyservices.com Do not leave a service or product question in the comments.
I have been considering switching propane delivery companies this fall. Thanks for explaining that I might want to wait until the tank is empty to put the new fuel in. That is great to know because I don’t want to do something that will make the tank not work well.