9819 Gas Problem (Liquigas)

The house I moved into had the tank supplied by this company so we got the first lot of gas from them before we arrived. We were charged .85 per ltr and it only lasted 2 weeks but I hadn't checked the gauge to see how much was in there.
I then ordered some from a different company who my friend knows - they put it in the tank although they shouldn't have done - but only charged me .70 per ltr. and the same amount lasted for 6 weeks (this was Jan/feb)
We are now going to have the Liquigas tank taken out and a new one fitted by the new supplier.
Hope this is a help.

Thank you Paul for your reply. I did not realise you could change suppliers in that way. First of all I am still trying to ascertain if we have a physical problem but its a case of getting to trust engineers which is the same problem wherever you are in the world I think.

I know oil prices have soared and so has my Liquigas bill from Euro 2,920 per cubic metre to euro 3320 per cubic metre. Meaning I now pay about 500 euro a month for a three bedroom house & I have solar panels & two woodburning stoves. If there is a cheaper supplier can someone let me know the name and whether they are in Puglia? thanks:

Glad that I didn't go down the GPL route. From your costs, we have had 2 years heating and hot water for a lot less. Quick calculation from Oct 2006 - June 2008 Euro 1700. No gas (apart from the gas hob), no solar, but only the electricity cost. Even the 50 quintale of wood we bought in 2005 has hardly been touched, as no need unless we want to turn into roasted chestnuts :yes:

[quote=Geotherm;91912]Glad that I didn't go down the GPL route. From your costs, we have had 2 years heating and hot water for a lot less. [/quote]

But for how much cost in the first place? The house I am renting already has a central heating system with GPL installed. To change systems I'd have to pay much more surly?

[quote=Paul RG;91914]But for how much cost in the first place? The house I am renting already has a central heating system with GPL installed. To change systems I'd have to pay much more surly?[/quote]
Of course Paul, it would cost more to change. The system here was implemented from the house rebuild after a lot of research especially into heating costs in Italy. Saying that though, many Italians are also now either changing to geothermal systems or having it as a primary source, with existing systems as a back-up if needed.
You can always post a question on one of the geothermal heating threads, so as not to change the original topic. My quote was just a comment on the cost of using GPL even with solar.

Most electricity in Italy comes from oil and natural gas. I don't want to think how much it'll be going up.

Diddy you're in Puglia ? You can't have many heating days? Or are you way up?

GPL is a bi product of the petrol and diesel making process. In most plants it isn't even collected just burnt off! It only costs a few cents to capture and store it yet governments are not doing anything about conserving it and selling it - it's another sign to show just how stupid the powers that be are towards getting the best use out of energy. This original post is about being conned by one company, which I believe I was as well, and we are all being fleeced on energy prices GPL should be incredibly cost effective but it's not.

About 20% is by-product of refining- the remainder is naturally occurring. The naturally occurring gas must be "cleaned", and both must be liquified, stored and transported (using fuel oil). A few cents might be low-balling the cost a bit.

I agree that burning it off is shameful- now the price is rising, hopefully greed will kick in and they'll stop burning and start selling it. Particularly for cars- cleaner and cheaper than petrol.

[quote=NickZ;91927]Most electricity in Italy comes from oil and natural gas. I don't want to think how much it'll be going up.

Diddy you're in Puglia ? You can't have many heating days? Or are you way up?[/quote]
True but it snowed in Puglia this year!

there have been recently various investigation programs and news articles about gas rip offs... both from mains and tank type suppliers and i think there is very little to choose between them all ... the only answer is to check their tickets for tank delivered gas ... and the gauge on the tank...however with mains gas if you have an absurd reading get in touch with the consumer people and you can then have the metre checked for accuracy...

there does seem to be a lot of problems ...and obviously with everyone in Italy... the majority being Italians ... on diminishing incomes they are now complaining and checking more... good news for all of us I guess because maybe the suppliers will not take it as written that they will never get caught out...

anyway in a sense just to confirm that if something does look like its gone over the odds ... it would not be unusual here ...although it would be hard to do much about it ...after the fact...

as for suppliers..new tanks etc..etc... there is a lot of competition out there and it is pretty cut throat...be careful on what level of supply you have to use in a year when you sign tied tank contracts... and also how long you are agreeing too... be prepared...even if they do put in a new tank ... that you will have to pay for safety checks and comune certificates... fencing and fire extinguishers... many of the older installations are completely illegal in regards proximity to houses and many other regulations and they are now making compulsory checks and enforcing compliance

my thoughts as to what is best or not have like geotherms been made clear...we have had houses with mains gas and wood burners... now tank gas and pellets...the tank gas basically is for the oven.... we spent e300 ...aprox in January and we have used less than half of it... well am not quite sure...because i did not follow my own advice and check at the start... but the needle still hasn't moved a lot... we now have the old above ground tank with gas in... and a new underground tank...waiting to switch to when the old tank is near enough empty...

i am a confirmed pellet boiler advocate now... in winter when its very cold we use around three bags a day... price ranges from 2.5 - 3.5 euro per bag.. house size... that is heated... 180 m sq... and note that with four dogs there is generally at least the back hall door opening virtually half the day,,,,even in mid winter...

at present we have still not switched over to the gas boiler.. because we are now burning 1 bag every two to three days for at least six showers a day and all the other sort of hot water things you do normally.. so its very good value to my mind.. and provides an alternative system to the gas and gives you an easily switchable and installed alternative with i would say reasonably low start up costs,,,, and with much less labour and bulk than wood...

i would also comment on the misperception often encouraged by house selling types that Italy is a warm place all year round... virtually wherever you end up in italy... you will need heating for at least four months...and Italian traditional houses take an awful long time to bring up to temp...

so heating and how you do it from the north to the south is always going to be a high cost to factor in... and is something to certainly take into account when buying properties to live here ... their specific location as regards where they face..the height above sea level and or will the sun ever get to them in the winter and for how long... valley locations and rivers... one side of an old village can freeze and houses always feel cold and within fifty meters facing the other way people can have comfortable homes with lower bills....

its not the region or the province what counts is location within a region.. clues being as i have said many times before... olive trees and vine groves... local plant life... if they are not growing near by facing the same way as the property...choose another house... its most probably why its being offered as such a bargain......

Agree Adriatica that we all have our prefered forms of heating. Ours works for approx 12-13 hrs per day in mid winter so costs about Euro 6-7 daily. Now we are in summer and it only needs to generate hot water it is running about 1 hour a day so around 50 cents, this is unlimited as it recharges within an hour to its set temperature (160 ltr internal tank). The gas bombola for the kitchen lasts about 3 months and last week, I bought a refill at Euro 63. As I have a second one for a backup, then it gives a few months breathing space if 1 runs out.