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Please take a few minutes to read through the following questions & answers. If your question wasn't answered please call us at (800) 431-5563. Customer service representatives are available for your call between the hours of 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM EST, Monday through Friday, and from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Saturday. |
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INDEX
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Who is NORCO? | What is Propane? | How is propane sold and measured? | Who is responsible for the equipment at your home? | How is the price of propane gas determined? | Why do prices vary from one dealer to another? | Is the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) available for propane gas users? | Where can a propane tank be located on my property? | Is is necessary to be home when a delivery is made? | How often are deliveries made? | Automatic Delivery? | Will-call delivery? | Is NORCO required to notify customers if a delivery will not be made during the heating season? | Company notice to all automatic delivery customers. | Company notice to all will-call (COD) customers. | Is propane better? |
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| NORCO Propane Energy Services is part of the North Collins Cylinder Gas Co., Inc. family of companies. The company is privately held and was incorporated in the State of New York in 1945. NORCO is a registered trade name of North Collins Cylinder Gas Co., Inc. and was conceived from the words "North" and "Collins". The primary responsibility of NORCO is to facilitata the retail distribution of propane gas to home heating, farm, industrial and commercial accounts. Our area of operations encompass parts of Erie, Cattaraugus, Wyoming, and Chautauqua counties. | |
| Propane is classed as a hydrocarbon, just like fuel oil. The chemical formula is C3H8. Propane, in its natural state, is a liquid with a boiling point of -44 degrees Fahrenheit. As the liquid boils inside your tank, vapor is produced that your appliances use to burn. Propane is derived from two sources: natural gas and crude oil. Raw natural gas (as it comes from the ground) contains propane, butane and other gases. These gases are stripped from natural gas before it goes into the pipeline to service your home. Approximately 65% of the propane gas used in the United States is derived from natural gas. 90% of the propane consumed in the U.S. is produced domestically. Of the remaining 10% which is imported, three-fourths comes from Canada. | |
| Propane is priced and delivered in U.S. gallons. A meter on the delivery truck measures the amount of propane delivered and prints this amount on a delivery ticket. Also on this ticket you will find the date of delivery, price per gallon, total price, name and address of seller and the name and address of the buyer. After the delivery, a copy of the meter ticket is left with the customer. Meters are inspected and sealed semi-annually by the New York State Department of Weighs and Measures, very similar to the way gasoline pumps are inspected and certified. | |
| NORCO owns the propane tank(s) and the regulators that are used and is responsible for their maintenance and service. All gas lines to the house, appliances and their venting are the responsibility of the customer. One exception to this is the installation of an underground storage tank. The customer is responsible for the cost of the tank, the excavation of the site and placement of the tank into the ground. NORCO's certified service technicians can install, repair, maintain, or replace any propane appliance in your home. Our service department is on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week for emergencies. | |
| Most companies, including NORCO, price propane gas so the more you buy per year the less you pay per gallon. Prices are usually based on a customer's estimated annual use. When a customer uses additional propane gas appliances, total consumption and cost increases, but the unit cost is reduced. If gas use decreases, the customer will likely pay a higher price per gallon. A hot water only account will pay more per gallon then a heating account. | |
| Transportation costs are primarily responsible for geographic variations in price. However, prices may also vary among companies in any given community. For example, some companies, like NORCO, provide complete service 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. This service is usually more expensive than that provided by companies with limited service hours. Also, a few companies only sell propane, and offer no other services. These companies generally have lower overhead costs and charge less per unit. Before you make a decision on purchasing propane gas from a specific company, shop around. Consider whether you only want propane gas delivery or whether you require additional services. | |
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Yes! This federally funded program may be able to help with propane gas bills. Using propane gas as a heating fuel will not affect your eligibility for this program but may affect the amount of financial assistance you would be eligible to receive. You are probably eligible for HEAP if you receive:
The links on our Home Page will take you directly to the New York State Department of Family Assistance web site. (Formerly NY State Department of Social Services) |
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| The location of the tank varies with the type of installation. With installations requiring the use of 100 pound cylinders or a 100 gallon tank which could be used for cooking, clothes drying and hot water, it is possible to set the tanks immediately next to the house with certain restrictions. On installations requiring a 250, 325, 500 or 1000 gallon storage tank, it must be located at least 10 feet from the house and property lines. Tanks of this size would be used for heating an entire building. In general, your tank must be no further than 100 feet maximum (the length of hose) from the point on your property where the the delivery truck is allowed to park. | |
| Under normal circumstances, it is not necessary to be home when a delivery is made. The driver will make the delivery and leave a copy of the delivery ticket at the door. However, if a customer runs out of fuel it is necessary for somebody to be home so the delivery person can check the gas system before the gas is turned back on and the appliances relit. In the event no one is home, the delivery person will turn the gas off at the tank and leave instructions for the customer. | |
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The delivery interval wholly depends on the customer's use and size of the tank. NORCO installs the appropriate size tank based on the number of appliances (heating load) in use. There are two ways to determine when a delivery is to be made; they are, automatic and will-call delivery. Automatic Delivery is just that, automatic. By using a computer we can calculate, fairly accurately, how much propane you are using based on factors like the number of gas appliances in your home, your last delivery date, how cold it has been outside and for how long, and whether you are using an alternate type of fuel such as wood or electric for heat. Normally, we will make a delivery when we have determined that your tank level is approximately 20% to 30% full. Allowing this much product in the tank gives us flexibility in delivery during the winter months and also allows for your consumption to increase without the risk of running out of gas. If you were to run out while NORCO was entrusted to keeping your tank full, we will be at your home or place of business within hours of your call, day or night, at no additional charge. Will-Call Delivery is a service that a customer specifically orders. Some customers, because of such factors as occasional use of wood for heat, traveling, or only using a residence for recreation, will keep track of the gas they use and call for a delivery when their tank reaches approximately 20% to 30% full. There is a gauge on the tank that is easily read, but the customer has to physically go out to the tank and read it. We will then schedule a delivery on the next available route in their area. If a will-call customer runs out of gas and needs an immediate delivery, a special delivery charge will be incurred. |
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| Yes. From November 1 to April 15 all fuel companies, including those selling propane, are required to follow the procedures described below for cutoffs affecting residential consumers. Propane companies must ask their customers if they would like a third party to be notified in the event of a propane cutoff. This must be done by November 1 each year for all accounts and for new customers. | |
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All propane companies must provide an automatic delivery customer with written notice at least three days before any cut-off date. This must state the reason for non-delivery. In a telephone notice, the company must do the following:
These requirements do not apply to situations in which a company changes an account from automatic delivery to will-call or cash-on-delivery, as long as the company notifies the customer of the change by telephone and determines that the customer is not out of propane or expecting to run out of fuel within 48 hours. |
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| Companies are not required to give advance written notice of a cutoff to will-call customers; When a will-call customer telephones or appears in person to request a delivery and the company denies the customer's request, the company must provide the same notice that is required under the cutoff regulations for automatic delivery customers. | |
| Propane can heat two homes with the same original energy it takes to heat one home electrically. It dries over three loads of clothes to one. Cooks two meals to one and heats nearly two and one-half gallons of water to one gallon heated using electricity. Is propane better than electricity? Yes! Is it better than natural gas? No. Natural gas is the cheapest, most plentiful and cleanest burning fuel available to the consumer. It has more B.T.U's (burns hotter) and is piped directly into your home. However, natural gas is not an option is many parts of the New York State. Propane then becomes the only viable alternative to fuel oil and electricity. If you do decide to go with propane, it's abundant, economical, clean burning and NORCO would like to be your supplier. Call us at (800) 431-5563. |
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© 2012 Norco Propane Energy Services - Renaldo Sales & Service, Inc. - Niagara Energy, LLC - Pioneer Propane Corp. |
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