We have just moved to Spain and have been shocked by the size of our gas bill for propane gas. We have a large house (1000 sq meters) although we only heat around 50% of this. Our bill every 2 months is around ?2500-?3000 Euros. Does anyone have a view on this? We are consuming 1550KGs every 2 months and are being charged ?1.475 per KG by our supplier Vitogas. Does any one know a cheaper supplier, and does the quantity that we are using sound high? Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
regards Paul

Paul
You are presumably running on a gas tank for that quantity?
The daft thing about Spanish gas prices is for large gas bottles (35kg) they charge over ?1.4/ kg but for the small 11.7kg bottles the price is < ?1/kg.
In consequence, having only recently discovered this, I am in the process of changing my 8 large bottles for 20 small. But I have had to put a steel shelf into my gas housing and change the 8 connectors.
Any help to you?
Les

Hi Paul,
We only have propane for cooking, and only just use around 1 bottle (at 11.50 current prices) for 14kg? every 2 months.
(Even less in the summer as it is too hot to have the oven on!).
Our HW heater is elec (not happy with this, as would prefer the gas option, but we only rent so do not want to pay cost
of new installation).
Our Elec average pcm in winter is about Euros 90 (we actually use less now that we have a log fire for heating, but the cost per unit went up a year ago so we are still paying pcm what we did before).

I presume you are heating the property (even the 50%) by gas? 
I am a cold mortal and like to be warm, but as other 1/2 prefers fresh air (has doors and windows open all the time!),
+ the property loses any heat overnight when we go to bed and you have to start from scratch… We have made a compromise and I have a small oil (elec) rad in my office, the fire is lit at night (which also heats the bedroom) and that is all we have.

Your bills sound very high indeed. But if you are consuming that much, then I guess that is what it costs. (I have friends who rent out their nice villa and it has the large orange propane.. which I think are Eu80 a throw? - maybe even more now.  In the winter I know it costs at lest Euros 500 pcm to heat the house/hot water).

Have you considered solar?
Sounds very high bills indeed! (Would pay our rent for 4 months!).

Hope you work it out.

NB We are 2 in a small rustic finca.

Ps A builder friend swears by the new slim line rads (cost about Eu 90 each from Aki etc), which although are elec powered (and I think elec here is expensive!), he has them on low, keeps the doors shut to rooms and he says it take the chill off 24x7.

PaulG - 31 December 2009 02:53 PM

Our bill every 2 months is around ?2500-?3000 Euros.

If you are spending over 1,000Euros per Month surley you would be better off insulating your whole house Professionally ??
That would bring your bills down by at least 25%..

Math People 😊
DSB.

Ridiculous Pricing arrangements Relating to 35 Kg Cylinders

Why does the gas supplied in this type of container cost 50% more that in the smaller size (11 Kg cylinder) or indeed that delivered by tanker to a large fixed type of tank?

My premises are:  1 detached villa of approximately 100 square metres and the gas system is used for kitchen, domestic hot water and full central heating 365 days per year.
At the time of installation I was advised to have the 35 Kg cylinders with the bottles stored in suitable cabinet.
I now find that Spanish suppliers recommend using 11 Kg cylinders for my property (consumption).

In view of this I must consider changing my system.

Currently I have a 6 x 35 Kg cylinder bank and use approximately 18 cylinders a year at a cost of (current price) approximately 900 euros.

If I change to using the smaller 11 Kg cylinders, I estimate that my cost of Propane for a year will be reduced to approximately 600 euros.

I realise that alterations will have to be made to piping and valves etc. at a price but this will in the course of time produce a considerable saving.

I intend to change my storage arrangements and contract to a bank of 12 or 18 x 11 Kg cylinders?

If anyone can offer an alternative arrangement please respond.(unfortunately the property does not lend itself to any general form of insulation) .

Regards

Cyril Taylor