Memo to: All Homeowners
From: Joe Ingram, Executive Director
Re: LP Gas use in the Village
This memo is to update you on the use of LP Gas in the Village. Many of you have followed the events of recent years and read about the issues in the Notch Watch and Annual Reports. However, since the same questions continue to come into the office from new homeowners and from those who missed the previous articles. I thought a recap and update would be helpful.
After the conversion of almost 200 wood burning fireplaces in 1999-2001, the Association has maintained a purchasing group for LP Gas fuel. We have annually reviewed gas prices and selected providers in a competitive manner. This arrangement has meant a savings to SNHA homeowners compared to prices offered other residential customers in the county. With SNHA home use ranging from 100 to 425 gallons per unit per year, an annual average savings of between $40 to $270 has been realized for homeowners using gas.
This best price arrangement with suppliers depends upon the Association making prompt payment to the suppliers for deliveries made to the respective building group “bulk tanks” serving the respective groups. The Association then reconciles the accounts, calculates useage, and collects from the individual homes using the gas. Calculations are based on meter readings, or in two cases, (Hakone and MV 1-20) on their owner association agreements to share the cost based on condominium percentage of common ownership. Because most buildings have a reserve fund to draw upon, this system has worked well with two or three billings per year for both the metered and unmetered groups. During this past year, we have increased the number of readings and billings in order to be more attentive to home use.
As a part of the routine meter readings, a review of use patterns is performed from that data, specific problems with individual homes have been identified and corrected.
Some have asked , “Are homes saving on heating costs with LP Gas stoves vs. electric heat?” The cost to produce a BTU of heat continues to be less with LP Gas than with electric. There has been a range of answers from homeowners, and the factors involved are not always consistent, so general comparisons are difficult to make. Please let us hear from you with your experience with this question.
If you have other questions not answered by this update, contact the Association Office. snha@snha.net
