Living in remote areas where the power can go out several times during the coldest part of the year, require people to have plenty of firewood on hand and portable propane heaters or two to ensure they will not freeze before the next season arrives. In the past it was nothing to keep a dozen or twice that of propane tanks for the portable devices, but it has become too cost prohibitive for some to even think about using them except in emergencies any more. Unfortunately, propane prices have risen to the point to where it is not an inexpensive resource for people living out in the country or remote locations like the Alaskan wild.
Current propane prices have seen exponential increases over the past decade, and what was once a cheap resource for people living past the point where conventional utility services are available, is now beyond their financial means. As solar panel prices have dropped considerably, some are converting to this technology to offset the high gas prices. The significant costs of replacing older technology that provides heating in a home is way of the grasp of the average person living in the country, and they are stuck with paying the higher prices and sacrificing in other areas of their household budget, or adding additional wood stoves to throttle back the use of propane in the home.
Even when propane prices on the national average show a drop, you may not see the same in your area for a few weeks or even months. The local suppliers will have purchased their current inventory when even the wholesale prices were higher, and they cannot afford to take the loss to match the new pricing until they can purchase it at the current lower unit cost. On the other hand, some suppliers will take advantage of the situation, especially when they are the only resource for propane in the area and keep the cost per gallon inflated to reap more profits regardless of the current market situation.
You may want to consider upgrading your portable propane heater to newer technology that uses less fuel to accomplish the same level of radiant heat for the room you are using the unit in to stay warm. Either way, buying more fuel or new equipment the cost of staying warm is become almost a luxury versus being a basic need. The prohibitive costs for converting to alternative resources will allow producers and suppliers of propane to keep edging up the consumer’s cost until it will be unattainable except for the wealthy clients who can absorb the extra charges for the same results.