Gas Problem (Liquigas)

[diddy]

Originally Posted by NickZ

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?

True but it snowed in Puglia this year!

[adriatica]

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......

[Geotherm]

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.