How does gas bottle delivery work for a home?

Start with the service you need

For a fixed home installation, ask whether the supplier delivers household cylinders and connects them, and who checks the connection. A shop selling barbecue bottle swaps is a different service. A supplier may offer both, but a nearby outlet does not by itself prove home delivery.

In Australia, PlusGas describes 45 kg home bottle exchange across Brisbane, Ipswich and the Gold Coast. Elgas lists a Brisbane branch and distinguishes 45 kg bottle exchange from automatic tanker delivery. These are examples of published services, not promises that every address is covered.

Check the whole cost

• First delivery: Ask about account setup, cylinder agreement or service charges, delivery and installation.
• Later deliveries: Ask whether you order when a bottle empties or receive scheduled service, and what minimum order or delivery charges apply.
• Equipment: Ask who owns the bottle, regulator and changeover equipment, and what happens when you switch supplier or move home.
• Access: Tell the supplier about gates, steps, steep drives and the location of the bottles. Elgas says its 45 kg exchange delivery needs access for a hand trolley.

Terms differ by country and supplier. A UK Calor bottle, for example, is held under a Cylinder Refill Agreement; Calor says its cylinders remain its property and exchanges depend on bottle group. Ask for the current written terms rather than assuming “rent”, “deposit” and “purchase” mean the same thing.

Before you contact a supplier

1. Note your exact address and whether you need home delivery, collection, refill or exchange.
2. Identify the existing cylinder brand, size and connection, if you have one. Do not assume another brand can exchange it.
3. Describe what the gas powers: cooking, hot water, heating or leisure use.
4. Ask the supplier to confirm the delivery boundary and the quote for your address in writing.

Where to search

Use HouseGas's gas bottle supplier search or start with the Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Ireland directories. Select a suggested place in search to see whether a result is based on a published radius, a listed town, a national network or merely a nearby supplier base. Then confirm your address with the business.