Whether for your central heating in the chill of winter or for the barbecue on your patio on warm summer nights, you need a versatile source of power for your home. And LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) offers a unique blend of versatility and economy that makes it the perfect fuel for all your needs. But are you getting the best deal from your current LPG gas supplier?

Energy costs make up a high percentage of our household bills nowadays and their continual increase is a source of concern to many. Many people find that heating their homes and cooking their food eats up a substantial amount of the household budget.

The good news is that LPG is not only a clean, green, and versatile option; it's also one of the more economical home energy sources. The good news is that you may be able to save even more money on your home energy bills by switching to a new LPG supplier. The fact is that there is wide variance in the price of LPG charged by the main suppliers.

As a result of legislation passed in 2009, you can now switch your LPG supplier if your home is supplied via a dedicated LPG tank (bulk customer) or if your home is supplied from shared LPG tanks. This allows you to locate a new supplier and negotiate the price.

But how do you identify the right LPG supplier?

Obviously you want a supplier who offers the best value. But other than cost savings, you need to find an LPG supplier that offers exemplary service. For one thing, you need a firm with a comprehensive LPG distribution network. This means you're never at risk of your gas running out before a delivery is made.

One nice touch is a top-up service. This guarantees timely delivery as the firm calculates your gas usage and automatically schedules deliveries at the optimum time to make sure you never run out of fuel.

A quality firm will also provide routine testing and maintenance carried out by professional engineers. This will ensure your tank is working efficiently and complying with safety regulations.

Plus you want a firm that offers quality customer service. You need to be sure that someone will be there to deal with all your queries, quickly and efficiently. So a 24 hours/7 days a week emergency helpline is a must.

Finally, you need to sign up with a firm with friendly and convenient payment arrangements. Leading LPG suppliers offer a system of flexible payment plans and direct debits that make sure payments are made reliably and at the greatest convenience to you, the consumer. One nice touch is the use of a paperless e-billing service that permits you to handle all you payments online.

Switching to a new LPG gas supplier is a fast and easy process and it doesn't cost a penny. You won't even need to change your tank. Just follow these guidelines:

Firstly, if you're a bulk gas customer you have to be sure your contract with your existing supply company has ended. Most contracts are ironclad so you probably won't be able to get out before the expiry date. You'll need to check the details on the agreement you signed. You then obtain a supplier switch notice from your new provider, complete the details and return it. Your new supply company will take of everything from there on.

As for metered estate customers, if you have an individual contract with a supplier, all customers supplied by the metered estate have both to agree to switch and be eligible to switch by virtue of their contracts. Managers of metered estates who hold all the contracts can switch providing they’re eligible.

Using LPG for all your home and mobile energy needs makes perfect sense - it's clean, affordable and highly flexible. Make sure you're getting the best deal for your gas and switch suppliers if you're not.

The supply company you choose should have full details available on their website, where you can download all the necessary documents such as the supply switch notice. Start the ball rolling towards cheaper home energy costs.