The dropping temperatures has Gainesville resident Barry A. Krajnovich reluctantly turning to his heater.
“It’s started getting cold. With running the heater, we've used quite a bit,” he said. “The price has tripled since Christmas.”
The 52-year-old is one Floridian experiencing the state’s fuel ration, part of a national shortage of supplies.
The higher demand for propane used on farms and to heat 5.5 million homes has caused shortages in the South, Midwest and Northeast and, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The propane tanks at Davis Gas Co. in the 200 block of Northeast 33rd Avenue have been full enough for business, but owner George “Gene” Davis said he’s cut off from his main supplier until early February.
“They’re rerouting the pipelines all to go to the Northeast and Midwest states where they’re having difficulty and severe weather,” he said. “If it goes longer, we’re going to have to be getting propane from other places, and the price is going to increase.”