How does the propane company know when to fill my tank?

Autofill uses heating degree-day calculations: the company tracks accumulated cold weather since your last delivery and projects your fuel consumption, then schedules a truck before the tank runs low. Customers with tank monitors get scheduling based on the actual reported level.

Can I switch from will-call to autofill?

Yes. Existing customers can switch by calling their nearest Southwest Propane office — Moriarty (505) 407-2260, Pecos (505) 757-0977, or Mountainair (505) 847-1136.

Do I need a tank monitor for autofill?

No. Autofill runs on degree-day weather calculations without any hardware. A tank monitor adds a real-time data layer for more precise scheduling, which helps for remote properties and unusual usage patterns.

What happens if my propane system runs completely out?

Do not relight it yourself. Under NFPA 58, a system that has run dry requires a pressure test before it can be safely restarted. Call your propane company — and consider autofill enrollment so it does not happen again.

Propane Autofill Service in New Mexico — How Automatic Delivery Works

Yes. Automatic propane delivery — usually called autofill or keep-full service — is available across central New Mexico through Southwest Propane LLC, which runs autofill routes from offices in Moriarty, Pecos, and Mountainair.

What autofill actually is

With autofill, your propane company schedules deliveries for you instead of waiting for your call. The math behind it is the heating degree-day calculation: the company tracks how cold it has been since your last fill, knows roughly how much fuel your home burns per degree-day, and schedules the truck before your tank gets low. You do nothing.

Some customers add a tank monitor — a small wireless sensor on the tank gauge that reports the real level instead of a projection. Monitoring makes the schedule more precise, but it is not required; degree-day autofill works without any hardware.

Will-call vs autofill — the honest comparison

Will-call means you watch the gauge and call for a fill. It suits seasonal properties, summer-cooking-only households, and very low annual usage.
Autofill suits primary-heat households, remote properties, and anyone who does not want to think about a tank gauge in January. In New Mexico's high desert, where a warm week can turn into a hard freeze overnight, projection-based scheduling beats memory.

The risk that autofill removes is the winter run-out. When a propane system runs completely dry, the national LP-gas code requires a pressure test before the system is relit — which means waiting for a technician, not just a delivery. Autofill exists to make that scenario rare.

Where autofill is available in New Mexico

Southwest Propane LLC runs autofill from three offices, each covering roughly a 35-mile radius:

Moriarty (Torrance County / East Mountains) — (505) 407-2260
Pecos (San Miguel County / upper Pecos corridor) — (505) 757-0977
Mountainair (southern Torrance / Valencia County) — (505) 847-1136

How to enroll

Call the office nearest you and ask to be put on automatic fill. Existing will-call customers can switch on the same call; new customers can enroll at account setup. There is no monitoring hardware to buy unless you want the real-time level data.