When you've gotten a few propane tanks for heating, cooking, or fuel purposes, it's natural that your thoughts don't remain on them other than to be sure that they're full and ready to use. However, the safety and care of those tanks are important if you want to keep your family from experiencing any propane-related accidents. Using the tank and propane tips that follow can help you to be safe.
Don't Leave Them in the Yard
Your backyard might seem like a good place to put your tanks. After all, if you often use the tanks for grilling, you may want to leave extra tanks sitting in the grass near the grill so that they're easy to reach. This is not a good idea; prolonged exposure to the dew in grass could contribute to rust and corrosion of the tanks. As a result, the tanks themselves could lose of their structural integrity.
Another reason to avoid leaving the tanks in the yard is that direct sunlight could raise the temperatures inside the tanks too high and compromise the valves, causing gas leaks. It's a good decision to keep the tanks on a concrete pad or in a well-ventilated garage.
Leave Tanks and Appliances Outside
If you're concerned about your propane tanks sitting out in the elements and want a more temperature-controlled area for them, you may put extra tanks in the basement. If you know a big winter storm is on the way, you may do the same with your propane-fueled generator. Both of these decisions can be terrible mistakes. If a leak should occur, you may not smell it immediately because propane vapor is heavier than air; it will gather at the lowest spots, such as the area right next to the floor, until vapor builds and fills the area with dangerous levels of propane. Because of that, it's best to leave the tanks and appliances outdoors.
Recognize Warnings
Everyone in your family should know what propane fuel smells like. Chemicals are added so that the odor is distinct; on a delivery day, you may want to ask the technician to allow everyone to get an idea of what the smell is like so that they can take action immediately if they feel they're exposed to leaked propane vapors. Even if the smell isn't noticed, realize that headaches, dizziness, and strong feelings of nausea can also be warnings that propane has infiltrated your living space.
To be safe, it's smart to purchase carbon monoxide and propane leak detectors at your local big box stores. These detectors can alert you to any problems quickly so that you can keep the family out of trouble. Just remember to change the batteries and test the detectors periodically.
With the guidance above, you can be much smarter about the decisions you make regarding the tanks that hold propane on your property. Asking your propane company for more pointers might also be wise.
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