Propane Safety: What You Should be Doing During Summer

You may be inclined to think that because it’s getting warmer you won’t need to worry as much about your propane tank, but this is not the case. There are many things you should be doing to prepare your tank for the warmer summer months to keep it healthy for when you utilize it on a more regular basis in the winter. If you keep up with the maintenance of your tank year round, you are likely to avoid expensive repairs in the future.

Prepping for summer and doing ongoing maintenance on your tank will ensure safety for yourself, your family, and delivery drivers delivering to your property. Here are a few things you can do during summer to keep your tank safe.

1. Clean up around the tank
Make sure your tank is easily accessible by clearing a path to the tank and cleaning up any branches or bushes around the tank or in the path to the tank. You should also ensure there are no nests of any kind around the tank or under the lid. This again will help keep delivery drivers safe and able to access your tank with ease.

2. Request necessary repairs to the tank
This is the perfect time to have any repairs done to your tank. It is important that these repairs are addressed and taken care of to ensure the health of your tank and your safety. Remember, all repairs done to your tank should be done by a certified professional.

3. Fill your tank before winter
When cold weather hits again, you want to be prepared. Taking advantage of typically lower prices during the summer months might be attractive to your overall heating budget.

Propane Storage

Propane tanks should always be stored outside in a dry place, on an even surface, and should have ample ventilation. Ensure that the tank is placed 10 feet from any other propane tanks or appliances. Having a barrier around the tank to keep animals and children from getting too close to it is recommended, as long as the area is still well ventilated.

Propane tanks should always be stored upright and the top should be secured. Once your tank is in place you will want to have it inspected by a certified technician. This will help minimize the risk of a disaster, especially during the warm summer months.

Inclement Weather

Along with the proper preparation, storage, and maintenance of your tank, you should be prepared for emergency situations, such as inclement weather. These safety tips are important year round, but with the potential of more severe weather popping up during the summer time, it’s a good idea to brush up on these tips now.

Have a plan for storm season and have an emergency preparedness kit for storm season. Think about things such as your shelter plan, evacuation routes, how you will receive emergency alerts, etc.

Install propane gas detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. These provide you with an additional layer of security, and will warn you if anything is wrong.

If there is potential for flooding, shut off your gas supply. If it is safe to do so, you will need to turn off the main gas supply valve on the propane tank. Turning the valve to the right (clockwise) will close the valve.

Never use outdoor propane appliances indoors or in enclosed areas, particularly during power outages. Doing this could result in carbon monoxide poisoning or death. Furthermore, you should never store, place, or use a propane cylinder indoors or in enclosed areas such as a basement, garage, shed, or tent.

After the storm passes and it is safe to do so, check for downed power lines, damaged gas lines, or damage to your propane tank. Severe weather of all kinds can shift or damage gas lines and tanks.

The smell of sulfur can indicate a gas leak. If you believe there may be a leak, you should immediately shut off the valve if it is safe to do so, and call our 24/7 toll free number at 877-435-3230, 911 or your local fire department.

Schedule a service technician to perform a complete inspection of your propane system. It is crucial for you to do this immediately upon noticing any of your propane appliances or equipment have been under water or damaged, or you have had to turn off your gas supply.

Your Propane Safety is Important to Us

Premier Energy is committed to ensuring the safety of consumers who use and depend on propane for various needs. To help ensure your safety, Premier Energy will perform routine safety pressure checks on each tank we service once every five years. Furthermore, it is important that you always have a qualified professional service technician perform routine maintenance service or repairs on your appliances. You should not attempt to repair or alter any appliances that utilize propane, nor should you store combustible materials near appliances.

Contact Premier for more safety tips or information on our propane service.