Propane Safety Tips You Need to Know

Massachusetts homeowners that stay comfortable with propane choose this energy option for its longstanding history of efficiency, affordability, and safety. You can count on propane to fuel your heating system, power your stove top, and so much more. To keep your home safe from season to season, it is critical that you follow these industry-approved safety tips.

Preventative Propane Safety

Understand Your Tank

It is very important to familiarize yourself with the general functions of your propane tank. Know how to read your tank gauge and turn off your gas supply. Regularly monitoring your propane tank levels will help avoid the risk of running out of fuel, which can cause costly damage and serious safety hazards.

Educate Your Family

Make sure all members of your household understand propane safety precautions. This includes proper measures for storage, like keeping flammable items clear from your heating system, and proper handling of propane cylinders, like your grill tank. Never store propane cylinders inside any enclosed building. Establish a family evacuation plan with clear instructions and a meeting point to keep everyone safe in the event of a leak.

Care of Your Appliances

Schedule regular maintenance from your local HVAC company for your heating system and propane-powered appliances. This will promote safe, unobstructed operation and improve fuel efficiency. Keep an eye on the flame in your gas-range stove. If it burns yellow instead of blue, that can indicate an issue with your burner inlet.

What to do if you smell propane:

Propane is naturally colorless, odorless, and non-toxic. A scent is added to help detect if a leak has occurred. If you smell propane:

Extinguish any open flames. Do not turn any devices on or off. This includes light switches, phones, computers, flashlights, or appliances.
Alert all inhabitants and inform them to leave the home or commercial building immediately.
Do not try to find the source of the leak.
Be prepared to identify your location and whether the smell is inside or outside of the building.
Call your local propane provider from the closest building landline or from your cellphone away from the leak site. If you cannot get in touch with a Pilgrim Propane representative, call 911 or your local fire department immediately.
Do not return to the building until a qualified technician says it is safe to do so.

If you have any additional questions about propane safety or need to request a delivery, contact the pros at Pilgrim Propane today.