Propane Safety Tips for the Summer

June 22, 2021

Summer is finally here, and the days are really heating up in Massachusetts. You’re probably not thinking about your home heating fuels, but did you know it’s important to take precautions to stay safe even during the summer months? If you heat your home with propane, you know why MA residents love the fuel. Its affordability, efficiency, and safety make it an attractive home heating option, and its versatility makes it even better. But there are certain preventative safety measures you should follow if you use propane for your home comfort systems. Read on to get the top preventative safety tips from Surner Heating.

Preventative Propane Safety

Understand Your Tank

First things first! You need to be familiar and comfortable with understanding your tank. You should know all of its general functions, and you should know how to read your tank gauge and turn off your gas supply. If you need help familiarizing yourself with your tank, Surner can help with any questions you might have. Be sure to regularly monitor your fuel level to prevent running out, and order propane when your tank is at 25%.

Educate Your Household on Propane Safety

Educate everyone living in your home about propane safety precautions. Make sure they are aware of things like proper measures for storage, keeping flammable items clear of the heating system, and proper handling of propane cylinders for things like a grill. Make sure they know that cylinders should never be stored in enclosed spaces and establish a clear evacuation plan with direct instructions in the event of a leak.

Take Care of Your Propane Systems

Now is the time to get your propane furnace and hot water heater serviced before winter! Regular maintenance will help to ensure that your heating system and appliances have unobstructed operation, and it will 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 nontoxic. A scent is added to help detect if a leak has occurred. If you smell propane:

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

If you have any questions about propane safety or need to order fuel or request service, be sure to contact us. We’d love to hear from you.