This winter has been a rough one for the east coast, particularly Boston, where record-breaking snowfall has nearly paralyzed the city leaving residents frustrated and looking forward to spring. Harsh winds, snow, and cold temperatures can make winter more than just a nuisance. To encourage our propane customers to be prepared and proactive this season, we’ve put together three quick tips for winter propane safety.
3 Tips for Winter Propane Safety
Fill It Up – When the temperature drops and the snow flurries start, we want our customers to be confident that they have a full supply of propane. At Wayman Oil we offer a monthly route service. Our technicians will monitor your gauge and fill the tank as needed. We also offer a “will call” service and even provide a monthly email reminder so our customers are never caught off guard.
Trust Your Nose – Propane is an environmentally safe fuel, but a gas leak can be very dangerous. If you smell a strong odor similar to rotten eggs or skunk spray near your tank, call us immediately. Propane is colorless and odorless so the foul smell is added as a safety precaution. Consider investing in a gas/carbon monoxide detector. A gas explosion alarm is a small unit, usually with a digital display, that sounds when it detects the presence of gas.
Inspect the Area – After a snowfall or ice storm it’s important to check the area around the propane tank. Are there downed power lines? Have the fittings or other components been damaged? Is the tubing kinked? Call Wayman Oil to report any signs of unusual wear and tear.
Taking these three simple precautions can ensure your equipment is protected and more importantly, that your family is safe and warm all winter long.
It’s good to know that you suggest checking around a propane tank each time it snows. My friend was telling me the other day how he just moved into a rural home that utilizes propane for much of the home’s heating needs. I’ll definitely make sure he knows that regular inspections are important to have done on his tank.
I like how you point out that propane in an environmentally safe fuel, but a gas leak can be very dangerous. My husband really likes to grill, but we want to be extra cautious so that nothing happens while we’re not using the grill. I like your suggestion to pay attention to strong odors to identify leaks.
I never took into account the fact that the propane gas has no odor and color, so the foul smell is added for safety purposes. With that in mind, I will watch out for that scent to ensure that we are safe. We just decided to have this kind of heating for the water since I’ve read that it is more efficient and affordable.
It was really informative when you said that propane is dangerous when it leaks despite being an environmentally safe fuel, so it is best to have it checked when the person detects it. I actually smelled a faint smell of rotten eggs before the propane ran out a few days ago. I might as well get the tank checked and repaired first before I order another just to be on the safe side.
It was really nice when you mentioned that there is a possibility of a leak of the person ever detects a smell odor, like that of a skunk spray, near the tank. My mom actually mentioned that there was a skunk because of the smell. When I looked around, I didn’t see any animal. Maybe it is the tank. I will get it checked since we will be ordering propane for the winter in the near future.
Thanks for helping me understand that it would be best to let technicians inspect the tank from time to time to ensure that there is no issue. I will have that done when I have used propane for the heating of our home since we think that we might save more with this. The electricity bill has almost doubled even if we did not add new appliances and consumption.
Thanks for your suggestion to inspect the area around the propane tank to check for downed power lines or other dangerous situations. My husband and I are looking into getting some propane tanks so we can barbecue in the summer. I would have never thought to regularly check the tanks or area around them to make sure there aren’t any hazardous situations. We’ll have to find a good propane tank service in our area to help us keep our tanks safe!
Impressive post I have read in recent years. The safety tips are very helpful to protect my family.