If
you have a meter, give the valve at the meter a quarter turn in
either direction so that the lever is crosswise to the pipe to turn
it off.Propane is a gas derived from natural gas processing and petroleum/crude-oil refining. The chemical formula for propane is C3H8. It is found mixed with natural gas and petroleum deposits. It is normally a gas, but compressible to a transportable liquid. It is commonly used as a fuel for engines, oxy-gas torches, barbecues, portable stoves, and residential central heating. Nearly 97 percent of propane used in the United States is produced in North America. It is nontoxic, colorless, and virtually odorless. As with natural gas, an identifying odorant, such as ethanethiol or thiophene, is added so that people can easily smell the gas in case of a leak.
A mixture of propane and butane, used mainly as vehicle fuel, is commonly known as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas). Butane is another LPG often used in lighters. It may also contain small amounts of propylene and/or butylene. Because propane is the type of LPG most commonly used in the United States, propane and LPG are often used synonymously.
Just as water can change its physical state and become a liquid or a gas (steam vapor), so can propane. Under normal atmospheric pressure and temperature, propane is a gas. Under moderate pressure and/or lower temperatures, however, propane changes into a liquid. Propane is easily stored as a liquid in pressurized tanks.
Propane takes up much less space in its liquid form. It is 270 times more compact in its liquid state than it is as a gas. A thousand gallon tank holding gaseous propane would provide a family enough cooking fuel for one week. A thousand gallon tank holding liquid propane would provide enough cooking fuel for more than five years!
When propane vapor (gas) is drawn from a tank, some of the liquid in the tank instantly vaporizes to replace the vapor that was removed. Propane is nicknamed the portable gas because it is easier to store and transport than natural gas, which requires pipelines.
Almost 90 percent of all propane is produced right here in the United States. Eastern maintains a reserve of over 2 million gallons alone for its' customers. Remember, with some propane equipment, even when the power is out many propane-fueled homes are nice and warm.
Propane is clean-burning and effectively competes with other fossil and renewable fuels on efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions in many applications. It also offers additional air quality advantages: when properly mixed with air to form a combustible mixture, propane emits virtually no soot, and low carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and oxides of nitrogen, which are the basic precursors of ground-level ozone, or smog. Its simple chemical make-up allows it to burn cleaner than coal, light and heavy petroleum fuels, ethanol, and even natural gas in some cases. Because propane is stored and transported under pressure, the transportation and storage system prevents any evaporative emissions. In the event of a leak, propane readily vaporises and dissipates into the atmosphere. In an era of environmental concerns, propane stands above most fuels and rivals the cleanest.
Propane's exceptional value makes it the choice of tens of millions of Americans, for their homes, businesses, farms, and fleets. While the economics of using propane vary with each application, the common theme is value. For example, the U.S. Department of Energy reports that heating a home with gas costs half as much, on average, than heating with electricity. Add to that the fact that propane-fuelled furnaces last 5–10 years longer than electric heat pumps. When it comes to water heaters, propane heaters are often as much as 30% less expensive to operate than electric heaters, with twice the recovery rate, resulting in huge savings on electricity bills. As a transportation fuel in Canada, propane has historically enjoyed a significant price advantage: as much as 25% over regular gasoline.
Production, storage, transportation, and use are subject to strict standards and regulations. Propane is stored and used in sealed containers and fuel systems, and is only transferred from one container to another by trained personnel. Propane tanks are 20-times more puncture-proof than conventional gasoline tanks.
Propane can be stored, transported and used almost anywhere, and won't deteriorate over time. Storage cylinders and tanks come in a range of sizes; all built and transported according to highly regulated safety standards. In many case, it's the only fuel used in remote locations because of its portability, especially for applications where demand patterns change, such as construction sites or cottages.
There are countless opportunities to take advantage of clean-burning propane. For propane at home and in the workplace, think cooking, heating, and cooling – appliances such as pool, patio, space and water heaters, clothes dryers, and refrigerators. For agriculture, think heating greenhouses and other buildings, weed and pest control, crop drying, waste incineration, and powering equipment. For industry, think forklifts and mobile generators, drying and curing paint, bricks and ceramics, glazing pottery, and metal heating and processing. And of course, propane is a transportation fuel – new models of cars, trucks, and entire fleets are now available. Propane is ready to fuel the tools and toys you rely on for work and play.
Non-fossil fuels, such as solar and wind are environmentally friendly, but have reliability limitations. The flexibility of propane makes it possible to partner with other energies to supplement energy requirements when the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing. Technology exists to facilitate this automatic switching. Propane provides a rich source of hydrogen for fuel cells. An up-and-coming energy source, fuel cells create power and heat through an electrochemical process rather than burning, converting hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy.
Propane is a clean–burning, versatile fuel. It is used by nearly everyone in the United States—in homes, on farms, by business, and in industry—mostly for producing heat and operating equipment.
Homes and businesses use about one–third of the propane consumed in the U.S. Propane is used mostly in homes in rural areas that do not have natural gas service, as well as in manufactured (mobile) homes. Nearly 49 million households use propane to meet some of their energy needs. Nearly 6 million households use propane as their main heating source. About one-fifth of mobile homes use propane for heating.
Propane is also used in homes for air conditioning, heating water, cooking and refrigerating foods, drying clothes, lighting, and fueling fireplaces.
Homes that use propane as a main energy source usually have a large propane tank outside of the house that stores propane under pressure as a liquid.
propane retailers deliver propane to the residences in trucks, filling the tanks several times a year as needed. The average residential propane tank holds between 500 and 1,000 gallons of liquid fuel.
Millions of backyard cooks use propane–powered gas grills for cooking. And recreational vehicles (RV's) usually have propane-fueled appliances, giving them a portable source of energy for cooking, hot water, and Refrigeration.
Approximately 40 percent of America's farms—865,000—use propane to help meet their energy needs. Farmers use propane to dry crops such as corn, soybeans, grains, apples, peanuts, and onions. Propane is also used to ripen fruit, heat water, and refrigerate foods.
Propane flamethrowers are used to control weeds. Propane is also used to heat barns, chicken houses, stock tanks, nurseries, greenhouses, orchards, and incubators.
Propane is one fuel farmers use to operate a variety of farm equipment, including tractors, weeders, irrigation pumps, stand-by generators, and seedling planters.
More than one million business and commercial establishments—such as hotels, schools, hospitals, restaurants, and laundromats—use propane for heating and cooling air, cooking and refrigerating food, heating water, and lighting.
Industry uses more than half of the propane consumed in the U.S. Some industries find propane well suited to their special needs. Metal workers use propane tanks to fuel their cutting torches and other equipment.
Industries also use propane for soldering, vulcanizing, and other processes that need a ready heat source. More than 350,000 industrial sites use propane as fuel.
Portable propane heaters provide a convenient source of heat for construction and road workers in cold weather. Propane also is used to heat asphalt for highway construction and repairs. Propane heaters at construction sites are used to dry concrete, plaster, and fuel pitch. And because propane is a very low-emission fuel, forklift trucks powered by propane can operate safely inside factories and warehouses.
Propane is also a valuable feedstock for the chemical industry. About 45 percent of the propane used today is as a raw material for making plastic bags, nylon, and other products.
In properly maintained and operated systems, propane is safe, but like any other fuel gas it must be handled with care.
As with any energy source, there are steps you should take to further ensure your safety when using propane. Propane is a colourless and odourless gas that is not itself toxic. Because propane has an odour additive (ethyl mercaptan - a scent similar to rotten eggs or boiling cabbage) you can easily detect it. Propane is heavier than air, so when checking for leaks, be aware that it gathers in low-lying areas.
A: Treat all propane gas odours seriously. Any odours may indicate a dangerous situation. If you think you smell propane in or around your home, immediately follow these procedures:
Get everyone out of the building immediately.
Do not turn light switches or flashlights on or off, or operate phones.
Turn off the supply of propane at the cylinder or meter.
Call the fire department or dial 911.
Do not re-enter the area until it is safe.
Call your propane retailer to schedule a service call to repair the leak once the area has been deemed safe; they will turn on the propane, check all the propane appliances and re-light the pilots on the appliances for you.
If you have concerns about your ability to smell propane, you may want to consider purchasing a propane gas alarm. Please remember, while an alarm may provide an extra measure of warning, it should never be relied upon as a substitute for regular inspection and maintenance of propane appliances.
Yes. If it's necessary to turn off your propane supply before your propane retailer or the fire department arrives, you should know the proper procedure.
If
you have a meter, give the valve at the meter a quarter turn in
either direction so that the lever is crosswise to the pipe to turn
it off.
To shut off the propane supply at the tank or cylinder, turn the hand wheel clockwise (to the right) as far as possible to make sure the valve is completely closed.
If you are not sure how to shut off the gas supply from your meter, tank or cylinder, contact your propane retailer for instructions. A service technician or driver can show you how to turn the propane supply off at your next scheduled delivery or service inspection.
No. Please leave this to an expert. Once the propane is shut off, a qualified propane service technician who can check out the appliances and venting should turn it back on for you.
No. Please do not turn the tank or cylinder back on. Call your propane retailer and leave it to their qualified technicians to check out your propane system to ensure it's safe.
Know the location of your propane meter and/or tank.
Keep your tank and meter clear for emergency responses.
Know how to shut off your propane supply.
Keep a wrench in a convenient location, if you have a meter.
Do not enclose your meter or tank.
Do not tie pets or other objects to the meter or any outside propane pipes.
Yes. Rusty, unpainted or dark-colored tanks do not reflect sunlight and may absorb heat causing an increase in pressure, leading to a possible discharge from the pressure release valve.
Yes – call before you dig. If underground pipes bring propane to your house, be sure to call your propane retailer when making an addition to your home, doing major landscaping or installing fence posts.
Propane is called a fossil fuel because it was formed thousands of years ago from the remains of tiny sea animals and plants. When the plants and animals died, they were buried by layers of sediment and sand that turned into rock.
The layers were subjected to enormous heat and pressure, changing the energy-rich remains into petroleum and natural gas deposits. Eventually, pockets of these fossil fuels became trapped in rocks, much as a wet sponge holds water.
Propane is used by more than 12.6 million U.S. households for space heating and other purposes and by millions of other Americans for agricultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation applications.
As a clean, versatile energy source, propane is frequently used for space heating, water heating, cooking, fireplaces, and clothes drying. In outdoor spaces, propane is a widely used energy source for outdoor grills, lighting, and heating for pools and spas. When electric power goes out, propane is often the energy that powers standby generators.
Yes. Propane retailers deliver it right to your home. Propane tanks are environmentally friendly, require little maintenance, and can last up to 40 years. Propane's portability in liquid form makes it a convenient fuel for grilling, camping, and other uses. Up to 56,000 miles of pipeline and more than 6,000 retail dealer locations make propane readily available throughout the United States.
Yes. Propane is an approved clean alternative fuel listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act. Propane is a nontoxic fuel that doesn't contaminate aquifers or soil.
Yes. Propane is a very safe fuel. But as with any energy source, there are steps you should take to further ensure your safety:
If you detect a gas leak, immediately evacuate everyone from the house and call your local propane provider or the fire department from a neighbor's telephone.
Learn what propane smells like. Propane retailers print scratch-and-sniff pamphlets to help your family recognize its distinctive odor.
Know where gas lines are located, so you won't damage them when digging or working in the yard.
Change or clean furnace filters regularly as recommended by the manufacturer.
Don't store cleaning fluids, oil-soaked rags, gasoline, or other flammable liquids near a gas-burning appliance, where vapors could be ignited by the pilot light.
Propane has a strong, unpleasant smell, like rotten eggs, a skunk's spray, or a dead animal. Propane manufacturers add the smell deliberately to help alert customers to propane leaks, which can create a safety hazard. You can ask your propane retailer for a demonstration to help everyone in your home or building identify leaks.
Never modify or repair a propane appliance's valves, regulators, connectors, controls, or a propane tank's cylinder or parts. Instead, immediately call your propane retailer or a qualified service technician. They can inspect, adjust, repair, or replace any part of your propane system. Remember, your propane system incorporates special components to keep them safe for use.
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) recommends that you get in touch with a qualified propane service technician to evaluate the appliance and relight the pilot light, which is a small, constantly burning flame inside the appliance that ignites the main burner. A pilot light that repeatedly goes out — or is difficult to light — may be signaling that there is a problem with the appliance or your propane system. Accidents and serious injuries can occur when customers attempt to fix a pilot light problem on their own.
Propane is used safely by millions of Americans — and stored, handled, and transported by thousands of professionals — every day. That safety comes from a combination of stringent codes and regulations and the industry's extensive training and safety awareness programs. In fact, the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) and the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) operate the Certified Employee Training Program (CETP), through which propane technicians train and get certified in all aspects of delivering propane and installing and servicing propane appliances. The training programs are frequently updated to ensure that employees are equipped with the most current procedures and information available.
Yes. Many furnaces originally built for natural gas can be converted to propane. For details, get in touch with your nearest propane retailer.
Yes. Underground storage tanks are a popular option for single-family homes and housing developments. These large tanks can be buried underground because propane is a nontoxic fuel that doesn't contaminate aquifers or soil.
Generally, a 500-gallon tank can hold enough propane to meet the annual energy needs of an average four-bedroom home. Tanks of 1,000 gallons or more may be needed for large homes with swimming pools and hot tubs.