Nine Propane Safety Reminders for Spring

Spring is a great time to refresh many things in your life – including your memory about propane safety in your Massachusetts home.

The good news is that if you power your home comfort equipment with propane, you’re already ahead of the curve when it comes to safety.

But just because propane is among the safest home energy options around doesn’t mean you can simply flick on the switch and hope for the best: if you own equipment that burns propane indoors (or heating oil – or any other fuel for that matter), you’ll have to be prepared for any safety issues that might come your way.

Here’s a short spring refresher course in propane safety for your Worcester-area home:

1. Make sure all adults living in your home know how shut the propane supply at the main tank and at each propane appliance. If you don’t know how to do that, contact us.
2. Remind everyone in your family that a propane leak smells like rotten eggs – and be sure they know what to do if they smell propane gas in your home.
3. Move any flammable fluids (paint, thinners, solvents, etc.) away from propane appliances that use a pilot light (your water heater, for example).
4. NEVER store a propane cylinder indoors; keep them outside your home, and always make sure they in an upright position.
5. Replace the batteries in all carbon monoxide (CO) detectors throughout your house. If your CO detector is more than five years oil, replace it – and while you’re at it, strongly consider installing propane gas detectors, too.
6. Write or revise an emergency preparedness plan that everyone in your family can learn and follow. For tips on making one, visit www.ready.gov/make-a-plan.
7. If severe weather is forecast, be sure you have enough propane to last at least a week in case deliveries are delayed by road closures. If you have a propane generator, be sure to take into account how much fuel it will use to operate all backup systems during that time.
8. If you think your propane equipment has been damaged, contact us immediately to schedule an inspection. Remember: if you have to turn off your propane gas supply for any reason, you must have it turned back on by a professional – it’s the law!
9. Never skip annual maintenance on your propane equipment! Routine service is the best way to make sure your equipment running safely and spot small issues before they become more dangerous problems. Make sure you get it every year (hint: spring is one of the best times to schedule your home heating system maintenance – you’ll beat the fall rush, get a great appointment time, and have one less thing to think about when things get crazy later on in the year)!

Stay safe this spring – contact us to schedule maintenance for your propane equipment, or if you have any other propane safety questions!