Will My Propane Freeze In The Winter?

As winter approaches and the temperature drops, you might be wondering about what will happen to the propane in your aboveground tank in the coming months.

It’s a fair question! We know that once January rolls around, the temperature frequently drops down below freezing—and that’s during a regular season, in the absence of a cold blast from the mid-northwest or the arctic.

Here’s what else we know: Propane freezes at -306.4 degrees Fahrenheit. And although the January cold here is no joke, we still manage to keep our distance from -306.4. And that brings us to the good news: your propane will not freeze in an aboveground tank on your Massachusetts property. (It also will not liquify, which happens once it dips below -44 degrees.)

So your propane will be safe year-round, which is great news. But there is some more to the story, as this cost-effective fuel still responds to very low temperatures. Propane contracts in the presence of cold air. When this happens, the volume of propane in your tank decreases, and right along with that, the pressure drops.

This is where you could run into an issue: if the pressure drops too much, your gas burner will be rendered useless, as your propane simply won’t be able to reach it. From there, your furnace, boiler or other appliances simply will not receive their fuel.

Tips For Propane Tank Care In the Cold

Avoid the pitfalls of your propane pressure being too low and keep your propane tank operating at its highest level with these helpful hints.

1. Remove the snow from your propane tank. Doing so will allow the sunlight to warm up your unit. sunlight.
2. Lower your thermostat. This easy-to-achieve break for your furnace or boiler will give the pressure inside a chance to rebuild itself.
3. If you’re a will call customer, be sure to maintain a 30% level of propane. Keep your propane level up in order to keep the pressure high enough. (If you’re an auto delivery/tank monitor customer, you can leave this step to our team.)
4. Make sure your flues and vents are not blocked by snow or ice. They need to be able to vent properly, so check them regularly.
5. Gently clear the snow and ice from your propane regulator. Doing this with too much force can lead to damage and a leak.
6. Make your propane tank easy to find. stick a pole, small flag or stake in the ground next to your tank. You want it to be tall enough for your Pioneer technician to find the tank even if there’s a solid snowfall.

Learn about our propane services and propane delivery in Auburn or Athol, Worcester, Westminster and surrounding areas.