Winter is coming. Are you ready?
Prepare your Propane Tank for Winter with these tips from Franger Gas
In Indiana and Michigan, our home heating customers know two things for sure about the winter months – winters here are brutal, and propane does the job when it comes to keeping your family warm.
Because propane is such an effective way of heating your home, it’s easy to forget the practical steps you can take to be sure your propane tank keeps you warm all season long. Your peace of mind is important to Franger Gas, and the last thing we want is for any of our residential propane service customers to find themselves without heat as the temperatures drop.
We’ve got a simple propane checklist you can follow to ensure you and your family stay warm this winter! Here are some of the basics:
Some small steps can help make sure your heating system is good to go before the cold temperatures arrive. Don’t get left out in the cold!
But, will my propane freeze?
Even with propane checklist complete, this is often a question we still hear from customers. “Will my propane freeze this winter in extreme cold?”
It gets very cold around here (Polar Vortex, anyone?) – so we get it. But, rest easy, because that answer is no. Propane’s freezing point is actually -306.4˚, and even if you are living next door to Santa Claus himself, you aren’t going to see those temperatures. That temperature only happens in a science lab. Rest assured you will not have to worry about your Liquid Propane Gas (LP Gas) freezing from outside temps this winter.
What then should you worry about? Your main concern this winter is actually the loss of vapor pressure in your tank.
Is low pressure that big of a problem? How do I avoid it?
Like all liquids, propane contracts in the cold. When it does, the volume of liquid propane in your tank shrinks – and that means a loss of pressure. The colder it is outside, the lower the pressure will be in your tank. If the pressure gets too low, propane won’t be able to reach your gas burner, or heat your home.
So how do you avoid low pressure problems this winter?
It’s easy with a few simple tips from Franger Gas.
Simply being mindful of your propane tank is the best way to avoid a problem this winter. Franger Gas offers our popular AutoFill Service that will keep your tank full all times. Have questions about propane needs this winter, or want to sign up for our Auto Fill program? Call us today at (574) 264-2118.
- The single best thing you can do to protect your propane tank in freezing temperatures is to keep it full. It is number one in our Winter Propane Checklist, and its number one here too – for good reason. Never let your propane tank level fall below 20%. Don’t wait – call us to schedule your LP Delivery when your tank gauge reads 30%. And, If you ever find yourself without propane, read tips on what to do here.
- Put a pole, stake or marker of some kind near your tank in the ground. Make sure the marker is tall enough to be seen over snowfall and drifts; this will help you (and your propane delivery driver) find the tank in heavy snow.
- Clear snowfall off your tank as soon as you can. This lets sunlight reach your tank and add much needed warmth. A snow-covered tank will actually be colder than the outside temperature.
- Turn down your thermostat. Decreasing the temperature in your house, even a little, will lessen the time your propane heating system is on, and allows the pressure in the tank to build.
- NEVER use an open flame or electrical device near a propane tank. Accidents involving “heating” a tank to boost pressure are not uncommon. Just don’t try it. Trust us.
- NEVER cover up your tank. This isn’t warming your tank at all. It PREVENTS the sun from reaching your propane tank, making the problem worse.