Propane Safety & Benefits

Safety facts about Propane gas and its appliances

Besides all its other attributes, Propane is one of the safest home energy fuels today when handled, stored and used in accordance with industry-standard safety guidelines and practices.

By the same token, all Propane gas appliances are also safe to use, on the condition that they have been installed and maintained properly according to manufacturers’ guidelines.

Reasons Propane is safe

Here are just a few of the reasons that Propane is one of the safest home energy sources for your Southern Maryland home:

• Propane leaks are easy to detect due to their strong rotten egg odor. The smell is due to the ethyl mercaptan that manufacturers add to the naturally odorless gas. If you detect this odor, be sure to follow proper safety protocols. Find more details below.
• The Propane industry is regulated by strict federal compliance codes, along with numerous state and municipal fire and safety laws.
• Propane will not ignite until the air around it reaches 940°F. Propane has the lowest flammability range of all alternative fuels (2.4%–9.5%). There must be a very specific combination of Propane and oxygen before Propane can burn.
• If liquid Propane ever leaks, it vaporizes into the air, leaving no mess and no toxic burden on the environment; Propane cannot contaminate water or soil.

Propane tank safety

• Propane tanks are constructed from carbon steel, under procedures developed by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
• All Propane cylinders with capacities of between 4 and 40 pounds must be equipped with an overfilling prevention device (OPD) that cuts off the filling process when the tank reaches 80% capacity. This allows the gas room to expand safely when outdoor temperatures rise.
• All Propane cylinders and tanks must be equipped with a pressure-relief valve that opens to reduce excessive internal pressure in abnormal conditions.

For more Propane safety tips, the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) has created the informative videos below.