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Above ground propane tank with truck in background

Propane Tanks and Safety

Some people have misconceptions about propane. Occasionally, these mistaken beliefs involve propane storage and the safety of propane tanks. Get ready to learn about just how strong and dependable propane tanks are and why this makes propane such a safe fuel choice for your home and business.

Propane Tanks are Built to Withstand Outside Forces

Propane tanks do not explode or implode under any set of normal circumstances. In fact, propane tanks won’t rupture without having an incredible amount of heat and pressure applied to them.

Propane suppliers make the safety of every home, business, and farm their number one priority. And propane tank manufacturers design tanks with this in mind.

What are some of the measures that propane providers take to ensure customer safety?

Propane Tank Strength

Propane tanks are designed to withstand high amounts of pressure and will not rupture when used properly. Obviously, everyone should take care around propane, as with any flammable substance. But the idea that propane tanks will explode if they get knocked over or are hit by a lawnmower, or even a car, is false.

Extreme heat exposure, over a long period of time, can cause a tank to rupture, but even this is rare. A propane tank would have to endure heat, such as that from a fire, that overcomes its own ability to relieve the built-up pressure through a safety relief valve.

Safety Relief Valves

A big part of what makes propane safe for commercial and residential use is the employment of safety relief valves on propane tanks. Safety relief valves are required equipment on all propane tanks and cylinders to guard against any possibility of a propane tank rupture in all but the most extreme circumstances.

How does a propane tank’s safety relief value work? The valve is held closed under normal circumstances by a strong spring. If the pressure inside the tank rises above a certain level, this pushes against the spring and opens the valve, relieving the pressure. (This may be accompanied by a hissing sound.) The safety relief valve safeguards the propane tank against rupturing in all but the most extreme circumstances.

Additional Safety Precautions

If you’ve ever wondered why propane tanks are made in light colors, it’s actually an additional safety measure. Lighter colors tend to reflect the heat from sunlight, whereas darker colors absorb it. If a propane tank heats up, the propane inside it heats up as well, increasing pressure. The white color of most tanks is a design element that helps prevent excessive pressure buildup and keeps the tank from having to vent and release propane unnecessarily.

On hot days, especially just after a recent delivery, when a propane tank is close to being full, the safety relief valve may open slightly, releasing excess pressure. If this happens, don’t tamper with the tank or the valve! Spraying cold water from a garden hose on an above-ground tank can help to cool it down and relieve some of the pressure. Provided that the relief valve is functioning properly, it will close on its own once the pressure inside the tank decreases.

Call the Professionals

If you suspect a propane leak, don’t attempt to repair any part of the tank yourself! Always contact a professional to inspect the tank and perform any necessary service.

To the experts at Southeast Quality Propane, proper safety measures go hand in hand with excellent customer service. Reach out to us today and learn what propane can do for your home and business!

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Propane burner with blue flames

The Advantages of Choosing Propane

Wondering whether or not to opt for propane fuel at home or for your business? Get ready to hear about all the advantages propane has to offer!

Versatility

Propane can be put to a wide variety of uses. You might associate propane most of all with grilling outside during the summer months. That’s great, because propane is definitely an excellent fuel source for cookouts. But did you know that most of the major appliances in your average home can also be fueled by propane?

It’s true! You can replace your old electric water heater with one that uses propane. The same goes for your clothes dryer and your stove. Heating your house with propane in the winter is an option as well. And for those considering moving off the grid, propane can power generators and refrigerators too. You can even get propane-powered vehicles or retrofit your gasoline-powered ones to run using propane!

Cost

Propane is an efficient fuel, giving propane consumers more value for their money. For instance, when it comes to household appliances, propane has electricity beat. Propane hot water heaters will heat water faster than electric water heaters can. And propane clothes dryers have the edge over their electric counterparts in this regard as well. Even if the initial cost of a propane appliance is higher than that of an electric one, the propane-fueled machine will quickly pay for itself through its more efficient operation over its lifetime.

Safety

As with any combustible item, you must take care when handling or transporting propane. That said, the production and installation of propane equipment is strictly-regulated. In addition, propane will only ignite in an environment within a narrow ratio of propane to air. Propane also won’t ignite unless it reaches a temperature of around 940 degrees Fahrenheit, much higher than that of gasoline, which can ignite at a temperature as low as 430 degrees Fahrenheit.

Environmentally Friendly

Propane is non-toxic. Since it’s a gas at room temperature, it won’t form hazardous puddles that need to be cleaned up if its storage tank leaks. Unlike the burning of coal, propane combustion doesn’t contribute to the formation of acid rain. Plus, propane produces fewer harmful greenhouse gas emissions compared to the burning of gasoline or diesel fuel. In fact, propane is not even classified as a greenhouse gas, as it won’t harm the environment if it is released into the atmosphere unburned. This is not true of natural gas, which, though relatively friendly to the environment, is still not as clean as propane.

In Conclusion

Propane is an adaptable, efficient, safe, and environmentally-friendly fuel. It’s great for homes and businesses, suitable in both industrial and agricultural applications, and can even be used to power vehicles.

Interested in hearing more about propane and what it can do for you? Contact Southeast Quality Propane today!

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