Frequently Ask Questions

Propane is a safe fuel to use in your home and business. Propane has a narrow range of flammability and cannot be ingested like gasoline or alcohol fuels because it is released as a vapor from a pressurized container.

Propane tanks should be stored outside. Do not store any propane tanks in the garage or any other indoor areas at any time, even during the winter months. As for excessive heat, propane tanks should only be filled to 80 percent of the tank’s capacity. This is to allow for some liquid propane expansion that might occur during hot days.

While the factors that contribute to higher fuel prices cannot be controlled by propane retailers or consumers, there are some simple steps customers can take to lower their energy bill year-round.

• Protect against drafts by caulking and weather-stripping around windows, doors, and other openings such as ducts, fans, and vents.
• Change your furnace filter monthly. Clean filters will help your heating system work more efficiently.
• Switch to a propane water heater, which provides significant energy efficiency over an electric water heater. Over time, propane water heaters can cost one-third less to operate and recover hot water twice as quickly as electric water heaters.
• When using a water heater, turn it down from the standard 140 degrees to 130 degrees. You could save more than 10 percent on your water-heating bill.
• Increase your water heater’s efficiency by draining it every six months to remove lime deposits and sediment.
• Install flow-restricting showerheads. You can reduce hot water usage by up to 50 percent without affecting shower pressure.
• Run washing machines –and clothes dryers– with a full load.
• Close vents and doors in unused rooms. Make sure your attic and basement are properly insulated.
• Repair leaky faucets to prevent waste. A leak that fills a coffee cup in 10 minutes wastes 3,200 gallons of water a year.

When purchasing a propane oven or range:

• Look for one with an automatic, electric ignition system. An electric ignition saves propane-because a pilot light is not burning continuously.
• Be sure that all burners are burning with a blue, cone-shaped flame. A yellow flame indicates clogged air inlets or burners that need adjustment. Contact your propane retailer’s service department immediately if you do not see a blue flame.
• Keep range-top burners and reflectors clean; they will reflect the heat better, and you will save energy.

No. The 1990 Clean Air Act and the National Energy Policy of 1992 list propane as an approved, alternative clean fuel. Propane is among the cleanest burning of all available alternative fuels.