Propane tanks are incredibly useful items to have, but can become incredibly dangerous if not properly cared for. Whether you use your take to heat water, fuel your grill, power your stove, or any other reason, you need to know how to detect a leak in order to prevent a disaster. There are two ways you can keep yourself safe from a propane tank explosion – you can either actively check the tubing before you install the tank to make sure there aren’t any leaks, or you can constantly monitor for any signs of a gas leak.
How To Check The Tubing
- Before you even think about checking your tank, make sure you’re in a well-ventilated area and that there aren’t any fire hazards around you. A wayward spark could ruin more than your afternoon, and being stuck in a musty room with propane vapors is likely to give you a headache, and possibly cause you to pass out.
- Once you’re in a safe location, fill a bucket with water and mix in a few tablespoons of dish soap.
- Connect your propane tank and turn it on / pressurize it so the gas starts to flow through the tubing.
- Use the soapy solution to wet down any areas you’re worried might be leaking – if you see bubbles start to form, then you’ve successfully discovered a leak in the tubing.
- Make sure to replace the tubing before using your propane tank.
Get A Detector
You can either purchase an electronic gas leak detector or a carbon monoxide detector to keep tabs on the amount of dangerous gas present in the air around your gas tank. The electronic detector can sense when propane gas leaks out into the air and, once it reaches the necessary level, will trigger an alarm warning you of the danger. These can be purchased from your local hardware store.
Carbon monoxide is a major part of propane gas, and these detectors work in a similar fashion as the electronic detector, but will only check for the specific toxic gas leaking out into the air. Small portable detectors can also be purchased from your local hardware store.
If you or your alarms ever detect a leak, you need to shut off the tank’s valve, open as many doors and windows as you can, do not start any size flame or spark or turn on any light switch, and contact your local fire department.
Depending on how your gas is set up in your home, these home tests may not be sufficient. At bluefrog Plumbing + Drain, our team of professionals can run a thorough inspection of your home and fix any problems we find. We also offer a variety of detection devices, so give us a call at 888-794-0341 or find your nearest bluefrog Plumbing + Drain by typing your zip code into our ‘Find My Location’ page.
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