Propane Safety

The American Energy Propane Inc. Installation Review includes a visual check of portions of the exterior tank, piping and regulator. Because your safety is our first priority. It does not review any portion of the system inside the residence, building or equipment like crop dryers, vaporizers and engine carburetion equipment.

American Energy Propane Inc. recommends that the customer have a complete operational and Propane safety check of the regulator, inside piping and all appliances or equipment. Ask your American Energy Propane Inc. representative about performing either all or part of this check for you.

In its natural state, propane is odorless. As a Propane safety precaution, an odorant called Ethyl Mercaptan is added so any presence of propane may be easily detected. While most of us are able to detect even the slightest propane odor, some people are unable to. You and each member of your household must know the smell of propane. Ask your serviceman for a scratch and sniff brochure to demonstrate the odor. If anyone in your household is unable to recognize the odor of propane, call us IMMEDIATELY. Under some conditions, you may not be able to smell a gas leak… so we recommend you install a propane gas detector(s) in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.

TO CHECK FOR PROPANE:

Carefully smell at floor level and in low spots – PROPANE IS HEAVIER THAN AIR AND WILL COLLECT AT FLOOR LEVEL.

1. Put out all smoking materials and any other open flames
2. DO NOT operate any appliances, switches, or thermostats
3. Get everyone outside and away from the gas equipment
4. Shut OFF the gas supply, using the shut off valve at the tank or cylinder
5. Call your propane supplier – USE YOUR NEIGHBOR’S PHONE – if gas smell is in the house
6. Stay outside and leave the gas off until the leak has been found and fixed

1. 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 pressured container. In addition, award-winning preventive maintenance programs like GAS Check® (Gas Appliance System Check) ensure that homeowners understand how to properly maintain their propane appliances and enjoy a healthy, safe environment.

We strongly recommend that for safety reasons, you call American Energy Propane, Inc. or another qualified technician to relight pilots. However, if you relight the pilots yourself:

1. Turn all appliance controls and manual shut-off valves to the “OFF” position
2. Slowly open the tank shut-off valve
3. Carefully smell for the presence of propane at floor level and in low spots before attempting to relight the pilots
4. If gas is detected – STOP – See “What To Do If You Smell Gas”
5. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for pilot lighting

No. Propane is an approved, alternative clean fuel listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act and the National Energy Policy Act of 1992. Propane is one of the cleanest burning of all alternative fuels; new propane-fueled vehicles can meet the very tough Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) standards, and one model even meets the Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) standards. Propane is also nontoxic, so it’s not harmful to soil or water.

A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is a form providing information on the properties of propane. The MSDS has information regarding health and safety when handling, servicing, or installing propane containers and systems.

• Don’t allow unqualified personnel to service your propane system or appliance
• Don’t tamper with gas controls on appliance
• Don’t let your system run out of propane
• Have wet or flooded appliances and controls serviced immediately
• On rare occasions, propane odor can fade or be covered up by other strong odors. DO NOT light pilot lights in areas where there are strong odors – completely ventilate the area first
• Repeated pilot outages could indicate a hazardous condition…Don’t attempt to relight the pilot – Call your serviceman
• Have you appliances and propane system periodically checked by a qualified technician for proper operation and safety
• Understand that improperly vented appliances can cause carbon monoxide poisoning as indicated by sharp odors, eye irritation, headaches, dizziness, sleepiness or excessive moisture buildup on the inside of windows
• Ventilate immediately and call a qualified gas appliance repair technician
• Refer To Propane Users “Safety Guide” brochure for additional information on the safe handling and use of propane. If you need more copies, let us know right away