PROPANE SAFETY CENTER
Protecting Customers is Our Number One Priority.
In the event of a propane leak, or unforeseen circumstances, we want to ensure that your family remains safe.
These helpful guides from our friends at the Propane Education and Resource Council will help you know what to do if issues arise.
Do You Suspect a Leak?
If you smell propane gas inside your home, immediately leave the building and call us from outside using a cell phone or your neighbors phone. Do not re-enter the building until we have determined that it is safe to do so. Propane leaks should be taken seriously and we have trained personnel on call 24/7 to assist in keeping you and your family safe. In the event you cannot remember our number you can always call 911.
If you smell gas at the tank outside, please make sure any sources of possible ignition (BBQ’s Air Conditioners, Lawn mowers etc) are shut off and call us.
If you are unfamiliar with the smell of propane, please contact us during our normal office hours and we will schedule a time to meet at your home to help you in identifying a leak.
Never turn on or off any lights.
Do not use any appliances, television or telephone in order not to produce any electrical sparks or static.
Ensure the entire family and any pets are a safe distance from the house.
Call Us at 800-768-6612 and then contact your fire department.
Only do this if you can access it safely.
In order to close the valve, turn it clockwise all the way to the right.
Stay in a safe location (a friend or neighbor’s house) until Scully Propane determines it is safe to return and that your system is leak-free.
Getting Your Propane Tank Inspected
You should regularly have your tank inspected to ensure that it is always functioning as it should. Here is what you should expect from a system inspection.
How to Read Your Tank Gauge
Knowing how much propane is in your tank can be helpful in staying ahead of the curve when you’re running low.
How to Turn Your Propane Tank Off
In the event that you need to turn your propane tank off, whether it be because of a suspected leak or due to lack of use, this short video explains how to properly shut off your tank valve.
Appliance Tips
GAS APPLIANCES NEED LOVE TOO!
Keeping them safe and burning correctly will help prevent problems down the road and expensive repairs or replacement AND make sure you’re getting the most value for your fuel expense.
- Never place anything near your gas water heater that could burn. The area that they are in should be free of anything flammable including; brooms paper bags, mops and cleaning supplies. Closets that house water heaters are often thought of as storage areas but they should never be used for that purpose.
- Gas cook stoves should be regularly cleaned of all grease and spilled food. Be extra careful if you pull the range forward for any reason. The gas flex line that connects it to your piping system can be damaged easily.
- Gas dryers should be regularly checked for lint accumulation in the vent and in the machine itself. Lint will catch fire under the right conditions.
- All other gas appliances should be inspected at least yearly for proper burning, venting and combustion air requirements.
You can call us with any questions as well. Our staff is trained and experienced and always willing to help.
Tank Safety
Your propane tank is often overlooked when it comes to yard work but here are a few tips that will ensure your safety and our ability to deliver to you.
- Clear all vegetation away from your tank. We recommend a 10′ circle of no tall grass or bushes that might burn during a fire event.
- Code requires any tank under 499 gallons to be at least ten feet from any structure, property line or source of ignition (with exceptions). Call us if you have questions about the location of your existing tank or are considering installing a new one
- NEVER stack firewood or lumber near your tank.
- Any fencing or lattice work meant to hide the tank must be open on at least one side so our delivery personnel can safely fill your tank. You should also keep at least two feet of open space around the tank so it can be inspected and painted. Never enclose the tank completely with any type of material. Call us anytime during business hours and we’ll discuss with you safe ways to lesson the visual impact of your tank.
- Our drivers have to pull a hose from where their truck is to your tank. Before planting/landscaping or changing your yard, imagine what that hose will be dragging over and around each time we make a delivery. Call us if you want someone to come out and help verify that your new back yard plans won’t be damaged.
- Propane tanks can vent excess internal pressure in the summertime when valley temperatures reach over 100 degrees. If this happens you can spray the tank with water from a garden hose or set a sprinkler on it to cool the tank, and then immediately call us so we can verify that the pressure relief valve has reset.
- In the summertime be extra careful when checking your tank level. Wasps, Bee’s and Spiders of all kinds love to nest under the dome lid and you should be extremely cautious whenever you open it. Our drivers carry wasp spray with them and will gladly take care of the problem if you let them know.
- Snakes are fond of resting under a propane tank at any time of the year. When approaching your tank, look beneath it to make sure you don’t surprise one.
- If you lease a tank from us we’ll come wash and/or paint it whenever you want. Just call the office and let us know!
Delivery Safety
Our drivers always do their best to deliver propane but sometimes we run into problems. Here’s what you can do to help!
- Never block or impede the path between where our delivery truck will park and where your tank is. Many times each month we have drivers attempt to make a delivery and cannot because a vehicle/RV/some item is in the way. We’ll be back on our next route day to try again but we don’t want you running out before then.
- Walk that path between where our truck parks and the location of your tank, and look for any vegetation growth, debris, animal waste (poo), toys, flower planters and sneaky garden gnomes and help us make your delivery safe and on time.
- If you are grilling or burning (vegetation) when we show up to deliver, the driver may elect to return later based on the distance between the tank and any source of ignition. This is always for your safety.
- If you have animals that act aggressively towards our drivers they will not deliver to you. We can call you the night before to help you prepare for our delivery but please understand that your animal can act differently when you are not at home, and each driver will make the the ultimate call whether or not he/she will risk the delivery.
- We always try and keep our delivery trucks centered on your driveway or road. If the corners are too sharp or do not leave us enough room to safely turn around or back out, they may be unable to make that delivery without damaging your property or abandoning the delivery attempt altogether. Trees/limbs/bushes in our trucks path that could damage our vehicles need to be trimmed back on a regular basis as well or they too will make the driver unable to deliver your fuel.
- I always say ‘We just ask for safe and reasonable access…’ If you have any questions please call us so we can continue to reliably serve you.