Keep your home warm and safe by checking all propane-operated heating equipment and appliances to ensure they are operating properly. Practice the following 10 tips to keep your home and family safe:
- Never smoke while handling a propane cylinder.
- Ensure the valve is fully open when the propane tank is turned on.
- Never use cylinders that have been exposed to fire, are leaking or appear to be damaged, corroded, bulging, gouged or excessively rusted. Check hoses and o-rings for cracks or other signs of deterioration.
- Keep your tank at least one-third full during the winter to ensure propane is supplied to your equipment and vaporizes properly.
- Never use or store cylinders indoors or in any other enclosed structure.
- Never refill a cylinder that has not been inspected and re-qualified (cylinders must be inspected and re-qualified every 10 years).
- Always position cylinders so the valve/hose connections do not cause sharp bends in the hose.
- Never use portable heaters in enclosed spaces (e.g. fishing shacks or hunting cabins) as they produce carbon monoxide and could be deadly.
- Clear away snowfall around large tanks to allow proper vapourization and to allow access for maintenance/filling.
- Test the connections by brushing on soapy water and turning on the gas to ensure there are no leaks. If bubbles appear or you smell rotten eggs, turn off the gas and tighten the connections. Repeat the test. If bubbles and/or the smell continue, shut off the valve and have the equipment serviced by a qualified propane dealer.
