PROPANE GAS: WHAT’S THAT SMELL?

When it comes to propane and keeping your family and North Carolina home safe, your nose knows best!

Propane is naturally odorless, but propane manufacturers add a chemical to it to give propane a distinct odor so that it smells like rotten eggs. That smell is there to make detecting a propane leak easier.

If you smell that rotten-egg smell in your home, don’t panic. Act quickly and follow these instructions and precautions.

• Get everyone out of the house IMMEDIATELY
• On your way out, don’t touch anything that could create a spark, like lamps, light switches, telephones, appliances, and cell phones
• Put out any ignition sources like cigarettes, cigars or candles
• If you can safely get to it, turn off the propane supply at the main tank (By the way, contact us today if you don’t know how, because all of the adults in your home need to know this)
• Once you’re safely away from the house, use your cellphone or a neighbor’s phone to call 911
• Let first responders and service technicians do their job, and don’t try to go back to the house until they give the all-clear
• If your propane system is turned off for any reason, including a leak, it must be inspected and pressure-tested before it can be turned back on. Also, a professional propane technician will have to inspect all propane appliances and re-light all of the pilots

OTHER PROPANE LEAK SAFETY TIPS

If your home has any kind of a fuel-burning appliance (anything that uses propane, for example, or fireplaces) or an attached garage, you must install carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home and outside all bedrooms. Test them twice a year when we switch to or from Daylight Savings Time and replace the batteries each time. Carbon monoxide detectors must be replaced every five years.

We strongly recommend that you install propane leak detectors in your home. They’re a backup in case something like rust inside your propane tank inhibits the rotten-egg smell.

Propane leak detectors are inexpensive, and you can find them at hardware and home improvement stores.

Professional, regular maintenance of your propane appliances helps to spot problems that can lead to more expensive repairs or compromised safety.

Go to our Propane Safety page to learn more.

Contact Parker Gas to learn more about keeping safe in your home.