Written on: February 8, 2021
Because propane is strictly regulated and the propane industry has high safety standards, propane has a strong record when it comes to safety.
But if you use propane in your home here in south and central Oklahoma, you need to know about best practices when it comes to propane safety.
One of the most important things you need to know is what to do if you smell propane gas in your home. On its own, propane has no smell. An odorant is added to propane to give it a distinct smell that is best described as being like rotten eggs.
You need to get out right away, put out anything burning like candles or cigarettes and not use any appliances, phones, light switches on the way out.
Once you are out of the house, turn off the supply valve on your propane tank if you can safely get to it. Then call 911 and Pitmon Oil & Gas. Wait until the cause of the leak is fixed, all the pilots on your propane appliances are professionally re-lit, and you get permission from emergency personnel to return before you go back into the house.
But there are very rare occurrences where you may have a propane leak in your home and not be able to smell that rotten-egg odor. Those reasons include:
If you use propane appliances in your home, you need a propane leak detector. These will give you an alert to warn you of a propane leak, regardless of whether the rotten-egg odor is present.
Propane leak detectors are inexpensive, and available at your local hardware or home improvement store, or online.
You need a propane leak detector even though you have carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in your home (which you should have on every level of your home, including the basement, and outside all sleeping areas). CO detectors do not detect propane leaks.
Follow manufacturer’s instructions for installation, placement, maintenance, and battery replacement.
If you have questions about propane safety, don’t hesitate with getting in touch with us. We’re happy to help!
