Safety Notes
General Guidelines
- If you suspect a gas leak, call our office immediately.
- An odor has been added to your propane gas so you can smell it if it escapes – for example, if there’s a leak in the system, or if an appliance malfunctions.
- Be alert to the odor of propane gas whenever you’re working around a gas appliance or wherever propane is stored or used.
- Before lighting a propane gas appliance, such as a furnace, space heater, or water heater, sniff all around the area. Be sure to sniff at floor level. (Propane gas is heavier than air and may temporarily settle near the floor, although it immediately starts to diffuse when released into the atmosphere). If you smell gas, DON’T light the appliance.
- Never tamper with, apply force to, or use tools on the gas control system. If the control knob won’t operate by hand, the control unit must be replaced.
- Water can damage the internal safety mechanism in your gas appliance and create a hazardous condition. If your gas control has gotten wet as a result of flooding, for example, it must be replaced immediately by a trained and certified technician.
- Please give us a call to locate underground lines before you dig.
- Be familiar with the location of the shut-off valves for your gas appliances and propane tank system.
- Call Penn Valley when you install a propane appliance to make sure that it is installed and converted correctly.
- If a furnace or appliance is not functioning properly, excessive amounts of carbon monoxide may form, which can be hazardous, even deadly. Please click here to find out more information on how to identify and prevent these circumstances.
- Always transport, store, and use propane cylinders in an upright position.
- Do not store propane cylinders in a building, garage or other enclosed area.
- Always keep the area around appliances clear of combustible materials.
- Download a Material Safety and Data Sheet (MSDS) to learn more about the characteristics of propane.
Winter Reminders:
- Always check your tank gauge before calling an HVAC company with a "no heat" call. If your tank is low, call us first.
- Appliances that discharge combustion air to the outside through vents or chimneys can only function properly with no restrictions. An area of four feet, extending in all directions from the vent, should be kept clear of snow and/or debris to prevent vent blockage.
- Make sure that no foreign material (i.e. ice or snow) is covering your regulator vent. Meter customers should clear accumulated snow from around the meter and regulator.
- Please keep your driveway and sidewalk clear of ice and snow.
- Please keep a clear path to your gas tank and the lid clear of snow.
- Keep underground tanks marked with the yellow flags supplied by Penn Valley or by a marker at least 30 inches tall.
- Call Penn Valley if you install a propane appliance to make sure that it is installed and converted correctly.
- In its natural state, propane is an odorless, colorless gas. An odorant is added to give it a distinctive rotten egg smell. If you suspect a gas leak, call our office immediately at (215) 723-7429.
For more safety information, please visit www.propanesafety.com.