Have you moved into a home that doesn't have a direct line of natural gas, but that has a large propane tank, instead? If so, you'll need to think about having fuel for your home in a brand new way. Here are some tips for managing your home's propane tank.
Know How To Read The Gauge
Your home's propane tank will have a gauge on it that tells you how much propane is left in the tank. Unfortunately, you may not know how to read the gauge properly. This gauge typically tells what percentage of propane is left in the tank so that you know when you refill it. Some gauges even have a yellow zone near the end that tells you when it is time to fill up your propane tank.
Know How To Calculate The Propane
Since the gauge on the tank measures the propane in percentages, you can do some simple math to determine how much propane will be needed to fill the tank. For example, if you own a propane tank that holds 500 gallons, a gauge that reads 30% indicates that you have 150 gallons of propane left in the tank. If you were to fill up the tank, you can expect to fit approximately 350 gallons of propane in it. This can help you get an idea of how much it will cost to refill your propane tank.
Know When To Refill
A propane tank is not like an oil tank, since it does require pressure for the propane to be dispersed. You should never let the tank get down to being completely empty because of this. You should have your propane tank refilled when it reaches about 30% capacity, which may be where the gauge is marked with a color indicator to let you know that it is low.
You may want to schedule a propane gas delivery service to come out to your home at specific times during the year to refill the propane, even if it is not below 30%. This can help you keep the propane tank ready to go with enough gas so you don't run out. It's a good idea to track how much propane you use during high usage months during the winter, and schedule when those fill up visits should happen based on your household's usage. Different appliances, like furnaces and pool heaters, will consume propane at different rates, so usage rates will vary with each season.
