I’m in a bit of a panic. My propane bill has been very, very high this year and since my husband has been injured the money has been tight.
The propane company will only deliver propane to our house at 100 gallons a time, but since I’ve been unable to pay for the last delivery yet, they won’t deliver at all.
Here’s my problem, I remember hearing something about the tank having to stay between 20% and 80 %. It’s now at 10% and I probably won’t be able to get anymore for about 2 1/2 weeks. I’m worried about whether or not there is a risk of carbon monoxide or dioxide or anything else dangerous leaking into the house.
Is there a possibility this will happen ?
Do not worry. I use propane, and the worst that will happen is that when your tank runs out of fuel, none of your appliances will function.
The 20% 80% statement comes from the thought that you should call when you have 20% left, and 80% full on a cool day allows for expansion space when sunlight warms the tank without causing the overpressure vent to operate.
After refilling, you’ll have to relight pilots on all appliances, assuming they do not have hot surface or intermittant spark ignition units.
Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide infiltration are the result of partially or fully blocked appliance combustion vents, or insufficient intake air causing a vent backdrafting condition, or poor combustion air/fuel ratio.
Good luck
I use propane, too. Two furnaces.
You CAN run it down below 20% on your tank as evidenced by the one time per year my old fuel company forget to fill us up. We would find out we were dry by the temperature taking a real drop.
So don’t worry about any damage to your home or self. The worst that can happen is that you’ll get cold.
And I’m worried about propane cost this winter, too. We’re keeping the old farm house cold these days to conserve. Propane jumped 38% (according to public radio’s Marketplace) yesterday alone. I paid $1.37 per gallon for my last fill up and I don’t want to fill her up again until April.
Though looking at that…maybe I should run the truck on propane.