A large propane tank on the side of a house bordered by two cedar bushes. The house has a bluish grey siding
If you rely on propane to keep your home warm and comfortable, you need to know your tank will continue to deliver the service you require of it all winter long. While most homeowners know the importance of regular preventative maintenance for a propane furnace, the tank itself is often overlooked. This can lead to increased risk of failure during the coldest months when your propane tank — and your family — are most vulnerable.
The freezing point of propane is -44˚F. While it’s highly unlikely that temperatures will dip this low in most areas, your main concern during the winter months isn’t the outside temperature or the wind-chill — it’s the absence of vapor pressure in your tank.
Like all liquids, propane expands when hot and contracts in the cold. This means when the temperature drops, the volume of liquid propane in your tank shrinks along with it. This causes a loss of pressure. Without adequate pressure, propane can’t be fed into your burner, which means poorer performance and, in some cases, a loss of heat altogether.
The single best thing you can do to protect your propane tank in freezing temperatures is to keep it full. A full tank ensures enough vapor pressure is being produced for your system to continue operating normally. A full tank also reduces the risk of condensation buildup, which can contaminate liquid propane.
Other things you can do to protect your propane tank from the cold include:
Simply being mindful of your propane tank when temperatures drop is the best way to avoid a problem. Foster Fuels can help you put together a refueling schedule based on your home’s propane use that will keep your tank topped up at all times. To learn more, contact us today or give us a call at 800-344-6457.
It’s advisable to check your propane tank regularly throughout the winter months, especially during extreme cold spells, to ensure it remains adequately filled and free from snow buildup.
Signs that your propane tank may be freezing include a noticeable drop in heat output from your appliances, unusual hissing sounds from the tank, or frost forming on the exterior of the tank.
If you suspect your propane tank is malfunctioning, immediately stop using any appliances connected to it and contact a professional service provider like Foster Fuels for assistance and inspection.
Are there any specific precautions for storing propane tanks in winter?
Yes, when storing propane tanks in winter, ensure they are placed in an area with good drainage, away from heavy snow accumulation, and exposed to sunlight whenever possible to help maintain temperature.
View Comments
My husband and I moved into a home with a propane tank and we have been wondering if it could ever freeze on us. That is good to know that the freezing point of propane is -44 degrees Fahrenheit. I don't think it will ever get that cold where we live. Thank you for the information!
if the tank level is low and the temp outside is cold you can have low pressure in the system causing a low flame on burners. I have seen this happen with tanks for gas logs that would not burn well or at all. If you have LP tanks and the cold cold temps are coming make sure you get the tanks filled before you need it. Snow and ice can cause power line to get taken down and you have no power to your house at least your logs might work.
I have had a terrible smell that had been coming into my house thru the duct work since it got cold last fall. the smell was a propane smell. On very cold nights it would put so much in the house we had to open doors and cut on ceiling fans. I had 5 different technicians work on the furnace and no one could fix the problem also the gas company people where I bought propane worked on the problem. it is a Rheem unit less than 2 years old. Rheem refused to replace the unit. My gas company manager got mad with me and came and picked up their tank that I had for 46 years. I got a new tank from Ferrell Gas about 3 weeks ago installed. We don't have the problem so far. What could have been the problem here? This problem had me and all the gas technicians confused on what was causing the problem. If I had not had a new tank installed I am sure we would still have this smell in the house