Better Way to Go!

Propane fuels the lives of Canadians in so many ways. As a highly portable fuel, propane provides you with modern convenience no matter where you live or travel. Stored as a liquid and used as a gas, it will cook your meals, heat your home, RV or camper, keep you supplied with hot water, and even refrigerate your food. Propane is versatile, economical and safe.

Here are some important points for the use, storage and handling of propane. You and your family should be familiar with these tips.

IN THE HOME

WHAT’S THAT SMELL?

When produced, propane is a colourless and odourless gas. A smell is added so, in the event of a leak, you can detect the escaping gas by its strong, distinct odour (like rotten eggs or boiling cabbage). Ask your propane supplier to familiarize you and your family with this smell.

Under certain circumstances, propane may lose this smell. Also, not everyone has a sense of smell and physical conditions such as competing odours, common colds, allergies and smoking may lessen a person’s ability to detect odours.

If you think the odour of your propane is fading or your sense of smell is weak, call your propane supplier. A service technician can verify the odour of the propane in your tank. If your sense of smell is weak, consider installing a detector in your home, RV or camper.

If you suspect a leak, follow these steps:

• Have everyone leave immediately.
• Do not turn light switches or flashlights ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’. Do not operate phones.
• Close all cylinder supply valves.
• From you neighbour’s house, call your propane supplier to come and look at the problem.

PROPANE SYSTEM CHECK

If your home has a propane furnace, water heater, range or other conveniences, you should schedule an annual check of your whole propane system, including the appliances.

Your local propane supplier will send a trained service technician to check your system for leaks and ensure it meets all applicable operating standards. The technician will also check your tank, piping, regulators gauges, connectors, valves, vents, thermostats, pilots, burners and appliance controls to make sure they are in good working condition.

CHILDREN

Parents should make sure children know the rules of propane appliance operation.
Let your children know what typical noises your furnace, water heater or refrigerator can make. They will be less fearful on their own if they know the water heater normally gurgles or the furnace sometimes creaks and pops.

Children should know not to turn on propane appliances without parental supervision; to keep papers and toys away from furnaces, space heaters and gas fireplaces; and to stay off propane storage tanks and away from shut-off valves.

SAFETY DOCUMENTS

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)