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Propane leaks


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A few nights ago around midnight I went out to the truck to get something. Now I don't go out with a flashlight and I don't turn on the floodlights. It's just me, I grew up where we walked in the dark and coped and I still do it, I live in the sticks so dark is dark. My neighbor 400 ft away has a couple of lights on so the deer won't eat his shrubs, but it's still dark. But I digress.

 

Anyway, in the dark my senses are more aware of things and I picked up a very light smell of propane -- actually the additive they put in the propane because propane is odorless. It was very, very faint, I was not sure. Today I thought to check the tank when I went out and the scent was stronger. I did my errands and thought of the soapy water trick, got a bottle of soapy water and poured it over the regulator and valves and found a bubble growing around the filler fitting. I called the gas company (it's funny how I know my account number but sometimes forget a safe combination). She said "shut off the valve, evacuate the building" I said but the "tank is leaking, it's 100 feet away and downhill from the building" She said "it's procedure" I said "ok" The valve I would shut off had nothing to do with the leak. I cranked up the thermostat and let the furnace run in case I would be without a supply later.

 

After a while the gas guy, Todd, shows up and fixes the problem a valve was stuck on the filler pipe. Todd said "we might as well check the house for leaks. By this time Todd and I are also talking about "where do you shoot?" "buy ammo"" "Is it safe to shoot here", good ranges, clubs to belong too. I really let other people do the talking without saying a lot about my "collection." he saw 3 of the 5 safes in the cellar.

 

Oh, and as for the gas, my furnace is ok, the stove is ok, there is a gas leak in my water heater. 16 years on the water heater it's due for replacement anyway.

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I’m glad that you are safe, if you have ever seen an explosion caused by either natural gas or propane you will never forget the sight. I don’t know of any explosion more violent. Gas leaks are nothing to play with.

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Natural gas is an impressive explosion but is lighter than air and will dissipate on it's own rather quickly once the source s shut off.

 

However with propane being heavier than air it will collect in all the low spaces. Even when the source is turned off it may remain for some time without ventilation to remove it. If the source is left on the level rises. If there is any source of ignition, your house can disappear before you eyes. And all that's in it.

 

A basement can hold a lot of propane.

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Information: 1 gallon of liquid propane will expand about 270 times in to gas state. So 1 gallon liquid makes 270 gallons of flammable gas.

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Glad you are okay... you hear of so many accidents.. and I really don't have the knowledge to know when it is safe and is not safe, but I hope it was not a close call..

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I probably lost 10 or 20 gallons from the tank leak but that's just blown away in the wind. The small leak from the water heater might have developed into something major sooner or later so it's good that we found it.

 

In the words of the immortal Alfred E. Neumann, "What? me worry?"

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Glad you are all ok and the issue is fixed.

 

I remember years ago when I was a teenager on the farm. We had one of those big propane tanks for heating the house. It was about 100 feet away and once I walked by it I could smeel the propane. I did the soapy water trick and found these 2 tiny pin holes where it was spraying out. Dad called the gas company and the guy comes out, does the soapy water thing to see it. What was neat was all he did to fix it was take a brass looking (??, no sparks I figure) punch and a hammer and smash the holes in and the leak was gone. Hows that for high tech repairs!

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Back when I lived in the inner city, the house around the corner down the block. disappeared due to a gas explosion. It didn't blow up, it blew out. Can't remember specifics, but i think there was an underground leak close and it collected in it's basement. gas company was there working and I guess there was a spark somewheres............... :wacko::lol:

 

That corner lot is still vacant :blink:

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