The information below is adapted from the NPGA's residential safety bulletins and our own field experience. If you ever doubt whether a situation is safe: leave the building, then call us from outside.
Get everyone — including pets — out of the building. Don't pause to grab anything that isn't already in your hand.
No light switches, no thermostats, no phones, no garage door openers. A spark from any of these can ignite a leak.
If you can reach the tank's main shutoff valve safely (it's the wheel-shaped valve on top), turn it clockwise until it stops.
From a neighbor's house or a cell phone well away from the building, call our emergency line at 606-216-5160. If you can't reach us, call 911.
Wait for a qualified technician to inspect, repair, and certify the system safe before re-entering.
Propane is odorless in its natural state, so a sulfur-based odorant (ethyl mercaptan) is added so leaks are detectable by smell. Most people describe it as rotten eggs, a dead animal, or a skunk's spray.
Odor fade. In rare circumstances, the added odorant can lose intensity — for example, in new steel tanks that haven't been "broken in," in systems with significant rust, or in below-grade situations where the gas has filtered through soil. If you suspect a leak even without a clear smell, treat it as a leak.
Reduced sense of smell. Some people (especially older adults, smokers, and those taking certain medications) may not detect the odor as readily. We strongly recommend a propane gas detector in any home where this is a concern.
Before the first hard freeze, ideally September or early October.
Make sure the regulator vent isn't blocked by leaves, snow, or wasp nests.
If you live where snow gets deep, plant a tall reflective stake near your tank so plows and drivers can see it.
Have us run a manometer test on your system after the heating season ends. Catches small leaks before they grow.
After an extended outage, most modern gas furnaces and water heaters will re-light themselves once power returns. But older units, fireplaces, and ranges with standing pilots may need to be manually re-lit — and if any appliance was damaged by flood or surge, it should be inspected before re-use. When in doubt, leave the gas off at the tank and call us before relighting.