Propane Safety and Customer Resources

Propane is naturally odorless so distributors add ethyl mercaptan to create a rotten egg or sulfur smell. If you smell that, you may have a leak. Contact us asap and we’ll send a representative to inspect your set-up.

If it’s possible, we recommend storing propane away from the house, like in a shed. You can store propane in your garage, as long as it’s well ventilated. Most importantly, do not store propane under your grill and keep it out of direct sunlight.

If you’re planning any projects that involve digging near or around your underground propane tank, give us a call. We’ll come out to your home and mark the tank and gas line locations for free so you can avoid them while working on your project.

Before

• We will schedule Ms. Utility to mark public lines.
• Homeowner must mark private lines.

During

• Homeowner must be home.
• After county inspection passes, we will return to cover the tank and line.
• There is typically leftover dirt on-site, we can spread it for you or leave it in a pile. We are unable to haul it away.
• Covered areas will be mounded to allow for settling. Typically a few good rainfalls are required for the dirt to fully settle.
• Seed and straw placement are available upon request. Please let your salesperson know you would like this service so we can complete this when we finalize the installation.

After

• Call us 3-5 business days before ANY digging. We will come out and mark the tank and gas line free of charge.
• Call us before adding anything near your tank so we can ensure proper codes are being followed. Adding a shed, deck, or replacing an outdoor AC unit can impact your safety if code is not followed.

Before

• We will schedule Ms. Utility to mark public lines.
• Homeowner must mark private lines.

During

• Homeowner must be home.
• First, we will arrive to run the gas line and install the pad, generator, and tank.
• Next, the county will come by for an inspection of your new system (you do not need to be home for this inspection).
• Lastly, we will return to cover the trench and make all of the final gas connections.
• Seed and straw placement are available upon request. Please let us know on the day of installation so we can complete this when we return to cover the tank and line.
• During this process, our electricians will coordinate directly with you so your family can prepare for the power to be off for several hours while they complete their portion of the installation.

After

• Call us 3-5 days before ANY digging. We will come out and mark the tank and gas line free of charge.
• Call us before adding anything near your tank or generator so we can ensure proper codes are being followed. Adding a shed, deck, or replacing an outdoor AC unit can impact your safety if code is not followed.

Before

• Always contact Tiger Fuel to mark gas line and tank location.
• We strongly recommend the homeowner marks private lines.
• Should any of your planned renovations occur near or directly impact any of your propane systems, we strongly request that you share this information with our team so we can ensure the appropriate safety codes are being followed.

Key Tips and Safety Codes to Follow

• NFPA 54 5.7.3: Please keep regulators clear of all bushes, plants, and boxes so we can safely access your system.
• NFPA 58 6.4.2.3: All tanks must be at least 10 feet from all buildings and property lines.
• NFPA 58 6.4.4.3: All tanks must be at least 5 feet from doors, windows, crawl space venting, and 10 feet from any source of ignition such as electrical outlets, generators, septic well alarms, AC units, and panel boxes.
• NFPA6.5.2.3: No buildings (ex: sheds) should be built overtop mounded or underground tanks. Should we need to remove the tank in an emergency, it must be accessible.
• NFPA 58 6.6.3.3: Combustible materials (ex: gasoline for lawnmowers) should not be stored within 10 feet of a propane tank.
• NFPA 58 6.8.2.2: Propane tanks should not be in direct contact with the soil. The can cause rusting due to moisture, which can lead to an eventual leak.
• NFPA 37 4.2: Generators must be supported on noncombustible foundations (please note: TREX decking IS combustible, therefore making it not suitable for a generator foundation).