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InspectAPedia ® Home PLUMBING SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR AGE of PLUMBING MATERIALS & FIXTURES AGE of CHIMNEYS & FIREPLACES AGE of AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS AGE of HEATERS, BOILERS, FURNACES AGE of PIPING AGE of WATER HEATERS AIR DISCHARGE at FAUCETS, FIXTURES AIR INLET VALVE, WATER TANK AIR VOLUME CONTROLS, WATER TANK ANTI SCALD VALVES ANODES & DIP TUBES on WATER HEATERS APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY RATINGS AQUASTAT CONTROL Functions BACKDRAFTING HEATING EQUIPMENT BACKFLOW PREVENTER VALVE, HEATING SYS BACKFLOW PREVENTER, HEATER WATER FEEDER BACKUP PREVENTION, SEPTIC BACKUP PREVENTION, SEWER LINE BACKWATER VALVES, SEWER LINE BATHROOM MOLD BATHROOM VENTILATION BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS BOD WASTEWATER TEST Bisphenol-A, BPA BLEVE EXPLOSIONS BLOCKED DRAIN REPAIR METHODS BOILERS, HEATING BUILDING SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE CARBON MONOXIDE - CO CHECK VALVES, WATER SUPPLY CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS in WATER CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR CHINESE DRYWALL HAZARDS CHLORINE IN DRINKING WATER CHLORINE IN SEPTIC WASTEWATER CISTERNS CLEANOUTS, PLUMBING DRAIN CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, DIAGNOSIS CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, REPAIR CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, HOT WATER COMPRESSION FITTINGS CONDENSATION or SWEATING PIPES, TANKS CROSS CONNECTIONS, PLUMBING DEBRIS in WATER SUPPLY, Water Heater DEPTH of DRAIN & SEWER PIPES DEPTH of SEPTIC TANK DIAELECTRIC PIPE FITTINGS DRAIN & SEWER PIPING DRAIN LINE DEPTH DRAIN NOISES DRAIN a WATER HEATER TANK DRYER VENTING FILTERS, WATER FLARE FITTINGS FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FLOODED HEATING EQUIPMENT REPAIR FLOODED SEPTIC SYSTEMS, REPAIR FLOODED WATER HEATER REPAIR FLOOR DRAIN / TRAP ODORS FLUSHOMETER VALVES for TOILETS URINALS FREEZE-PROOF PIPES GAS DETECTION INSTRUMENTS GAS FIRED WATER HEATERS GAS LP & Natural Gas Safety Hazards GAS LP & Natural Gas Pressures GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS GALVANIC SCALE & METAL CORROSION GALVANIZED STEEL PIPING HARD WATER - SOFTENERS HEAT TAPES, Heat, Insulation prevent Freeze-Up KITCHEN VENTILATION LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE LEAK TYPES, Water Supply/Drain Pipe MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC METHANE GAS SOURCES MIXING / ANTI-SCALD VALVES MIX VALVE SCALD PROTECTION, Best Practices MUNICIPAL WATER PRESSURE IMPROVEMENTS MOLD INFORMATION CENTER MVOCs & MOLDY MUSTY ODORS NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE NOISE CONTROL for HEATING SYSTEMS NOISE CONTROL for PLUMBING NOISE, PLUMBING DRAIN DIAGNOSIS NOISE, PLUMBING DRAIN REPAIR NOISE, PLUMBING CHECKLIST NOISE, WATER HEATER NOISES, WATER PUMP ODORS GASES SMELLS, DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODORS IN WATER ODORS, SEPTIC or SEWER ODORS SEWER GAS in COLD WEATHER ODORS, SULPHUR SMELL SOURCES ODORS, URINE REMOVAL OIL FIRED WATER HEATERS OIL-FIRED BOILERS, HEATING OIL FUEL TYPES & CHARACTERISTICS OIL TANK PIPING & PIPING DEFECTS OIL TANKS OUTHOUSES & LATRINES PIPING IN buildings, Clogs Leaks Types PLASTIC PIPING ABS CPVC PB PEX PVC PLASTIC PIPE INSTALLATION ERRORS PLASTIC PIPE LEAK CAUSES PLUMBING FIXTURES, KITCHEN, BATH Plumbing Materials & Fixtures, Age, Types PLUMBING NOISE CONTROL PLUMBING VENT DEFINITIONS & CODES PLUMBING VENT DEFECTS & NOISES PUMPS, SEPTIC PUMPS PUMPS, SEWAGE EJECTOR / GRINDER PUMPS PUMPS, SUMP PUMPS PUMPS, WATER PUMPS PUMPS, WATER REPAIR RANGE BOILERS RELIEF VALVE LEAKS REPAIR BURST LEAKY PIPES SEWER GAS ODORS SEWER LINE LEAKS & ODORS SEWAGE BACKUP, WHAT TO DO SEWER BACKUP PREVENTION SEWAGE & SEPTIC CONTAMINANTS SEWAGE CONTAMINATION in buildings SEWAGE EJECTOR / GRINDER PUMPS SEWAGE PATHOGENS in SEPTIC SLUDGE SEWAGE PUMPS SEWAGE PUMP CLOG DAMAGE SEWER GAS ODORS SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT SHUTOFF VALVE LOCATION, USE SOUND CONTROL for PLUMBING SULPHUR & SEWER GAS SMELL SOURCES SUMP PUMPS GUIDE SUPPLY PIPING SWEATING (CONDENSATION) on PIPES, TANKS TANK TYPES: WATER, OIL, EXPANSION, ALL TANKLESS COILS TANKLESS WATER HEATERS Temperature Pressure Relief Valves - Water Heaters TOILETS, INSPECT, INSTALL, REPAIR TOILET ALTERNATIVES TOILET FLUSHOMETER VALVES TOILET INSTALLATION PROCEDURE TOILET OVERFLOW EMERGENCY TOILET PLUGS, SEWER BACKUP TOILET REPAIR GUIDE TOILET TISSUE CHOICES TOILET TYPES Toilet Types, Flush Methods TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST TRANSITE Pipe Water Supply Piping TRAPS on PLUMBING FIXTURES VALVES, PLUMBING VENT PIPING WATER CONTAMINANT LEVELS WATER FILTERS WATER HAMMER NOISE DIAGNOSE & CURE WATER HEATERS WATER HEATER SCALE - De-Liming Procedure WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE WATER PIPES, Clogs Leaks Types WATER PRESSURE & FLOW MEASUREMENT WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS TABLE WATER PRESSURE PUMP REPAIR GUIDE WATER PUMPS, TANKS, TESTS, WELLS, REPAIRS WATER PUMP REPAIR GUIDE WATER PURIFIERS WATER QUALITY TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT WATER SHUTOFF VALVE LOCATION, USE WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS WATER SOURCE ALTERNATIVES WATER SUPPLY & DRAIN PIPING WATER TANK: USES, TROUBLESHOOTING WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT WATER TESTING ADVICE WATER TEST CHOICES & WATER TEST FEES WATER TEST INTERPRETATION WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS WINTERIZE A BUILDING More Information |
LP or Propane Gas Tank Installation: here we provide descriptions and photographs of unsafe gas piping, indications of unsafe or improperly operating gas appliances, gas meters, and other gas installation defects are provided. The photo above shows two 24-gallon LP gas tanks installed outdoors on a wobbly unstable base. This document also provides free sample draft home inspection report language for reporting defects in oil and gas piping at residential properties. Also see How to Report Defects in Oil Piping. DO not copy contents from InspectApedia to other websites. Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman. LP Gas Tank Observations & Gas Tank Safety Recommendations for Home Inspectors & Home Owners
If you smell gas you should leave the building immediately and should do so without doing anything that could create a spark such as operating a light switch or telephone. From a safe location, call your gas company's emergency line and/or your fire department.
Immediate LP or natural gas safety hazards: if there is evidence of an LP or natural gas leak at a building, gas odors, for example, you should:
How Does the LP Gas Company Fill the LP Gas Tank at a Building?
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The fuel delivery driver will (or should) refuse to deliver LP gas if he is aware of unsafe conditions such as a leak or nearby open flames. And since the LP gas delivery truck driver has to pull a heavy gas hose and nozzle from the truck to your LP tank, you don't want to run out of fuel in the dead of winter with deep snow-cover and no path cleared to the LP gas tank.
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The LP gas delivery driver will print a receipt that documents the date, time, and quantity of LP fuel delivered to the building. To protect customers from a dishonest LP gas delivery driver, the fuel meter will not print a receipt if the LP gas delivery truck has moved at all from the time of start of LP gas pumping. Our driver explained that otherwise, "in the old days" of older LP gas meters, a dishonest driver could drop off LP gas at multiple properties, billing just the last customer for fuel. |
These LP Gas tank location clearances for above-ground gas tanks are given as measured from the tank's relief valve in any direction away from any potential source of ignition (of a gas leak) or where leaking gas could be drawn into a building window or other vent opening.
Sample gas tank inspection report language: Safety: Install secure and level support for the LP gas tank at ... - if a tank tips over and breaks gas line it could be dangerous. This is an inexpensive item. This item should be handled promptly on establishing gas service for the house, preferably before tanks are filled.
Below we provide Installation specifications for Buried LP gas tanks.
Finding a buried LP gas tank should not be difficult at a property, since the top of the tank has to be accessible for filling and inspection. Look for the access cover, usually white steel on older LP gas cylinders or black plastic covering an access well on new buried LP gas tanks, as we mention next.
At some new properties you may first have to see and recognize the plastic access well and cover such as the buried LP gas tank cover shown in these photographs.
When the buried LP gas tank access cover is opened, the buried LP gas tank fill valve and regulator are plainly visible as should be a gauge indicating the remaining amount of LP gas in the tank.
The LP tank gauge is installed at a fitting either on the tank top itself or on a combination fitting at the tank top where the gas valves and connections are also installed. This Liquid Petroleum Gas Tank Gauge - LP tank gauge or bottled gas tank gauge shows us that it is intended for installation on a 200 Lb. LP gas cylinder, and that the tank is at about 40% full.
LP Gas tanks are normally filled before the tank is totally empty. The liquid petroleum gas delivery truck driver can assure that no contaminants have leaked into the tank if it is still under pressure. LP tanks are usually not filled to 100% of tank capacity, since doing so would risk sending liquefied LP gas out of the gas tank and into the regulator where it could cause damage or be unsafe.
The curved graph at the upper end of the LP gas gauge dial shows the effects of temperature on the LP gas stored in the tank and thus on the effective remaining amount of fuel in the tank.
Some smaller LP gas cylinders may lack a gauge. When a gas cylinder has no percentage-full gauge and we want to know if the tank is empty or nearly so, we gently rock the tank (be careful not to cause a gas leak). If the tank is heavy and hard to move it's probably nearly full. A bit of experience with pushing slightly on the tank just before and just after it has been filled by your LP gas delivery company can make it easy to have a general idea of the level of fuel in the tank.
Be sure that LP gas cylinders are not so loose or poorly supported that they can tip over - risking injury or even a gas leak and explosion!
Above we provide additional installation specifications for above ground LP gas tanks and cylinders.
Here are some LP gas safety recommendations and home inspection report examples:
Propane Gas Tank Safety Recommendations: The liquid propane gas tank at ... is partially buried - this may not be a recommended building practice; accelerated rust may lead to failure of the container. Please review this question with the gas supply company.
Propane Gas Tank Safety Recommendations:Be sure that the safety relief valve and controls atop the LP gas tanks outside are protected from icing (for example from exposure to rain or gutter overflow). Iced controls can prevent proper operation of safety devices.
My gas company is making me pay to move the tank because of the air conditioner...They put it there, not me - Stephen 6/2/11
Stephen,
Seems doubtful that the gas company installed the A/C unit. But even if that unit was installed previously and the LP tank has just now been recognized as a hazard, I'd be grateful that someone recognized and warned you about a safety hazard.
i would like to ask if there is a provision that requires a minimum distance of LP-gas pipe line away from any source of heat? - Randy 5/1/12
Randy, "any source of heat" is not well defined. So no, not at that level of definition. After all, an LP tank is installed outside exposed to heat from the sun. But you can read some LP gas tank location and piping routing safety specifications at GAS PIPING DEFECTS as well as in the article above.
My lp tanks outside my mobile home are just a foot away from where my dryer vents outside at. I just bought this home and it was already like that. Is it safe? I have electric dryer. - Robin 1/10/2013
The heat of a clothes dryer won't be a risk to an LP gas tank; but if the dryer is blowing lots of lint around I'd double check that the LP gas regulator vent is not exposed to lint-clogging from blowing debris - that would be, in my view, unsafe.
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