Setting Up Propane Service For Your Home Heating And Appliances

Propane gas is commonly used as fuel for heating systems, stoves, water heaters, and dryers in many residential and commercial properties. If you are considering propane for your home, setting up the service and installing the system can take some work but could save you money over alternative energy options like electricity or heating oil.

Installing Propane

Once you choose to move to propane gas for your home, you need to install the tank and gas lines to feed the appliances and heating system. While the propane company will set up the tank for you, you may need a plumber or heating specialist to run the gas lines in your home. 

The lines used inside the home are typically iron pipe that is durable and easy to run from the regulator on the outside of the house to the area in the home that needs gas. Once the iron pipe is in, the plumber can put shutoff valves on each termination and then run copper lines to the appliances and the heating system. 

In some areas, flexible copper can be run throughout the house. Still, damage is less likely to occur with iron pipe, so most installers will recommend it anytime you are moving propane over a long distance within the home. Talk to the plumber or installer to determine the best option for your situation. Be sure to check with the propane company, as they may specify specific plumbing materials before they supply gas for the system. 

Tanks And Cylinders

The propane tank or cylinder you are using outside your home is often determined by the amount of propane you are using. A small tank might be enough for a home that is only using propane for the range, but if you are heating, cooking, and drying clothes with it, you will most likely need a larger tank. 

The propane supplier can help you determine how large a tank you need and can install it for you outside your home. For large tanks, you may need to prepare the area and pour a concrete pad for it to sit on, but the propane service can go over the requirements with you after they inspect the site.

When you are ready for the propane tank, the provider will bring the tank out on a truck with a crane and set it in place for you. After the tank is secure and the lines are connected to it, the propane company will fill the tank for you, and your plumber will need to come to purge all the air out of the lines and get your appliances and heating system running.  


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