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Fuel
Safety Tips for Natural Gas
Fuel
Safety Tips for Propane Gas
Tanks
Furnaces
Heating A/C Components
Furnances
Rheem Electric
Furnances
Furnaces,
Vents, Pipes
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Prevent Broken Gas Pipes and Fires: Safety Tips for Propane
Tank Care During Heavy Snow Conditions
WASHINGTON, DC -- Extraordinary snowfall in the mountains of
California, Nevada, and Utah created deep snow that damaged propane
pipes and tanks. Consumers trying to clear their roofs pushed
heavy snow onto propane tanks, damaging the pipes and fittings,
causing gas leaks. Some fires occurred, causing injuries and deaths.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the National
Propane Gas Association (NPGA) suggest the following safety tips
for proper care of propane tanks in severe snowstorms:
- Use a broom instead of a shovel when clearing snow off the tank or around
the exposed piping, regulator, gauges, or tubing.
- When clearing the roof, avoid shoveling snow onto exposed
piping around the propane regulator near the building or onto
the propane tank and piping, as well as any meters or other
piping that may be in use.
- Check regulator vents on the propane system to be sure
they are free of snow, ice or water that could freeze. (A two-stage
system has a regulator on the tank and at the entrance of the
propane piping to the building; a single regulator is on the
tank.) If a regulator vent is clogged with ice or snow, contact
your propane supplier immediately.
- Check all gas appliance exhaust and combustion air vents,
such as dryer or furnace vents, to be sure they are kept clear
of snow and ice.
Before a snow storm occurs:
- In areas where heavy snows are expected, cover the regulator,
relief valves, and fill valves with a protective cap or "dome."
This dome will keep out snow, ice, or rain which might clog
the regulator if it freezes. In systems using more than one
regulator, or where the cover is not in place, make certain
the exposed regulator vent is in the downward position to keep
out moisture.
- Prior to heavy snow storms, mark the location of the
propane tank and other equipment with snow stakes which should
extend well above the maximum anticipated snow depth. Consumers
whose tanks and piping are not presently marked should mark
them now.
The National Propane Gas Association is the trade association representing
the propane gas industry. Contact local propane suppliers for
more information about propane gas tanks and heavy snow conditions
The mission of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is to protect
the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated
with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to reduce
the estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths associated
each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products
under CPSC's jurisdiction.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from the
unreasonable risk of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer
products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous
product or a product-related injury and for information on CPSC's
fax-on-demand service, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or
CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To order a press release
through fax-on-demand, call (301) 504-0051 from the handset of
your fax machine and enter the release number. Consumers can report
product hazards to info@cpsc.gov.
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