Propane Tank Location

[CurlyDave]

Is there any minimum separation distance from a propane tank to a house, or to a heat pump outside the house?

Around here, the propane companies want the tank to be within 75 feet of a drivable surface for their truck, and I think I have a good spot, but it is only 15' or so from the house and from the heat pumps.

Propane is heavier than air, and unfortunately the location I have in mind is above the heat pumps. Does this make a difference?

What is the maximum distance? Can I put it say 200' feet away if I want to?

 

[Buckeye_Jim]

Dave,

I am not sure of any codes, but I have observed them very close to some homes. All of the problems I hear about are up in the deep snow areas. Something breaks on the tank and propane collects under the snow until it finds a source of ignition.

Another consideration would be defensible space to battle a wild fire. So don't plant the tank in a thicket of brush. I can imagine you might be in a forested site, so trees should be thinned to 10' to 15' apart in that defensible area.

Jim

 

[jwstewar]

I believe around here the minimum distance is 10'.

As far as why the propane company wants it 75' from the driveway - that is how much hose they have. Gonna be a little bit hard to fill if they can't reach it. Other than that, yes, put it where you want it. The other thing to consider is if you get too far is the cost of the copper line itself. I know in the big picture it isn't much, but all of the little things can add up. For 200' of copper, you are probably looking at $5 - 600 + the trenching.

I don't know about the tank above the heat pump. Wouldn't think it would hurt anything. Chances are if there were to be a leak, it wouldn't be from the tank but from the line in the ground due to rocks or corrosion.

FWIW, my tank is about 40' from the driveway. Was closer to the 75' mark but we extended the driveway when we built the garage. Our propane tank is 75' from the house and only about 10 or 12' from the garage. Tank was there first.

 

[hudr]

There is a minimum distance to a structure though I can't remember the numbers. Your Propane dist. would have that info. I drove for a local propane dealer one winter(good incentive to find another career). I would ask this: PLEASE put the tank close to a solid, well drained area (right next to your driveway with asphalt right up to the tank would be nice). I had a touch over 100' of hose on my truck and it gets HEAVY, expecially slogging through a wet East Texas Winter yard. There were houses I hated going to because I had to drag all the hose out to get around the shed, over the garden spot, through the rose bushes and over the trellis covered w/ some thorny vine to get to the tank. Usually only to find that there was a man-eating something chained to the tank itself. Please be kind to your propane delivery man!

 

[schmism]

I believe around here the minimum distance is 10'.

generally the min distance is based on the size of the tank and or number of them. (but for normal people tanks its 10')

see page 44 of this doc

http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pdf/guideinstallhomes.pdf

it refrances NFPA 58 for proper locations of LP containers.

 

[sodamo]

Just went thru this with our gas company (only one) last week. They gave me same diagram as page 44.

David

 

[dfkrug]

Is there any minimum separation distance from a propane tank to a house, or to a heat pump outside the house?

Around here, the propane companies want the tank to be within 75 feet of a drivable surface for their truck, and I think I have a good spot, but it is only 15' or so from the house and from the heat pumps.

Propane is heavier than air, and unfortunately the location I have in mind is above the heat pumps. Does this make a difference?

What is the maximum distance? Can I put it say 200' feet away if I want to?

Santa Clara county has a 10-ft minimum, and a concrete pad
requirement. How far away your tank is will determine if you put
your pressure reducer at the tank or at the house.

BTW, I bought a vertical tank from a dealer in WA, and it was shipped
from the manufacturer in OR to me here in CA. This was a 120 gallon
tank that I could install myself, vs the cigar-shaped tanks that take
special craning equipment.

 

[David Ferguson]

Has anyone used a buried propane tank? For our property, I was hoping to do this (and keep it close to the drive for ease of filling).

Planning for the excavation at the same time as other major excavations should help keep the costs down.

 

[dfkrug]

Has anyone used a buried propane tank? For our property, I was hoping to do this (and keep it close to the drive for ease of filling).

Planning for the excavation at the same time as other major excavations should help keep the costs down.

Undergrounding of LP tanks not allowed here. Maybe not allowed
in other parts of CA, too.

 

[scott_vt]

Afternoon Dave,
As the others have said, 10ft sticks out in my mind ! I ended up going about 40 ft off the back left corner of the house to get me to the tree line and kind of outta sight Although after reading Jims post I better get out there this spring and thin those small trees out just a bit ! I was planning on adding on to the back of the house at some point and that was another reason to go that far back. But yes, 10 ft is what I was told for minimum distance.