2 Signs Your Home's Propane Tank Level Is Low
If you use propane gas for your home, you may feel that you have a good idea of how much your household uses. However, if you have been using a lot of gas appliances lately because of colder weather or increased cooking, you may start wondering whether or not your level is still high enough to provide enough gas for your home. If so, look for the following signs that your home's propane gas level is getting low.
1. Flames on Your Stove Top Start to Sputter and Change Color
One way you can tell whether your propane levels are getting low is to observe the flames on your stovetop. Normally, the flames should glow a bluish color, which is the color that is produced when burning propane. Also, they burn evenly after a few seconds of being turned on.
However, if the level is low and there is not enough gas reaching the burners, two characteristics about the flames will tell you. First, the flames will no longer burn evenly. They may sputter sporadically.
There may also be gaps in the flames. While this is also a sign that some of the holes in the burners are clogged, when the gas level is low, the gaps will move around the burner ring in an inconsistent pattern.
Second, the flame will no longer have a uniform bluish color. You will see large areas within the fire that are yellow. Once the flames around the burners are mostly yellow, your propane levels are very low and close to running out completely.
2. Propane Gas's Odor Becomes Stronger
Another sign for which you should look when trying to determine your gas level is a stronger propane odor when you turn on your stove or the heater kicks on. Naturally, propane gas does not have any odor to it, so an additive is mixed in with the gas so that you can detect it if there were a leak.
While you have probably smelled the additive faintly, as the levels of propane get lower, the odor becomes stronger. This is because a large amount of the additive sinks to the bottom of the tank where it becomes concentrated. As the level approaches the bottom, the smell becomes overwhelmingly strong.
If you notice changes to your stovetop's flames or a strengthening of the gas's odor, there is a good possibility that the tank is running low on propane. Before you completely run out, contact a propane supply company to discuss the amount you may need and delivery options as well as set up a time for them to come out to your home.
