PROPANE and PROPANE GAS APPLIANCES

Many of us living here in the Mother Lode/foothills have propane gas fired appliances for our cooking and heating. Propane is actually a petroleum product that is delivered in liquid form but readily turns to a gas when released from the tank it is contained in. Propane is very competitive in cost compared to electricity although its’ cost has been rising some as of late. As a fuel, propane is a very efficient, relatively clean burning fuel that is actually very safe when supply plumbing is properly installed and the appliances using it are properly installed and maintained. Propane appliances are usually so efficient and trouble free that most people use them year after year without giving them even a second thought, let alone any sort of cleaning, service or inspection. This is unfortunate for several reasons, but the most important one is safety.

Now that we are in the midst of ‘Ol Man Winter, many of us are ‘working’ the heck out of our propane gas fired furnace systems and wall heaters if we have them. With the holiday’s just past and a lot of time being spent indoors due to foul weather, our propane gas stoves and ovens are probably getting a good ‘work-out’ also. But, when was the last time you actually serviced and inspected this equipment? This is really important as doing so will help with longevity and performance of the system or appliance, but more so for the safety of you and your family. For all the good things about propane gas, it does have a ‘dark side’. First, propane is an extremely flammable gas…that’s part of the reason it is so efficient and useful. But, the burning process has to be controlled and safe, which means the burning ‘chamber’ must be intact and sealed, and, the gas supply controls operating correctly. Also, the burning of propane gas has one nasty by product, which is Carbon Monoxide (CO), an odorless and tasteless gas. CO can be deadly! Because you can’t taste or smell CO, you really don’t know what is causing you to have a headache, be fatigued, be dizzy, have shortness of breath and finally have nausea which is leading up to brain damage or even death. Propane fired appliances/systems must have sealed burning chambers and be properly vented to the exterior of the building to avoid CO poisoning.

Many propane supply companies have employees that will come to your home and relight the pilot light should it go out, and check your propane appliances for safety. However, the best course of action, especially when it comes to gas fired forced air furnace systems or wall/floor furnaces, is to have the systems cleaned, serviced and thoroughly evaluated at least every ten years (or sooner) by a licensed HVAC (heating and air) Contractor. The reason for this is because the heating system probably has cycled on and off thousands of times during those ten years. Not only can the various components of the heating system wear out, but, more importantly, the heat chamber, or heat exchanger as it is more commonly referred to, may develop cracks over time due to the repeated heating and cooling of the metal surfaces. This allows the by products of the combustion process (CO being one of them) to escape into the interior air that is being conditioned. Every person that enters that home when the defective furnace is running is subject to CO poisoning without even having the slightest hint of the danger!

One thing you can (and should) do yourself to help prolong the service life of your forced air furnace is to change the air filter regularly, which is usually a simple job. If you don’t know where the air filter is located, make sure you get the technician to show you when you get the system serviced. Propane gas is odorized for safety. The smell is like rotten eggs. This allows a person to readily know when there is a gas leak or escape of unburned gas from the equipment. If you don’t know already, make sure that the technician shows you where all of the gas turn off valves are and explains exactly what you should do in an emergency or if you smelled gas in or around your home. If you have propane appliances and/or heating systems in your home, take a few minutes today to evaluate their condition, age and determine when they were last serviced, and then make that call to your HVAC Contractor to keep you and your family safe and healthy.