Propane: What is that smell?

If your home or workplace is powered by propane gas, a keen nose and an ability to think quickly can be vital assets when it comes to staying safe.

Your nose matters because propane has a distinctive rotten egg odor – something propane producers add to propane gas to make leaks easy to detect (propane is odorless on its own). When that telltale smell appears in your Ontario home, don’t panic – but do act quickly, using these propane safety guidelines:

• Avoid touching any equipment that could cause a spark (lights or light switches, appliances, telephones, cell phones, etc.); a spark can cause an explosion.
• Get everyone (including pets) out of your house immediately and call 911 from a safe distance away.
• If it is safe to do so, turn off the propane gas at the tank; if you don’t know how to do this, ask us – it’s important information to know.
• When inspection teams say it is safe to return to your home, do so – but do not use your propane equipment again until it is inspected by a professional.
• Remember: if your propane system is turned off for any reason – including a leak – you must have it inspected and pressure-tested before it can be turned on again.

Two other things to keep in mind:

• We STRONGLY urge you to install propane leak detectors in your home. These inexpensive fail-safes will protect you whether or not you can smell a propane gas leak.
• Be sure to have your propane equipment serviced regularly – it will keep you safer, lower your monthly bills, and help your technician spot a small issue before it becomes a more serious problem requiring costly propane equipment repairs.

Your safety is always our priority! Contact Core Fuels today to learn more about propane safety in your Ontario home.