Have you ever gone to your home’s propane tank after a delivery from LG Jordan, checked the gauge and thought to yourself, “It’s only 80 percent full! What’s going on here?”
What’s going on here is safety based on science.
Like water, propane expands in the heat, only it expands a whole lot more than water does. How much more? Over the same increase in temperature, propane’s volume will increase about 17 times over the volume of water.
That science is why the 80/20 rule for propane safety exists. You need to have room in your propane tank to allow for the propane to expand when it heats up. That’s why we fill your tank to 80 percent, to leave that 20 percent free for expansion.
For example, let’s say your propane tank is a 500 gallon tank. When LG Jordan delivers your propane, we will only fill it to 80 percent of the tank, which is 400 gallons.
Our dedication to your safety and the protection of your home and family is why our LG Jordan delivery driver will never fill your above ground propane tank more than 80 percent full. Underground propane tanks can go a little above 80 percent since the ground provides more insulation from the heat.
By the way, if you see some fluctuations in your propane tank’s gauge levels, it’s not a cause for alarm. It’s a natural, normal occurrence when there are fast temperature swings, like from a hot day to a cool night, or when a cold front passes on a hot day. The tank gauge changes are simply the propane adjusting with the changes in temperature. If it’s getting hotter, it’s taking up more room. If it’s cooler, it’s shrinking back to its normal size.
That expansion of propane is why a major propane safety rule is to NEVER paint your propane tank a dark color. Propane tanks are usually white, cream, beige or tan because those lighter tones reflect the outside heat away. Darker colors absorb the heat, which means the propane in your tank could expand to dangerous levels.
By the way, if you don’t want to keep checking your propane tank gauge levels, you can sign up for Automatic Delivery with LG Jordan. We track your propane usage, and then schedule a propane delivery before your tank gets low!
Find out more about propane and all the ways it can power your home. Contact LG Jordan and become a customer, today!
