Storage & Distribution
Propane tanks can be large or portable,
and they can be installed aboveground or safely buried, virtually invisible to
homeowners or business customers.
With propane, you're not at the mercy
of a public utility. And with the option of aboveground or underground storage
tanks, propane professionals can install properly sized propane storage for any
home or building. To learn more about centralized propane distribution systems for an entire community, visit the community propane systems page.
The Propane Technical Pocket Guide
The Pocket Guide includes frequently referenced facts and data about propane systems, such as gas properties, pipe and tube sizing, and fuel load estimates for popular applications. Register on our Propane Building Resources page to download.
There are two main types of propane storage tanks.
Tanks with a Department of Transportation certification are generally used
aboveground and have a maximum capacity of 125 gallons. Commonly used
horizontal tanks certified by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME) are sized up to 1,000 gallons (water capacity) and, under normal
conditions, can be filled with propane up to 80 percent of the rated water
capacity. ASME tanks are available for underground or aboveground
installation.
On average, a
500-gallon tank can easily provide the energy for a four-bedroom home, while a
tank with a capacity of 1,000 gallons or more can fuel a larger home with
additional energy demands such as a swimming pool, hot tub, outdoor kitchen,
and patio lighting. A large, centrally located ASME tank can even provide
propane to an entire development of homes.
Propane can also be used for
any gas commercial building application that does not have easy access to
natural gas, including new construction, interior construction for new tenants,
major renovations, and building efficiency upgrades.
Your propane
retailer can advise you on proper tank size and location and handle both the
installation and the gas hookup to the house. From start to finish, you'll get
the help you need to do the job right.
Underground tanks
Propane
can fuel a home or building discreetly, almost invisibly, from an underground
tank. A propane tank can be buried with minimal excavation costs, leaving only
a small dome visible just inches above the ground. This dome allows for easy
servicing and refilling, and it can be easily screened with shrubs or other
plantings to blend seamlessly into a home or building's overall
landscaping.
Remote tank monitoring
Propane providers generally
schedule deliveries for residential customers using computer scheduling software, based
upon each customer’s historical consumption and local weather conditions. But
some homes and many commercial buildings use remote
tank monitoring technology to ensure that the propane supply is reliable and
uninterrupted. These smart monitoring devices allow propane companies to track
their customers’ propane storage levels and usage patterns so they can schedule propane
deliveries when needed — an especially important feature for customers with unpredictable demand, such as restaurants and swimming pools. Some of today’s advanced monitoring systems also integrate with other smart devices in the home or with building management systems to allow owners or facility managers to also track their propane usage.
Metering service
Propane
metering is a hassle-free way of providing sub-metered propane service to
multifamily or retail tenants, even if they draw from the same propane storage.
Just as with electric or natural gas service, your propane company can install
individual unit meters so tenants can be billed for the propane they use each
month. With meters, you won’t have to devise a way to divvy up the costs of
unequal use among the tenants, or simply attempt to recoup the cost with higher
rent. Meters provide an accepted way to bill the exact cost of propane to the
individual tenants who use it.