Written on: September 15, 2025 by Alan Carver
Propane is used on a daily basis for many things—cooking on a stove, heating a home, fueling fireplaces or even farmers utilizing it to dry their corn.
When respected and installed correctly, there are not many other fuel sources that can match what propane brings to the table. However, it takes only one moment of a lack in judgment, one tired and lazy Friday when you just want to go home, for something to seriously go wrong.
That is what we’re going to talk about in this article: following your training, situational awareness and the importance of techs, drivers and management all being on the same team and following the same guidelines.
On the Same Page
Each day techs and drivers go out into the field and perform various tasks. From new installations, to repairs, to re-filling tanks, it is imperative that all staff follow Federal and local codes. Quite frankly, it all starts with the delivery drivers. They are the eyes and ears of the facility. They are the ones that are going to the houses on a daily basis to fill tanks. Drivers need to report any issues they may see while making a delivery—from rusted or leaning tanks to tanks that are outright out of code. There have been dozens of times I have gone out to clean a fireplace or add line to an existing system, only to find that the tank is too close to a source of ignition. I then have to tell the customer I have to move the tank as well. This has happened enough times that I know exactly what the customer is going to say, “Well you guys have been filling it for years, so why is it an issue now?” What am I supposed to say to that? They are right; it’s not their job to know the codes, it is our job.
I then must spend 20 to 30 minutes discussing, explaining and sometimes insisting on why the tank needs to be moved, all because the drivers, techs and management were not on the same page. Many times the tank had been placed legally when first installed, but the customer may have had a new air conditioning unit installed too close to the tank. That now needs to be reported and the propane tank moved as soon as possible.
Trust me, I deliver as well, and the last thing I want to do in the middle of Winter with 30 stops on my schedule, is call the office to try and get the situation rectified. However, it must be done. This is why everyone should get the training they need and should be on the same page. If an employee has the proper training, yet doesn’t care, then quite frankly they have no business in this profession. They might very well hurt someone or themselves.
Many times however, situations arise that were created by the customer or even another contractor accidentally, yet it is still our job to find the problem and fix it.
Situational Awareness
That’s where situational awareness comes in. There’s that old saying: if something feels wrong, it probably is. This is where trusting your instincts and training comes in. Let’s look at a few examples I have come across.
I was dispatched to a house where the customer smelled propane at her tank. I sprayed all the fittings on the tank and checked under the tank for any rust or leaks. I found no leaks, yet I smelled propane, too.
A little detective work now comes into play. I checked to see if the regulator failed, but that was fine. I walked around near the tank because that is where she and I believed we smelled the propane; maybe it is not the tank. I did a leak test on the system that only runs to a generator and drops out immediately, which tells me two things. One, the leak is close to the beginning of the system, and two, it is a bad leak. I decided to follow the line from the tank and crawled under and behind a prickly bush that was not visible from above. Low and behold, there was a about an 8-inch section of line wrapped in multiple layers of tape. I cut away the tape and there was a huge cut through the half-inch copper on a
10 psi two-stage system. Most likely her landscaping company damaged it and instead of owning up to it, tried to cover it up and ended up creating a dangerous situation.
Talk to Customers
Another example of situational awareness, and trying to gather information, occurred with another customer that smelled propane, this time at her fireplace. She was instructed by the office to turn her tank off (standard procedure anytime a customer smells propane) so by the time I arrived there, I smelled no propane.
I asked her, “Do you smell propane all the time or only when the unit is running?” She told me only when the unit was running and that it was really bad. The reason I asked that question is because a leak test will only show a leak up to the gas valve of the unit. If the gas valve is working correctly while the unit is off, it should hold a leak test. However, it does not mean there is no leak after the gas valve of a unit. Since the customer said it only smelled of propane while running, I was confident I knew what the issue was. However, I still did a leak test on the system at the regulator and sure enough it held.
Next, I went inside and lit the fireplace. As it came on, I smelled the propane as well. Sure enough, at the pilot assembly where the tube goes into the pilot there was a leak. The little brass nut had been cross threaded, as well as over tightened. This caused the aluminum pilot tubing to be crushed and sheared away, creating an improper seal and connection inside the pilot. That is why the smell of propane was only detected when the unit was running. I was able to fix it and there were no more problems with the unit.
If I had just gone there and performed a leak test, it would have passed and I could have said “no leaks, all good,”—yet there still would have been a very dangerous situation. This comes from experience and training, along with asking questions. Talk to your customers. A lot of information can come from them to help you diagnose problems. The smell of propane must be taken very seriously, diagnosed and fixed.
Trust Your Instincts
In conclusion, trusting your instincts, the training you have been given and understanding situations is key to everyone’s safety. If you are unsure, ask questions, call your manager or a more experienced employee for help or advice. Better to drop your ego, than drop the ball. I learn new stuff every day and it’s humbling, to be honest.
You think you have a good grasp on your craft, and then a new problem comes up. In the end, we are all here to help each other, ensuring safety and customer service are our top priorities. ICM
