Propane appliance questions

Take the input rating in Btu per hour from the rating plate or spec sheet and divide it by 91,452, the Btu in one gallon of propane according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. By that math a 40,000 Btu water heater burner uses about 0.44 gallon for each hour it is actually firing, and a 100,000 Btu furnace about 1.09 gallons. Appliances cycle on and off, so a day's real use is far below the full-fire number times 24.

Look at the rating plate, which is usually inside a door, under the cooktop or on the back panel, and check which gas it lists, often shown as LP or propane versus natural gas. Many models leave the factory set for natural gas and need a conversion kit before they can burn propane. The Propane Education & Research Council says that conversion belongs to a qualified professional, and our appliance conversion service does that work.

Yes. Hooking up any new appliance triggers a required leak test, and the new appliance also needs a shut-off valve of its own no more than 6 feet away. Call the office before installation day so the test lines up with the hookup, and leave the new appliance off until the system has been checked.

The open line has to be capped or plugged by a qualified professional, even if nothing is going back in that spot, according to PERC's safety guide for propane users. Moving the range, rerouting pipe or shutting the gas off for the remodel all count as changes to the system, and each one calls for a leak test before the gas comes back on. Give the office your contractor's schedule and we will fit the test into it.

Not in a true basement or pit. Section 303.7.1 of the California Mechanical Code, reproduced in a Placer County Building Services handout, bars propane appliances from a pit, basement or similar place where heavier-than-air gas could pool, and an above-grade underfloor space needs an approved way for unburned gas to escape. The county building office decides what works for your house, so settle it before you buy the appliance.

No. PERC's safety guide says a pilot that is hard to light or goes out over and over should be looked at by a qualified professional, and it warns never to try to let air out of the gas line, because that releases gas. If the pilot went out because the tank ran dry or the gas was shut off, the system needs a leak check before anything is relit. If you smell gas, leave the building first, then call 911 and us from outside.

That is the appliance connector, the short final section that carries gas from the pipe into the appliance. PERC notes that some older types of connector can crack or break with age, and that any connector can be damaged by bending or twisting, such as when a range is pulled out for cleaning. Do not loosen or reconnect one yourself; a qualified professional can inspect it and replace it if it no longer meets code.

Usually there is no need. PERC's safety guide says you do not have to shut off your gas supply for an extended absence. Closing the tank valve yourself also means a leak check before the gas can come back on, since any shut-off requires one, so turn the thermostat down and use the water heater's vacation setting if it has one, following the maker's instructions.

Yes, have it looked at. PERC explains that soot can mean the gas is not burning completely, which raises carbon monoxide, and that vents blocked by nests, snow or ice can push exhaust back indoors. Stop using a sooting appliance, make sure your carbon monoxide alarms work, and call a qualified professional.

No. PERC warns that vapors from gasoline, thinners and cleaning fluids can creep along the floor or ride air currents and be pulled into a burner's air supply, where they can ignite. Keep those liquids in a separate ventilated spot, and keep paper, clothes and other burnables clear of the furnace, water heater and dryer as well.

Search the brand and model on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall list at cpsc.gov, and register new appliances with the manufacturer so a recall notice reaches you directly. If a recall covers the gas valve, burner or connector, stop using the appliance and follow the recall instructions, with any repair done by a qualified professional.

We take care of the propane system up to each appliance: the tank, regulators, gas lines, leak checks and natural-gas-to-propane conversions. For a problem inside the appliance itself, call the office and describe what it is doing, and we will tell you whether it is a job for us or for an appliance technician. PERC's advice is the same either way: never try to install, modify or repair gas appliances yourself.