Building, remodeling and moving with propane

A large share outside the town centers. The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates put propane or other tank gas as the heating fuel for about one household in three in Nevada County (32.1%) and a bit over one in four in El Dorado County (27.4%). Placer County as a whole is lower at 7.8%, because about 61% of its homes use utility gas, but the rural ZIP areas near Meadow Vista, Colfax and north of Auburn run well above that.

The fuel is stored in a tank on your own property, so someone has to keep an eye on the level. You can let us schedule deliveries for you with Keep Full automatic delivery, or read the gauge and call when it reaches about 30%. Appliances have to be set up for propane, since natural gas models need a conversion, and the safety rule does not change: if you smell gas, leave the building first, then call 911 and us from outside.

Ask which company fills the tank, whether it is leased or owned, its size, the current gauge reading, and whether anything on the system has been red-tagged. The metal data plate lists the tank's capacity. Bring those answers to the office and we will help you line up service before move-in day.

Call the office with your move-out date and a forwarding address so the final bill reaches you; you can pay it through the online portal as usual. Tell us whether the tank is leased or owned and, if you know, who is moving in, and we will explain what happens with the tank and the propane left in it.

Not a leased tank, because it belongs to the company that leased it. A tank you own is yours, but whether it goes with the house is something to settle in the sale contract. Either way, disconnecting, emptying and hauling a tank is work for a qualified propane professional, never a moving crew.

Placer County's tank handout says that on any tank filled on site, the fill connection and the fixed liquid level gauge must be at least 10 feet from an outside source of ignition, such as the electrical service, a furnace or an A/C compressor. The same 10 feet applies to the air intake of a direct-vent appliance or a mechanical ventilation system. Plan the tank and the condenser together so nothing has to move later.

Sometimes. Placer County's handout lets a single tank of no more than 1,200 gallons sit 10 feet from buildings and property lines, as long as no other tank is within 25 feet. Larger tanks and multi-tank setups follow the 25-foot rule, and the permit office confirms what fits your lot.

Yes. Placer County's handout says underground LPG tanks are inspected and approved by the local fire district with jurisdiction before the building final. Build that step into your schedule, and call us early so the tank is set in time.

Placer County's handout allows buried gas pipe of gas-rated plastic (PE) or steel with a factory coating. It wants 12 inches of soil over the pipe at minimum, 18 where outside forces could damage it, plus a locating wire or tape running the whole length of any plastic line, and the finished piping is pressure tested. Our underground gas line service handles runs to the house or a shop.

It might. Setbacks are measured from buildings, so an addition can leave an existing tank too close; the Placer handout calls for 10 feet between a 126 to 500 gallon tank and a building. Call the office while the plans are still on paper, since moving a tank or rerouting its line changes the system and is followed by a leak test.

In Placer County there can be. The county's propane appliance handout says that between 2,500 and 5,000 feet the building designer must spell out how unburned gas can escape any underfloor appliance space, including keeping the propane drain clear of snow. Above 5,000 feet a stricter county policy applies, so check with the building office early.

American River Gas sets new tanks, including crane-truck sets, installs the regulators and runs the underground line to the house. Because the tank arrives on a truck, tell the office early about your driveway, the slope and where you would like the tank, and we will talk through the placement options with you. A leak test follows before the system goes into service.

Check your lease: whoever it makes responsible for fuel should open the account with the office. Whoever pays, the tenant should know where the tank is, how to read its gauge and where each appliance's shut-off valve is.