# American River Gas Co., Inc.

> Family-owned propane dealer in Newcastle, California (Placer County), in the propane business since 1966. Residential, commercial and agricultural propane delivery (including Keep Full automatic delivery), tank installation, underground gas lines, leak checks, appliance conversions and portable cylinder / RV refills across Placer, Nevada and El Dorado counties.

- Address: 10290 Ophir Rd, Newcastle, CA 95658 (mail: P.O. Box 4590)
- Phone: (530) 888-7438 (fax (530) 888-1901; fax only)
- Email: info@americanrivergas.com
- Office hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM (closed noon-1:00 PM). After hours, weekends and holidays, an answering service routes calls to a staff member.
- Customer portal (view account / pay online): https://members.rccbi.com/webinq/Fds/ameriv/FQStart.aspx
- Google rating: 4.6 stars from 44 reviews (September 2026)
- Owners: Steve Veninga and Bobby Dal Porto (since 1996). Founder: Don Veninga (1966).
- Pricing: per-gallon propane prices move with the market; the office quotes the current price by phone.
- Every page has a Markdown twin: add index.md to any page URL (the links below point to them).

## Safety
If someone smells gas: leave the building first without making a spark (no flames, switches, appliances or phones), close the tank valve only if it is safe and the smell is not coming from the tank itself, and from outside call 911 and (530) 888-7438. Never turn the gas back on yourself or test for a leak with a flame. Details: https://americanrivergas.com/smell-gas/index.md

## Who we serve
- Homes, farms, ranches and businesses in the Placer County foothills and nearby Nevada and El Dorado County towns that need propane delivered.
- Anyone needing a propane tank set, an underground gas line run, a leak check, or an appliance converted to propane.
- People near Auburn or Newcastle looking for a propane cylinder or RV refill: the dispenser is at the Ophir Road yard, filled during office hours.
- Rocklin, Roseville, Granite Bay or a town not listed: call the office and it will tell you your delivery day.

## Services
- [Residential Propane Delivery](https://americanrivergas.com/services/residential-propane-delivery/index.md): Route delivery to homes on leased or customer-owned tanks.
- [Keep Full Automatic Delivery](https://americanrivergas.com/services/keep-full-automatic-delivery/index.md): We track your use and the weather and fill you on schedule.
- [Commercial Propane](https://americanrivergas.com/services/commercial-propane/index.md): Propane for shops, restaurants and businesses.
- [Agricultural Propane](https://americanrivergas.com/services/agricultural-propane/index.md): Ranches, orchards, barns and farm equipment.
- [Propane Cylinder & RV Refills](https://americanrivergas.com/services/propane-cylinder-refills/index.md): Fill BBQ, RV and portable cylinders at our Newcastle yard.
- [Propane Tank Installation](https://americanrivergas.com/services/propane-tank-installation/index.md): Above-ground tanks set, connected and leak-tested.
- [Underground Gas Lines](https://americanrivergas.com/services/underground-gas-lines/index.md): Piping from the tank to the house and appliances.
- [Propane Tank Sizes: Lease or Own](https://americanrivergas.com/services/tank-sizes-lease-or-own/index.md): Which size fits your home, and leased vs owned tanks.
- [Tank Maintenance & Leak Checks](https://americanrivergas.com/services/tank-maintenance-leak-checks/index.md): Pressure checks, leak tests, regulators and system checks.
- [Appliance Conversions](https://americanrivergas.com/services/appliance-conversions/index.md): Converting gas appliances to run safely on propane.
- [Propane for Wineries & Vineyards](https://americanrivergas.com/services/propane-for-wineries-and-vineyards/index.md): Propane for tasting rooms, crush pads and winery buildings.
- [Propane for Farms & Orchards](https://americanrivergas.com/services/propane-for-farms-and-orchards/index.md): Barns, shops, brooders, dryers and farm equipment.
- [Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Propane](https://americanrivergas.com/services/restaurant-propane/index.md): Ranges, fryers and water heaters.

## Service area (19 towns)
- [Newcastle](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/newcastle/index.md): Placer County, home of our yard
- [Auburn](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/auburn/index.md): Placer County, about 2.6 road miles / 5 min from the yard
- [North Auburn](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/north-auburn/index.md): Placer County, about 5.2 road miles / 11 min from the yard
- [Christian Valley](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/christian-valley/index.md): Placer County, about 7.3 road miles / 10 min from the yard
- [Penryn](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/penryn/index.md): Placer County, about 4.3 road miles / 9 min from the yard
- [Loomis](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/loomis/index.md): Placer County, about 8.3 road miles / 12 min from the yard
- [Meadow Vista](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/meadow-vista/index.md): Placer County, about 12.0 road miles / 20 min from the yard
- [Applegate](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/applegate/index.md): Placer County, about 11.3 road miles / 15 min from the yard
- [Weimar](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/weimar/index.md): Placer County, about 13.9 road miles / 18 min from the yard
- [Colfax](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/colfax/index.md): Placer County, about 18.7 road miles / 23 min from the yard
- [Foresthill](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/foresthill/index.md): Placer County, about 20.7 road miles / 36 min from the yard
- [Lincoln](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/lincoln/index.md): Placer County, about 12.1 road miles / 20 min from the yard
- [Sheridan](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/sheridan/index.md): Placer County, about 20.3 road miles / 35 min from the yard
- [Cool](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/cool/index.md): El Dorado County, about 9.1 road miles / 19 min from the yard
- [Pilot Hill](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/pilot-hill/index.md): El Dorado County, about 13.0 road miles / 24 min from the yard
- [Georgetown](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/georgetown/index.md): El Dorado County, about 21.8 road miles / 37 min from the yard
- [Lake of the Pines](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/lake-of-the-pines/index.md): Nevada County, about 15.7 road miles / 27 min from the yard
- [Grass Valley](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/grass-valley/index.md): Nevada County, about 26.9 road miles / 39 min from the yard
- [Nevada City](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/nevada-city/index.md): Nevada County, about 30.0 road miles / 42 min from the yard

## Guides
- [Annual propane system inspection: what we check](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/annual-propane-system-inspection/index.md): A propane system check looks at the whole path from the tank to each appliance: the tank, regulators, piping, shut-off valves and sediment traps, followed by a leak test.
- [Buying or selling a foothill home with a propane tank](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/buying-or-selling-a-home-with-a-propane-tank/index.md): The first question in any foothill sale with propane is whether the tank is leased from a propane company or owned by the homeowner, because that decides what transfers...
- [Carbon monoxide and propane appliances](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/carbon-monoxide-and-propane-appliances/index.md): Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that any fuel-burning appliance, including a propane furnace, water heater, range or fireplace, can produce when it is...
- [Cold weather, tank pressure and frozen regulators](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/cold-weather-propane-tank-pressure/index.md): Propane pressure in your tank rises and falls with the temperature, and on cold days the tank also turns liquid into vapor more slowly, especially when it is low, so a...
- [Converting appliances from natural gas to propane](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/converting-appliances-to-propane/index.md): Most gas ranges, dryers, water heaters, furnaces and fireplaces can run on propane, but only after a conversion using the manufacturer's approved kit, which swaps the...
- [Propane cylinder refill vs exchange](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/cylinder-refill-vs-exchange/index.md): With a refill, an attendant checks your own cylinder and fills it to its proper level, while an exchange swaps your empty for a pre-filled cylinder that may not be...
- [Fall 2026 propane checklist for foothill homes](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/fall-2026-propane-checklist/index.md): Before the first cold nights of fall 2026, read your tank gauge and order if it is near 30%, consider Keep Full automatic delivery, and make sure the tank, the path to...
- [How long does a 500-gallon propane tank last in the foothills?](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/how-long-does-a-500-gallon-propane-tank-last/index.md): A 500-gallon propane tank holds about 400 gallons, which can last a few weeks in a cold snap in a house heated with propane, or many months if propane only runs a water...
- [How to read your propane tank gauge](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/how-to-read-a-propane-tank-gauge/index.md): The gauge under the dome on top of your propane tank shows how full the tank is as a percentage, not in gallons.
- [Leasing vs owning a propane tank](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/leasing-vs-owning-a-propane-tank/index.md): When you lease a propane tank, the propane company owns it, sets it and keeps it in service, and you buy your propane from that company.
- [Moving to the foothills: setting up propane service](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/moving-to-the-foothills-propane-setup/index.md): To set up propane at a new foothill home, find out who owns the tank, open an account with your name, service address and contact details, and choose Keep Full automatic...
- [Outdoor kitchens, built-in grills and fire pits on your propane tank](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/outdoor-kitchens-grills-and-fire-pits/index.md): A built-in grill, outdoor kitchen or gas fire pit can run straight from your home propane tank through a buried gas line, so there are no cylinders to swap and no...
- [Getting propane back after a wildfire evacuation](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-after-a-wildfire-evacuation/index.md): When you return after a wildfire evacuation, leave the propane valves closed, or close them if they are open, and do not use any gas appliance until your propane...
- [Propane as backup heat when the power goes out](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-as-backup-heat/index.md): Propane stays in your tank during a power outage, but most modern furnaces need electricity for the blower and controls, so the dependable backup heat sources are a...
- [Propane clothes dryers](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-clothes-dryers/index.md): A propane clothes dryer heats with a gas burner instead of an electric element, so it generally dries faster than a standard electric dryer and still plugs into an...
- [When a propane cylinder expires: dates and requalification](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-cylinder-expiration-and-requalification/index.md): Grill, camping and RV cylinders built to U.S.
- [Propane fireplaces and inserts](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-fireplaces-and-inserts/index.md): A direct-vent propane fireplace or insert draws combustion air from outdoors and vents exhaust back outside, which makes it a clean, efficient source of zone heat, and...
- [Propane for ADUs, shops and garages](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-for-adus-shops-and-garages/index.md): An ADU, shop or garage can run on propane either from a gas line off your existing tank or from its own tank, and the right choice depends on the total load of every...
- [Planning propane for new construction: tank placement and setbacks](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-for-new-construction/index.md): Plan the propane tank while the site plan is still on paper, because tank size sets the minimum distance from the house, property lines and ignition sources, and the...
- [Propane furnaces: efficiency, sizing and care](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-furnaces/index.md): A propane furnace burns propane to heat air and a blower pushes that air through your ducts, and its efficiency is rated by AFUE, the share of fuel turned into heat over...
- [Propane pool and spa heaters](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-pool-and-spa-heaters/index.md): A propane pool or spa heater warms water quickly and holds temperature in cool weather, which makes it a good fit for stretching the swim season in the foothills or...
- [Propane ranges and cooktops](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-ranges-and-cooktops/index.md): Nearly any gas range, cooktop or wall oven can cook on propane, either because it was built for propane at the factory or because a qualified technician installed the...
- [Propane regulators explained: what they do and when they are replaced](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-regulators-explained/index.md): A propane regulator lowers the high, temperature-driven pressure inside your tank to the steady, low pressure your appliances are built to burn, and most homes use two...
- [Propane tank painting, placement and clearances](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-tank-painting-and-placement/index.md): A propane tank should only be repainted if it was never powder coated, using an oil-based primer and a light, heat-reflective oil-based alkyd paint, and you should call...
- [Propane tank sizes: which tank fits your home](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-tank-sizes/index.md): Most foothill homes use a 120, 250, 500 or 1,000-gallon propane tank, and the right size depends on what the propane runs: a small tank suits a water heater, range or...
- [Propane safety and wildfire: defensible space around your tank](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-tank-wildfire-defensible-space/index.md): In California's State Responsibility Areas, the state's defensible space regulations call for 10 feet of clearance to bare mineral soil around a propane tank, plus no...
- [Propane tankless water heaters](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-tankless-water-heaters/index.md): A propane tankless water heater lights its burner only while hot water is flowing, so it skips the standby loss of a storage tank and will not run out partway through a...
- [Propane vs a heat pump in the foothills](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-vs-heat-pump-in-the-foothills/index.md): A heat pump moves heat instead of burning fuel, so it is very efficient and also cools the house in summer, while a propane furnace gives strong, steady heat on the...
- [Propane vs natural gas vs electric in the Sierra foothills](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-vs-natural-gas-vs-electric/index.md): In the Sierra foothills the choice usually starts with where you live: natural gas is only available where PG&E has a gas main, which is mostly in the town cores, while...
- [Propane wall furnaces and space heaters: vented vs vent-free](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-wall-furnaces-and-space-heaters/index.md): A vented propane wall furnace or direct-vent wall heater sends its exhaust outdoors, and it is the right way to heat a room, cabin or addition with propane in a...
- [Propane water heaters: tank and tankless](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/propane-water-heaters/index.md): A propane storage water heater keeps a tank of hot water ready, while a tankless model heats water only as it flows, so it never runs out but needs a larger gas line and...
- [Ran out of propane? Why a leak check is required before relighting](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/ran-out-of-propane-leak-check/index.md): When a propane tank runs empty, the lines lose pressure and joints and valve seals can relax and start to leak, so safety codes and our insurance require a pressure...
- [RV propane systems: filling, safety and storage](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/rv-propane-systems/index.md): Most travel trailers and campers carry removable DOT cylinders that you bring in to be filled, while most motorhomes have a permanently mounted tank that is filled in...
- [Turkey fryer propane safety for the holidays](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/turkey-fryer-propane-safety/index.md): Fry the turkey outdoors on a level, non-combustible surface at least 10 feet from the house and never under eaves, a porch, a carport or in a garage, with the propane...
- [Underground vs above-ground propane tanks](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/underground-vs-above-ground-propane-tanks/index.md): An above-ground propane tank is simpler to set, inspect and maintain, while an underground tank keeps the view clear but needs excavation, a tank built and coated for...
- [What goes into the price of propane, and why full-service dealers differ](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/what-goes-into-the-price-of-propane/index.md): The price of delivered propane is built from the wholesale cost of the fuel, the cost of moving it to local storage, the cost of storing it and trucking it to your tank,...
- [Winter prep: driveway access and snow for delivery trucks](https://americanrivergas.com/guides/winter-propane-delivery-access/index.md): A propane delivery truck needs a clear, drivable path at least 10 feet wide and a tank within reach of our 120-foot hose, so plow the driveway, trim low branches and...

## Customers and company
- [About American River Gas](https://americanrivergas.com/about/index.md): Family-owned since 1966; owners Steve Veninga and Bobby Dal Porto.
- [Why a full-service dealer](https://americanrivergas.com/why-a-full-service-dealer/index.md): What a full-service propane price includes.
- [How to become a customer](https://americanrivergas.com/becoming-a-customer/index.md): Apply, tank set or transfer, leak test, first fill.
- [Open an account](https://americanrivergas.com/open-an-account/index.md): New-customer application; the office calls back.
- [Request a delivery](https://americanrivergas.com/request-a-delivery/index.md): Existing customers; order at about 30% on the gauge.
- [Budget Plan](https://americanrivergas.com/budget-plan/index.md): Equal monthly payments billed on the 10th; May-April year.
- [Payment options](https://americanrivergas.com/payment-options/index.md): My Account portal, autopay, card, cash or check; Net 10.
- [Propane safety](https://americanrivergas.com/safety/index.md): Leak tests, red tags, delivery tips, carbon monoxide.
- [Smell gas? What to do](https://americanrivergas.com/smell-gas/index.md): Leave first, then call 911 and the office from outside.
- [Questions and answers](https://americanrivergas.com/faq/index.md): Gauges, ordering, leak checks, painting tanks, billing, hours.
- [Contact](https://americanrivergas.com/contact/index.md): Phone, email, yard address and office hours.
- [Service area map](https://americanrivergas.com/service-areas/index.md): All 19 towns on one map.

## Key facts
- Keep Full automatic delivery: timing from outdoor temperatures and past use. Customers who order their own deliveries call at about 30% on the gauge; delivery is usually within a week on the area's route day.
- Tanks are filled to about 86% in winter and 80% in summer. The delivery hose is 120 feet.
- Safety codes and the company's insurance require a pressure check / leak test after running out of gas, for new systems and new customers, after modifications and when an appliance is added.
- Budget Plan: equal monthly payments billed on the 10th; budget year May-April.
- Payment: online portal, cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, autopay. Terms Net 10.

## Optional
- [Privacy policy](https://americanrivergas.com/privacy-policy/index.md)
- [Terms of use](https://americanrivergas.com/terms/index.md)
- [Accessibility statement](https://americanrivergas.com/accessibility/index.md)
- [HTML site map](https://americanrivergas.com/sitemap/index.md)
- [XML sitemap](https://americanrivergas.com/sitemap.xml)
- [Full text of every page (llms-full.txt)](https://americanrivergas.com/llms-full.txt)