Grass Valley, Nevada County
Propane delivery around Grass Valley, CA
American River Gas delivers propane to homes, ranches and businesses around Grass Valley, about 26.9 road miles and 39 minutes up Highway 49 from our Newcastle yard. Grass Valley homes that use propane are mostly outside the city's natural gas service, on the county parcels off Highways 20, 49 and 174.
Updated · American River Gas office, Newcastle
By the numbers
Propane in Grass Valley
Inside Grass Valley city limits only 109 of 6,769 households (1.6%) heat with propane; the propane homes are on the county parcels around the city.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25040 (House Heating Fuel). Drive distance: OSRM route from 10290 Ophir Rd.
City gas, county propane
Grass Valley is a real split. Inside the city limits nearly everyone is on PG&E natural gas: the Census counts only 109 of 6,769 city households, 1.6%, heating with propane. Across the wider 95945 ZIP area, though, 1,864 households use propane, about 15.5% of the total. Those are mostly the homes on acreage and private roads outside town.
Up Highway 49 from the Ophir Road yard
The drive runs from our Newcastle yard through Auburn and north on Highway 49, across the Bear River into Nevada County, past Lake of the Pines, and into Grass Valley where Highways 49 and 20 meet. Highway 174 links Grass Valley back down to Colfax and I-80 over another Bear River crossing. We deliver off 174, out Highway 20 and along the county roads north of town. Call the office and it will tell you your delivery day.
Rain, snow and the old mining hills
Grass Valley sits at about 2,400 feet. It gets more than 50 inches of rain in a typical year and usually at least one snow event, often late in winter. The hills around town are the same ground that made the Empire and North Star mines two of the richest in California. Rural drives in these hills are often long and sloped.
Before a winter storm, check your gauge and order if it is getting low. After snow, clear a path from the drive to the tank and brush off the lid. Our hose reaches 120 feet, which helps on long or sloped approaches.
Choosing how you order
Keep Full is our automatic service: we watch the weather and your usage and schedule each fill, so there is one less thing to watch in a cold snap. If you would rather order your own deliveries, call when the gauge is near 30% and we deliver on the route day for your area, usually within a week. Either way works with the Budget Plan, which spreads the year's propane into equal monthly payments billed on the 10th.
Fire and power in western Nevada County
In October 2017 the McCourtney Fire, at McCourtney Road and Highway 20, burned 76 acres and destroyed 13 structures, according to CAL FIRE. Two years later, Grass Valley was named in PG&E's October 2019 Public Safety Power Shutoff plans, and PG&E estimated about 43,200 Nevada County customers would be affected by its October 2019 shutoffs.
Keep brush, needles and firewood clear of your tank. To ride out the next shutoff, keep the tank full: Keep Full automatic delivery tops it up, and a propane fireplace or wall heater still heats the house with the power off.
Businesses, new builds and conversions
- Commercial accounts for shops, offices and farm operations outside the gas main.
- Tank installation, leased or owned, with underground lines and regulators.
- Appliance conversions when you move natural gas equipment to a propane home.
- Leak checks before the first fill, and after any time a tank runs empty.
- Buying a home outside town: ask the seller whether the tank is leased or owned, then call us to open an account.
Cylinders and safety
Fill barbecue and RV cylinders at our Ophir Road yard in Newcastle, Monday through Friday 8:00 to 4:30, closed noon to 1:00. If you smell gas, leave the building first, then call 911 and us at (530) 888-7438 from outside.
Services
Our services in Grass Valley
Questions
Grass Valley propane questions
Do you deliver propane in Grass Valley, CA?
Yes, to homes, ranches and businesses around Grass Valley. It is about 39 minutes up Highway 49 from our yard. Call (530) 888-7438 to open an account.
I live inside the city on natural gas. Can I still use propane?
Yes, for things the gas line does not reach, such as a shop or an outdoor kitchen. We can set a small tank and run the line.
Do you deliver out Highway 174 toward Colfax?
Yes. The Highway 174 corridor between Grass Valley and Colfax is within our delivery area.
Can you convert my appliances to propane?
Yes. Many natural gas appliances can be converted. Call us with the make and model and we will talk it through.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25040 (opens in a new tab) · Grass Valley, California (Wikipedia) (opens in a new tab) · CAL FIRE: McCourtney Fire (Wind Complex), 2017 (opens in a new tab) · YubaNet: The PSPS Edition, October 2019 (opens in a new tab)
Newcastle yard · since 1966
Propane in Grass Valley
Call the office and talk to a real person. Or leave your details and we call you back.
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM (closed noon-1:00 PM)
After hours, weekends and holidays, our answering service reaches a staff member.
