If you have propane appliances in your northern Vermont home, you can rest easy knowing that you’re using a fuel with one of the best safety records in home energy.
A big reason for propane’s sterling safety performance is the strict guidelines that govern the fuel’s use, delivery and handling. Among the most important of these guidelines are requirements for propane leak tests.
A propane system is connected via a system of plumbing pipes, which are under constant pressure when the system is running; this pressure strains system pipe fittings and the hardening compounds that seal them. As gas pressure varies, pipes joints and seals weaken; over time, this could lead to a gas leak. A leak test checks the integrity of these joints and seals.
The law requires propane leak tests to be performed any time there is an interruption of service – that is, any time the flow of gas has stopped for any reason (aka… if you run out of propane).
As NFPA 54 (2006), 8.2.3 states,
Immediately after the gas is turned on into a new system or into a system that has been initially restored after an interruption of service, the piping system shall be tested for leakage. If leakage is indicated, the gas supply shall be shut off until the necessary repairs have been made.
In other words, this means that a leak test must be performed:
If any of the above applies, then a leak/pressure test – performed by a licensed, qualified professional – is required before a propane delivery can be attempted.
The most common reason customers why customers need a leak test is because they run out of gas. For this reason, we recommend taking the following steps to reduce the likelihood of a propane run-out:
Need a propane leak test? We can help. Contact Jack F. Corse today for licensed propane service and propane deliveries in Lamoille, Franklin, & Northern Chittenden counties, VT.