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Written on: November 23, 2020
If you use propane in your central North Carolina home, you can rest easy knowing that you’re utilizing one of the safest fuels around.
A big reason why propane is so safe is because its use, delivery and handling and strictly regulated; among the most important of these regulations are the ones that govern propane leak tests.
To understand why and when you need a propane leak test, you first need to know how a residential propane system works:
A propane system is connected via a system of plumbing pipes that carry the gas under pressure between your tank and your appliances; this pressure strains system pipe fittings and the hardening compounds that seal them. As gas pressure rises and falls, pipes joints and seals weaken; over time, this could potentially 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.
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 completed.
The most common reason customers why customers need a leak test is because they’ve run out of propane gas. For this reason, we recommend taking the following steps to reduce the likelihood of a propane run-out:
Need a propane leak test? Or a propane delivery? We can help. Contact Pico Propane today for licensed propane service and propane deliveries in central North Carolina!
