Does Propane Go Bad?
And Other Questions Answered
If you’re like a lot of families, you use propane to do a lot in and around your Massachusetts home. Perhaps you even take it for granted. But let’s take a closer look at this versatile and cost-effective fuel and answer some questions you may have about it along the way.
What Is Propane?
Propane is made during natural gas processing and petroleum refining. It’s usually compressed and stored as a liquid. So you may also hear it called liquefied petroleum gas, LPG or LP.
What Can Propane Do?
Propane is extremely versatile, and thus has a lot of residential and commercial applications. It can be used for heating, water heating, cooking, and powering a variety of appliances. It can also fuel vehicles. When used as a fuel for vehicles it’s called propane Autogas.
How Long Does Propane Last?
If you use propane in and around your home, then you also have propane on your property. You may have the small cylinders of propane used for your BBQ grill. And you may also have a large aboveground or underground tank that stores the propane your home appliances use. Chances are propane doesn’t sit on your property for very long without getting used, but you may still be wondering if propane goes bad.
Here’s the good news: propane doesn’t go bad. It doesn’t have a shelf life or expiration date you have to worry about. And unlike other fuels, propane doesn’t degrade and become less efficient with time either. So as long as your propane tank is maintained properly, the propane in it will always be good and ready to fuel your propane appliances.
Does Propane Freeze?
Given how cold Massachusetts winters can be, you may wonder if you have to worry about the propane in your tank freezing. Technically propane can freeze, but its freezing point is -44 degrees Fahrenheit, so the propane in your tank is going to be fine. The most likely way the cold weather will affect the propane on your property is to cause it to shrink. The colder propane gets, the less volume it occupies. That shrinkage might affect the accuracy of the reading on your tank gauge. The best way to avoid this is to keep as full a tank as possible.
What’s So Great about Propane?
Propane offers a lot of benefits. It’s versatile, cost-effective, safe, accessible, and eco-friendly. Let’s take a closer look at some of the advantages propane offers:
- Propane is accessible. Propane is highly portable, so you can use it wherever you need it. And with a propane tank on your property, you always have the propane you need at your disposal.
- Propane is cost-effective. Propane’s high efficiency makes it a cost-effective fuel option. Most propane appliances cost less to operate than their electric counterparts. Propane appliances also tend to last longer than their electric counterparts.
- Propane is eco-friendly. Compared to most of the fuels commonly used, propane is one of the cleanest fuels available with regards to carbon emissions. Additionally, it doesn’t contaminate the water or soil or put organisms at risk in the rare event of a spill.
- Propane is efficient. Propane heats up extremely quickly.
- Propane is safe. Propane is one of the safest fuel options for heating and running appliances.
Make W.H. Riley & Son Your Propane Provider
W.H. Riley & Son provides service you can count on. We’ve been meeting the fuel needs of Southeastern Massachusetts since 1873. We pride ourselves on providing our residential and commercial customers with the highest-quality fuels and highest standards of service.
Contact W.H. Riley & Son today to request a propane delivery, sign up for our automatic delivery service, or to learn more about how we can meet your propane needs.