Propane Safety

Know how to protect your loved ones and your home

Because the propane industry and companies like Coyne Oil & Propane uphold high safety standards and there are strong government regulations in place, propane has an outstanding safety record.

You can protect your home and family by learning about the safe use of propane, and what to do if you think something is wrong.

I smell gas. What should I do?

If you use propane in your home, every adult living there needs to know how to protect everyone if they smell gas.

The first thing you need to know is what propane smells like. On its own, propane has no smell. That’s why an odorant is added, so it can be detected. The smell of that odorant is commonly likened to rotten eggs.

You need to know what to do if you smell that rotten-egg odor in or around your home. The steps below are critical to protecting lives and property and must be taken as soon as you smell gas.

• Put out any sources of ignition, like candles or cigarettes.
• Get out of the house IMMEDIATELY.
• Don’t use any light switches, thermostats, telephones or appliances until you are safely out of the house and away from the area where you smell gas.
• If you can get to it safely, close the gas shutoff valve on the propane tank or cylinder.
• Once you are a safe distance away, call 911 and Coyne Oil & Propane.
• Give emergency personnel and the qualified propane service technicians time to check for escaped propane gas and do any repairs. Have a trained propane service technician repair the leak, carefully inspect all gas appliances and relight all pilots.
• Don’t return to the area where the leak was, or try to turn on the propane supply valve, even if you no longer smell gas. Wait until you have permission from emergency personnel or the service technician before going back.

More propane safety information

Want to learn more about propane safety? The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) has developed the videos below so that you can find out all about propane safety, with topics ranging from propane tank safety to the safe handling of your propane BBQ grill cylinders and more!