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Posted: January 21, 2025
There’s a reason why most of our customers take advantage of our automatic propane delivery service. This is a proven method that allows us to manage your fuel supply, freeing you to look after other important household tasks during the heating season. Combined with a wireless tank monitor, this allows us to be exact about your fuel needs and lets us make prompt deliveries.
With our automatic propane delivery system, we can estimate how much fuel your home will typically use based on how cold it is outside. When combined with a tank monitor, we’ll get readings to show us exactly how much propane is left in your tank.
However, to accommodate the segment of our customer base who prefer to watch their propane tank level and call us when they need more fuel, we offer these important tips.
Look for a round dial (like a clock face) on your cylinders or tanks. Often, the dial is under the lid of the cylinder or tank, although sometimes it’s located on the top of a cylinder.
Next, see what number the hand is on. That number is the percentage (not the gallon count) of propane in your cylinder or tank.
To figure out the number of gallons, multiply the capacity of the cylinder or tank by the percentage. If you have a 120-gallon cylinder and the gauge reads 70%, multiply 120 x .70, which equals 84 gallons.
If the gauge reads 30% or less on your tank or cylinder, it’s time to arrange for a delivery.
For safety purposes, your propane tank will never be completely full. Here’s why.
The propane in your tank is stored as a liquid. The liquid changes into gas before it leaves the tank. That’s why it’s called liquid petroleum gas (LPG).
Like any liquid, propane will expand when its temperature rises. The difference with propane is that it expands a lot, and quickly –its volume increases nearly 17 times the volume of water over the same temperature increase.
This is why our delivery driver needs to leave extra space in your tank to allow for propane to safely expand.
Aboveground propane tanks are typically filled to about 80% capacity, while underground tanks can be filled slightly higher because they are insulated against the heat. The extra space in the tank provides a cushion against the pressure that builds up in a tank.
As an example, a 500-gallon tank filled to 80% will safely hold 400 gallons of propane.
This is often called the 80/20 rule. This is especially important in hot weather—when liquid propane will expand the most. If you notice that the tank gauge reading fluctuates during quick temperature swings (hot days, cool nights), don’t worry, that’s perfectly normal. Also keep in mind that the amount of gas in the tank doesn’t change during periods of expansion and contraction–only its density does.
Propane gas expansion is also a reason why you should never paint your outdoor propane tank a dark color, since dark colors absorb more heat.
Choose Wilson Oil and Propane as your trusted resource for prompt, safe and reliable propane delivery service, whether you live in Southeastern PA or anywhere else in our Delaware Valley service area.
As a full-service propane company, we can help you with all your needs, including propane equipment maintenance, repairs and installations. We also offer service agreements to keep your propane gas furnace or propane gas boiler functioning safely and at its peak efficiency. A service plan can offset repair expenses, and it guarantees you will get priority heating emergency service.
Reach out to Wilson Oil and Propane today to learn more about our propane services in the Delaware Valley.
