Propane System Safety: What Every RV Owner Should Know

Propane runs your furnace, stove, water heater and often your fridge. Handled properly it's safe, but the system lives with constant road vibration, and that's what loosens fittings and wears hoses over time.

Know the Smell, Know the Steps

Propane is treated with an odourant that smells like rotten eggs. If you smell it or your detector alarms:

1. Put out any flames and don't touch light switches or start the engine.
2. Turn off the propane at the tank valve.
3. Get everyone out and open the door on the way.
4. Call for service from a safe distance. Don't turn the gas back on until the leak has been found and fixed.

Your Detectors

• Propane detectors are mounted low, because propane is heavier than air. Test them before every trip.
• Detectors have a service life, usually about five to seven years, printed on the unit. Replace them when they expire, even if they still beep.
• A carbon monoxide detector is a separate device. You need both.

Habits That Prevent Problems

• Turn tank valves off while driving unless your fridge and system are designed to run in transit.
• Turn propane off at the tank before entering a fuel station.
• Look over hoses and pigtails for cracking, and keep regulator vents clear of mud, ice and wasp nests.
• Never use the stove or oven to heat the coach.
• Check tank inspection dates. Cylinders need requalification before they can be refilled.

Annual Leak Test

A soap-and-water check finds big leaks, but a proper pressure (manometer) test finds slow ones and confirms the regulator is delivering correct pressure. We recommend one every year, and after any repair to propane appliances.