How To Maintain Propane Appliances

November 25, 2013

With so many Rhode Island and Massachusetts homeowners switching to propane from natural gas, it makes sense that inquiries online for tips on how to properly maintain propane-powered appliances would be on the rise. While most people are familiar with the tasks required to keep electric or gas-powered appliances in top working order, they have a lot of questions when it comes to working with propane.

Basic Maintenance Information

Contents

1 Basic Maintenance Information

As with all other types of appliances, the maintenance of propane-powered appliances is very important. Proper maintenance ensures that your appliances will run safely and provide the maximum usage abilities, while also working efficiently to keep energy consumption within normal ranges. If you do not have experience working with propane-powered appliances or have questions about how to properly maintain propane appliances that are new to your home, seek professional advice.

Columbus Energies not only supplies propane home delivery to customers throughout Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, but they also sell, install and maintain propane powered appliances. Switching to propane from natural gas can be a very simple procedure if you hire experienced professionals to get the job done right. Columbus Energies has a team of licensed and highly trained technicians available to install and service your new appliances and to properly maintain your propane set-up and delivery.

Massachusetts homeowners should get an annual inspection of their propane appliances, connections, and tank to properly maintain propane efficiency and safety. Make sure to hire a qualified technician and service provider to perform this inspection. Speak with your propane home delivery service about signing up for a residential maintenance program that includes annual inspections, regular check-ups, and worry-free automatic propane delivery services.

What You Can Do At Home

While maintenance and repairs should always be done by a licensed professional, there are things that you can do at home to ensure that your propane-powered appliances are working effectively and efficiently. Here are three things that you can check and inspect on your own to help protect your investment and your home:

#1 – Can Your Appliances “Breathe?”
Check the vents of your appliances to make sure that the flue gases are able to flow outdoors easily without building up inside. Vent pipes can get clogged by small animals, birds and even insects. Clear any obstructions, including weather-related obstructions, such as leaves, debris, snow and ice. Make sure that the area around your propane powered appliances indoors are also clear for proper air flow and combustion.

#2 – Check for Dangerous Items
Look around the area directly next to and surrounding your propane powered appliances. Massachusetts homeowners should make sure that there aren’t any combustible or flammable materials stored around or near appliances. When you set up propane home delivery and get your new appliances installed after switching to propane from natural gas, chances are your technician will give you guidelines as to safe storage of chemicals in the general area. Call and ask for advice if you aren’t sure about a specific item.

#3 – Pay Attention to the Flames
If your propane powered appliances are operating properly, you should see a blue flame burning. However, if you ever notice a significant amount of soot building up on your equipment or if you notice flames that are yellow, the propane gas might not be burning properly. An incomplete burn can result in the creation of carbon monoxide, which is a odorless, colorless and poisonous gas. If you notice yellow flames or soot build-up, contact your service technician or propane home delivery service right away.

Basic Connection Information

When your propane-powered appliances were installed, the technician installed them using what is known as an appliance connector. These connectors should be inspected, installed and regularly maintained by a licensed, experienced and qualified service technician. Even a slight movement or adjustment of the appliance can potentially cause an issue with the appliance connectors so it is important to contact your service provider whenever you move or replace appliances to ensure that the connectors are in proper working order.

What you need to know:

connectors can wear out from corrosion, bending or moving
they should be checked by a qualified technician whenever they are moved or replaced
only approved connectors should be used and should be installed by a licensed technician
older appliance connectors should be inspected regularly
appliance connectors that crack or break can result in a gas leak
gas leaks of any kind can result in fires, explosions and dangerous gas fumes inside your home

The bottom line is that you should have all of your propane-powered appliance connectors checked and inspected regularly, replacing them when necessary to avoid dangerous results. Never move an appliance yourself to check the connector. The movement alone might be enough to damage the appliance connector and create a leak inside your home.

Tips for Getting New Propane-Powered Appliances

If you are going to get a new propane-powered appliance you should make sure that your existing appliance connectors are treated with care. Also, make sure that your new appliances are designed to work with propane. You CANNOT use natural gas appliances with propane unless adjustments have been made by a licensed, qualified service technician. They are not interchangeable or compatible without making serious adjustments.

Columbus Energies sells, installs, inspects and maintains propane powered appliances for Rhode Island and Massachusetts homeowners. If you are switching to propane from natural gas or if you are simply upgrading your propane powered appliances, call Columbus Energies to find out more about the products and services available. They also offer propane home delivery to a wide range of customers throughout the South Coast region.

Before using a new propane-powered appliance, make sure to have it inspected and checked out to ensure it was properly installed. All of the controls, valves, connectors and other elements should be checked to ensure they are working correctly. You should always contact a licensed, qualified and trained service provider to install propane-powered appliances for you to make sure it is done right.

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