Gas is an essential resource with a wide variety of use cases, both in residential properties and commercial establishments.
For one, it serves as fuel for cooking and powering gas stoves and appliances. It can also help warm houses and the water supply, making it an effective heat provider during the cooler months.
As useful as gas is to the average Australian household, it isn’t without its risks. Gas in its liquefied form can be a very potent and reactive substance.
When exposed under the wrong conditions, it can cause fires and explosions due to its high flammability. It can also emit toxic substances like carbon monoxide, which can be a silent killer, or at the very least, cause serious respiratory health issues.
As such, it’s critical that you properly store your gas to ensure the safety of your family and the preservation of your property.
If you’re looking for tips on how to keep your household safe, this article will dive into seven safety practices you should follow to ensure that you’re properly storing your gas in your home.
Let’s jump right into it.
- Keep Out Of Reach From Children and Pets
It’s important to store any flammable gases in a location that pets and children can’t reach. Children and pets are the most prone to unknowingly tampering with random things without understanding the potential of the dangers behind them.
While educating your child about the dangers of gas can help, it’s best to remove the risk altogether by storing it somewhere they can’t access. And of course, pets aren’t always the most reliable at following instructions.
You can consider putting your gas container in a locked shed or a high shelf with ventilation that they can’t reach. You should also put the gas container in a place that’s dry and cool to ensure that it doesn’t ignite.
By taking this precautionary measure, you can protect your child and pet from gas-related injuries and not just keep them safe, but also keep the entire household safe.
- Proper Labeling
It’s important to mark gas containers with hazard stickers and label signs to ensure that anyone who comes into contact with the container knows exactly what’s inside it.
The label should include the type of gas within the container, the hazard level, and handling instructions. It should also include a bright, yellow hazard sign to show people that it’s not something to tamper with if they’re not specialised in the role.
Furthermore, proper gas labelling ensures that personnel are immediately aware of the safety risks surrounding the container. This can keep your house safe and prevent anyone from unsuspectingly mishandling the item.
If you live in a shared area or near a workplace, proper labelling is also essential for complying with local regulations and health standards.
By labelling the gas storage container, you’ll be making it easier for you and other personnel to safely navigate your home or apartment without unknowingly messing around with the hazardous petroleum fuel.
In turn, this increases home safety and helps provide you peace of mind knowing that you and your family are safe.
- Proper Storage Container
It’s crucial to use proper storage containers when storing hazardous materials like gas.
In households, the most common gas is propane. This gaseous form is typically stored in specially designed propane tanks or cylinders, as seen here. These containers don’t only hold propane, but they can also hold a wide array of non-toxic gas, poisonous gas, oxidising gas and flammable gas.
These gas containers are made of thick and durable steel, such as aluminium, that can withstand the pressure used to safely store gas. They also come equipped with safety valves and regulators to control the flow of propane and prevent leaks, ensuring safe storage and usage within the home.
Airtight seals are also a core component of these gas containers, preventing gas from escaping and causing explosions.
Given the consequences of improperly stored gas, homeowners must use high-quality storage containers to ensure that dangerous situations don’t happen.
Be sure to review the gas container you’re planning on purchasing and ensure that it’s specifically approved for gas storage at homes.
- Store Gas Containers Upright
Gas containers at home must be stored upright. This helps maintain stable pressure within the container, while also ensuring that the safety valve operates as expected.
When a gas container lies on its side, it can cause the liquid to seep through the valve. This can cause leakages or malfunction in the storage mechanism, increasing the risk of danger within the household.
As such, it’s essential to store the gas container in an upright manner. Ensure that the container is also securely fastened to keep it in place and prevent even the slightest force from tipping it over.
Gas containers must be stored upright, even if the gas container is partially or not even full. In doing so, you can ensure that the container works optimally and that your house will be at reduced risk of facing any gas-related problems for the foreseeable future.
- Limit Quantity Stored
When storing gas at home, try to avoid accumulating more than you need. Having too many gas containers, even if they’re properly kept, can increase the risk of accidents like leaks and explosions.
Instead, consider just storing the minimum amount that balances both convenience of use and safety. Having even just one or two gas containers on your property usually suffices for most household functions like cooking and heating your property.
By keeping your gas storage to a minimum, you enhance safety and reduce the likelihood of dangerous situations in your home.
And even if constantly going back and forth to your gas supplier can be a chore, this is much better than the alternative of owning a house that’s just one mistake away from a major leak or explosion.
- Store in a Well-Ventilated Area
As much as possible, refrain from putting gas indoors. Indoor environments can accumulate moisture, humidity, and dust, which can lead to corrosion or damage to the container, thus reducing its effectiveness.
In addition to that, storing gas in an enclosed space can increase the risk of a carbon monoxide buildup if a leak does occur, which can be a fatal situation for the people inside the house if left unchecked.
Instead, promote proper ventilation of the gas container by storing it outdoors in a well-ventilated area.
When outdoors, be sure that it’s protected from the elements with adequate roofing. This allows any leaks to dissipate safely into the air without causing harm to the people inside an enclosed space.
Be sure to also put the gas container somewhere that’s not under extreme temperatures, especially heat. A temperature of 26 degrees Celcius is the best temperature for gas storage to prevent any dangers and hazards from happening.
That said, be sure to also periodically watch over the gas container to ensure that it’s well-pressurised and stable. This way, you’ll be at a much lower risk of encountering any unexpected accidents down the line.
- Use Gas Detectors
Even if you’ve been following gas container safety protocols to a T, it’s still possible for things to go wrong during storage. To ensure that your family is in safe hands, consider installing gas detectors that can alarm you if there are leaks currently present in your household.
Gas detectors monitor and alarm you of gas leaks, particularly the presence of carbon monoxide in the air. This type of gas is a dangerous odourless and colourless gas that’s nearly impossible to detect without a special device.
With a gas detector, you can be warned before the gas leak escalates and causes serious damage to you and your loved one’s health. It gives you ample time to respond appropriately, like getting out of the house and calling emergency services.
