A propane tank installation costs around $2,750 on average. For an above-ground installation, the average propane tank installation costs between $275 and $1,725 on average. The cost of installing an underground propane tank ranges from $1,125 to $5,150.
Overall Cost
The actual tank will cost the same whether you choose an above-ground or underground installation. An subterranean tank, on the other hand, will be more expensive up front due to the additional costs of:
- Excavation: This requires contractors to check that your foundation is solid, that the tank is at least one foot below ground, that it is securely installed, and that it is backfilled properly for safety.
- Additional labor: The building of an underground tank necessitates the use of more people and equipment, increasing labor expenses.
- Sacrificial anodes are an additional expenditure to the homeowner that are placed around the propane tank to assure long-term corrosion protection.
The additional costs of installing an underground propane tank might easily treble the cost of installing an above-ground propane tank.
In addition, underground tanks can be more expensive to maintain. Anti-corrosion coating is required for subterranean propane tanks to defend against underground factors that could damage the outer material. The coating must be inspected and tested on a regular basis to guarantee that it is functioning properly. It will also need to be replaced if the anti-corrosion coating has been weakened. The homeowner will incur increased costs as a result of these maintenance actions.
Installation Process
Before beginning excavation, just as with an above-ground tank, make sure you have all of the necessary permissions, arrangements, and safety checks in place. The procedure of installing an underground propane tank will take between 2-3 hours once excavation has begun.
You may need to contact your septic provider to dig the hole for the underground propane tank if your home has one. It’s possible that the propane delivery equipment will run over the septic tank if there isn’t enough cooperation, resulting in significant damage.
To show what the installation process for an underground tank looks like, watch this video:
Safety of the Tank
Underground tanks are often safer than above-ground tanks. One reason is because these tanks are more able to maintain their temperature in adverse conditions, particularly in the freezing cold.
In the event of a leak, underground tanks are also safer. Propane is a green fuel, therefore if a leak occurs, it will not harm the surrounding water or soil. Unlike an above-ground tank, there is no risk of the fuel escaping into the atmosphere and igniting a fire.
As a result, depending on the weather, an underground tank is a better option. The exception to this rule is in flood-prone locations, when above-ground tanks are recommended.
How long do propane tanks buried in the ground last?
The propane tank is the heart of your propane-powered home, providing gas to your appliances and keeping your family warm and comfortable throughout the year.
But how well-versed are you in propane tanks? Here are some fundamentals to get you started.
The size and use of a propane tank, as well as how well it has been maintained for, determine how long it will last. A high-quality, well-maintained galvanized propane tank should last at least 30 years, with some aluminum and composite cylinders lasting even longer. Propane tanks built underground have a 20 to 30 year average life expectancy, depending on the soil type and how well the tank was installed.
Propane tanks are available in a variety of sizes; the right size for your Middle Tennessee or Southern Kentucky house is determined by the propane appliances you plan to use.
The following are some of the most common propane tank sizes, as well as some of the equipment that they typically power:
120 gallon For use with water heaters, space heaters, and pool heaters (holds 100 gallons of propane)
250 gallon For use with generators, pool heaters, and a variety of other equipment (holds 200 gallons of propane)
500 gallon For use with central heating and pool heaters (holds 400 gallons of propane)
1000 gallon Ideal for large households and businesses (holds 850 gallons of propane)
Federal, state, and municipal legislation and regulations govern the location of propane tanks, which must be followed at all times. Here are a few of the most significant:
- A portion of an underground tank of this size must be at least 10 feet from a building or property line.
Do you have any further concerns concerning propane tanks? To learn more, contact an expert at Advance Propane today!
What is the cost of digging a hole for a propane tank?
When you’re digging down to install your new propane tank, here’s how much labor will cost: Excavation costs between $500 to $2,400. Plumbing costs between $45 and $200 per hour. Trenching costs between $400 and $1200.
How deep should a 500 gallon propane tank be buried?
a propane tank with a capacity of 500 gallons As a result, a dug hole of 12 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 6 feet deep is required.
Is it true that underground propane tanks have a longer lifespan?
If you’re adding gas to your home or expanding the amount of propane appliances you use, you’ll almost certainly require a new propane tank.
When you do, the experts at Poore’s Propane can take care of it with safe, expert propane tank installation that meets the highest standards. We install aboveground and underground tanks, as well as providing backhoe service for underground installations.
Propane Tank Life Expectancy
With careful care, aboveground propane tanks can survive 30 years or longer. The life expectancy of underground propane tanks is between 20 and 30 years. Their lifespan is determined by the soil in which they are planted and the quality of the first installation.
Propane Tank Sizes
Poore’s propane tank experts will assist you in determining the size of propane tank you require. Two important aspects to consider are how you use propane and how many propane appliances you have in your home. A larger tank is required for homes that utilize propane for whole-house heating rather than just a range or water heater.
Propane Tank Regulations
Poore’s commitment to safe, proper propane tank installation includes knowing and adhering to all local, state, and federal propane tank placement standards. The following are some of the most essential rules:
Propane tanks with a capacity of less than 125 gallons of water must be placed at least 10 feet away from a window air conditioner and five feet away from a crawl space opening.
Propane tanks with a water capacity of 125 to 500 gallons must be situated at least 10 feet from a building and at least 10 feet from a line of adjoining land.
Propane tanks with a capacity of up to 2,000 gallons of water must be positioned at least 25 feet from the building, with no component of an underground tank being less than 10 feet from a building or abutting property line.
Why Is It Better To Lease A Propane Tank?
If you buy a propane tank, you’ll have to pay hundreds of dollars in upfront expenditures, including the tank’s price and installation. And the costs don’t stop there. You’re also in charge of all maintenance and repairs. That’s a lot to take on only to be able to go from business to company and save a few cents per gallon!
You won’t have to worry about any of that if you lease a propane tank from Poore’s Propane. We’ll take care of all maintenance and repairs, and we’ll keep our prices low so you can trust on us for years to come!
Is it possible for underground propane tanks to leak?
While an underground tank is unlikely to leak, underground lines may. It’s not difficult to locate a propane leak underground.
- Make use of your senses: Because propane and natural gas have no odor, chemicals like mercaptan are added to help you detect leaks.
- Look for flies: Because flies misunderstand the odor of rotting food, they frequently swarm about the leak’s source.
- Look for bubbles in wet ground: You may notice water bubbling near gas leaks if the ground is damp.
What is the maximum distance a propane tank can be placed from a house?
Are you unsure how far a propane tank should be installed from your home? A minimum of 10 feet from anything and everything is a good rule of thumb for most homeowners installing a single tank. We’ve created a simple diagram that covers the majority of the requirements for a safe LP tank installation.
For a house, how long does a 500 gallon gas tank last?
The 500-gallon propane tank is the most frequent of all the residential propane tank sizes. When the cold weather arrives, you should at least know how long a 500-gallon gas tank will keep a house warm.
A 500-gallon propane tank can last anywhere from one month to fourteen months and four days. Check the chart and graph for different sizes of homes further down for accurate times.
During the winter, the average US household uses roughly 750 gallons of propane. That means the average US household will require two 500-gallon propane tank fills per winter (500-gallon tank holds a maximum of 400 gallons of propane; the 80 percent safety rule).
We’ll take a deeper look at a 500-gallon tank’s lifespan. This will allow us to more precisely determine how long 500 gallons of propane will last in homes varying in size from 500 to 4,000 square feet.
To determine how long a 500-gallon propane tank will last in your home, we must consider the following factors:
- Your home’s size. Larger dwellings demand more heating, and a 500-gallon propane tank will run out sooner than a smaller tank.
- criteria for heating (location). Houses in the north of the United States demand more BTU heating than houses in the south. For instance, in Texas, a 500-gallon propane tank will last longer than in Chicago.
- What is the severity of the winter? We will burn more propane in hard winters than in mild winters. According to the data for average US home winter use from 2010 to 2016, the 2013-2014 winter was the hardest, with an average usage of 830 gallons of propane compared to 750 gallons on a typical winter.
- Your propane-powered heating units’ energy efficiency. For example, high-efficiency propane furnaces with an AFUE rating of greater than 90 will use less propane to produce the same amount of heat than furnaces with an AFUE rating of less than 70. A 500-gallon propane tank will last longer as a result.
What is the best way to bury a propane tank?
I’d like to replace an electric tank-style water heater with a tankless gas-fired unit. I cook with propane, but I believe adding a water heater to my gas system will necessitate a larger propane tank. Every day, I don’t want to gaze at a large white cylinder in the backyard. Is it possible to bury a propane tank safely?
A:
Yes, you may securely bury a propane tank, says James Saladin of Ferrell Gas in Overland Park, Kan. Underground propane tanks have been around for a long time and have a proven track record of safety. While some aspects of the project can be completed by a do-it-yourselfer (excavation, fill purchase, backfill, and landscaping), others should be handled by a professional (tank installation, cathodic protection, gas piping, safety check, and placing the system into service).
Underground tanks built at homes typically range in size from 120 to 1000 gallons, with 500 gallons being the most popular. Buildings must be kept a certain distance away from the tank, according to national regulations. Tanks must be placed at least 10 feet away from any structure, property line, or potential ignition source (such as an air-conditioning unit). They should also be within 100 feet of a driveway or access road so that the delivery truck’s hose can reach them.
To bury a 500-gallon tank, dig a hole that is 5 feet deep, 5 feet wide, and 12 feet long. To prevent damage to the tank coating from rocks and debris, the tank should be bedded in sand for drainage and backfilled with sand or clean fill. To provide service access to valves and regulators, the top few inches of the dome should be exposed. To keep water out of the dome, slope the ground away from it. Landscaping can be done around the tank to obscure it even more; just make sure delivery people have a free path.
Cathodic protection is required for all underground tanks, in addition to specific coatings that help prevent corrosion. The tank is usually fitted with sacrificial anodes (magnesium or zinc ingots wrapped in specific material bags). The metal in the anodes degrades, avoiding corrosion of the steel tank. Periodic testing will reveal whether the anodes are adequately safeguarding the tank. They should endure for 50 years and can be changed if necessary.
How long would a hundred gallons of propane keep you warm?
We use a variety of home propane tank sizes for heating. The smallest of these tanks is a 100-gallon propane tank. We’ll investigate how long a 100-gallon propane tank can be used to heat a home.
At first glance, the math appears to be straightforward. The 100-gallon propane tank, for example, will last 50 40 days if we use 2 gallons of propane every day for heating. Because of the 80 percent tank rule, a 100 gallon propane tank does not contain 100 gallons of propane when fully charged; instead, it contains 80 gallons of propane when fully charged (safety measure).
In practice, though, we must consider our heating requirements. These are mostly determined by the size of our residence (square footage). As we’ll see later, 100-gallon propane will last anywhere from 11 to 85 days depending on home size and propane consumption in the United States (almost 3 months).
To figure out how long a 100-gallon propane tank will endure, we’ll need to know the following information:
- A 100-gallon propane tank holds 80 gallons of propane when fully charged. This is a safety precaution; if a 100 gallon contained 100 gallons of propane, the pressure on the internal wall of the propane tank may become dangerously high at higher temperatures.
We can figure out how long a 100-gallon propane tank will survive in two ways:
We’ll demonstrate how to perform both calculations. You should use the first calculation if you know your heating demand (which can range from 10,000 to 200,000 BTU/h).
The second estimate, which is based on average propane consumption and house size, is a simpler way to figure out how long a 100-gallon tank will last.
Note: You may find out how long all propane tanks (from 1 pound to 2,000 gallon) last by visiting this page.
Let’s start with the theoretical calculation, then go on to the far more realistic second calculation (house size based):