When I chose this fire pit, I assumed that the propane tank that powered it would be hidden behind it. Because the firepit is so sleek and low to the ground, I honestly wondered how it would happen, but I just believed there was a magical solution I was missing.
The fire pit has arrived, and it is really stunning. I adore the color, the shape, the scale… everything about it! However, when I attempted to connect the propane tank so we could have our first fire, I quickly noticed that a standard gas tank would not fit under the firepit. I was taken aback because I had never heard of this before!
Plan B
The firepit came with a hose that had to be connected to a propane tank that had to be located outside of the firepit. I was devastated by the news, but I was still hopeful that I could hide it in the firepit. But believe me when I say that I did a lot of research and came up empty-handed.
I had no idea how I was going to conceal the hose and gas tank on my patio! I’ve seen others cleverly conceal a propane tank by digging up the mud or gravel the firepit was sitting on, such as in this backyard renovation, but I’ve never seen a solution for a brick paved patio like ours.
But I was too attached to the firepit to abandon it.
That’s how today’s tutorial came to be.
How To Hide a Propane Tank
When I spotted this propane cover (which also doubles as a table), I knew it was the solution to my propane woes.
The process of concealing the hose and tank took probably less than 15 minutes once it arrived. I simply ripped a hole in the patio carpeting near the firepit.
Then I fished the hose through that hole and under the outdoor carpeting to where I wanted the propane tank to go.
After that, I cut a new hole under the propane tank and repositioned the line above the rug.
I continued to fish the hose up through the stand because the table came with this little support for the gas tank.
Then it was just a matter of turning on the propane and placing the propane cover atop the propane tank.
Hidden In Plain Sight
I’m thrilled to announce that concealing your fire pit’s gas tank on a brick patio is a piece of cake!
Because of the carpeting, you can’t see the hose, but you can feel it when you step on it. I don’t expect a lot of traffic through this sitting area, but I’ll make sure to inform my guests just in case.
I’m not sure how I’ll be able to conceal my gas tank outside.
You can utilize the area as a flower bed whether you bury the tank or keep it above ground. Stick to flowers or other plants with little roots while planting. Also, make sure there’s enough room around the tank for filling and maintenance.
Keep in mind that if your tank is underground and the body needs to be serviced, the ground will be dug up, as well as the flower bed.
Is it possible to conceal propane tanks?
Connect the fire pit to the propane tank using a long line. The propane tank can then be hidden using propane tank table coverings or jackets. The propane tank covers secure the propane tank, and the surface can be used as a conventional table.
How can you make a propane tank look nice?
It’s recommended to choose non-permanent decorations, especially if you’re renting the tank. Use wire or magnets to hold the decorations on the tank during the holidays. It may be made festive with a Christmas wreath affixed to the end or garland looped around the tank and hung up with magnetic hooks. Magnetic hooks can also be used to hang Fourth of July bunting, metal flower cutouts in the spring and summer, and metal-leaf cutouts in the fall.
Is it possible to mulch around a propane tank?
Although one goal of planting plants around a gas tank is to hide an otherwise unsightly element, safety should also be considered. Shrubs with dry leaves, such as ornamental grasses, placed too close to a propane tank may increase the site’s fire threat. A fire break of about 5 or 6 feet between the tank and all vegetation can be created before flames reach the tank by using an organic or inorganic mulch.
What is the recommended depth for burying a propane line?
For the protection of the line and connections on both ends, the yard line is subject to depth regulations. Depending on motor traffic, depths range from 12 to 18 inches underground. The reason for this requirement is simple: the earth, dirt, sand, or whatever is covering the line must provide appropriate protection against damage to the subterranean gas line. The weight of a car can quickly crimp or destroy a copper line running beneath a dirt drive that is only a few inches underground. Similarly, stumbling over a line running over the ground’s surface might cause significant injury. Inadvertent movement of the gas service line can result in leaks forming at the line’s connections on both ends. The gas line must be buried at a safe and needed depth for these reasons. Illegal installations include propane gas pipes that run along the top of the ground (as seen above).
Is it possible to have propane pipes above ground?
(1)All pipe, tubing, fittings, and other piping components between the tank and the first shutoff valve must be designed with a factor of safety of at least 8 based on the minimum specified tensile strength at room temperature for the full range of pressures, temperatures, and loadings to which they may be subjected.
All other pipe, tubing, fittings, and other pipeline components must be adequate for the full range of pressures, temperatures, and loads to which they may be exposed, with a factor of safety of at least four.
For plumbing systems with a working pressure more than 100 psi, underground piping must never be less than Schedule 80.
Any material utilized, including gaskets and packing, must be compatible with natural gas and the conditions in which it is used.
(2)All piping and tubing must be run as close to the source as possible, with suitable allowances for expansion, contraction, jarring, vibration, and settling.
Exterior pipe must be well supported and protected against mechanical damage, whether buried or put aboveground.
Unless otherwise protected, underground plumbing must be buried at least 18 inches below the ground’s surface.
All underground piping must be coated to prevent corrosion in accordance with Section 533(b) or an equivalent standard.
For piping below ground, zinc coatings (galvanizing) are not considered enough protection.
(3)All welded piping must be manufactured and tested in conformity with the ANSI Code for Pressure Piping, Petroleum Refinery Piping, B31.3, 1966 Edition or a similar code.
(4)All valves must be capable of withstanding the whole range of pressure and temperature that they may be exposed to.
The service ratings must be stamped or otherwise permanently marked on the valve body by the manufacturer.
Strainers, snubbers, and expansion joints, among other piping components, must be permanently marked by the manufacturer to show the service ratings.
All materials, such as valve seats, packing, gaskets, and diaphragms, must be resistant to natural gas action in the circumstances they are exposed to.
(A)Valves, cocks, fittings, and other piping components made of cast iron or semisteel that do not comply with ASTM Specifications A-536-67, Grade 60-40-18; A-395-68; A-47-68, Grade 35018; and A-445-66 unless they have pressure-temperature ratings of at least 1 1/2 times the design service conditions.
Valves made of cast iron or semisteel that do not meet the three ASTM criteria specified above should not be utilized as primary stop valves.
(C)Valves with a design that allows the valve stem to be removed without disassembling the valve body or removing the entire valve bonnet.
(D)Plastic pipe, tubing, hose, and fittings, unless the Division has given written approval.
(E)Valves having valve stem packing glands that cannot be repacked under pressure unless they are separated from the vessel by another stop valve of an appropriate kind.
Service valves are exempt from this rule.
(F)Aluminum tubing for outside applications, as well as threaded aluminum connections and adapters that must be attached or removed as part of the filling or transferring operation for those connections and adapters with unique threads suitable for this service.
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is a type of natural gas that has been compressed.
Hose shall not be utilized in place of manifolds, pipelines, or tubing between dispensing tanks and cylinders and the loading and/or unloading hose connections, except that a segment of metallic hose not exceeding 24 inches in length may be used in each pipeline to offer flexibility where needed.
Each section must be fitted in such a way that it is shielded from mechanical harm and is easily visible for inspection.
Each section must include the manufacturer’s identification.
(1)On liquid lines between the tank and the first shutdown valve, flanged or threaded joints that have not been seal welded are forbidden.
(3)Except as provided in 536(c), piping with a diameter of 2 inches or less may be threaded, welded, or flanged (1).
(5)The plugs must be solid or bull plugs made of at least Schedule 80 seamless pipe.
(6)Threaded pipe and tubing with compression type couplings may be utilized for service temperatures of minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit or above, except as prohibited in 536(c) (2).
(7)Pipe supports for piping with a service temperature below minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit must be built to prevent support steel embrittlement by minimizing heat transfer.
(8)In low-temperature usage, bellows type expansion joints must have exterior insulation to prevent ice from accumulating on the bellows.
1.Amendment to subsections a)(1) and a)(5)(F) filed 3-29-74; effective the thirty-first day after that (Register 74, No. 13).
Is it possible to bury a propane gas line?
The quickest and safest way to install underground gas is with the HOME-FLEX Underground Yellow Poly Gas Pipe. It’s simple to use and cuts using common hand tools.
What can you plant in the vicinity of a propane tank?
Shrubs can be used as a privacy screen or landscaping element to keep the tank hidden from neighbors, passersby, or the house’s windows. Choose evergreen shrubs for year-round service and plant them strategically to block off unwanted sights. Year-round plants like juniper, holly, photinia, and nandina add color and interest to the landscape. Choose plants that will grow to be tall enough to hide the tank, which is normally around 6 feet.
Planting decorative trees is a good idea. When you put young seedlings in a row or box around the tank, you’ll get a nice view from all sides once the trees are fully developed. Fruit trees such as apple, cherry, and pear, for example, are often both ornamental and productive in the residential landscape. Plant trees at least 10 feet away from the propane tank so that their roots do not encroach on the tank.
Is it possible to cover a propane fire pit with a rug?
Yes. Because the heat does not radiate into the ground, propane gas fire pits are generally safe to use on combustible surfaces like outdoor rugs. However, not all propane fire pits are created equal, and setting a propane fire pit on an outdoor rug should be done with utmost caution.
The heat from the fire pit can damage the fibers in your carpet, causing it to lose its beauty and durability over time.