Before the Cold Hits: Propane Safety Essentials for a Trouble-Free Heating Season

🔥 Propane Safety Tips to Keep Your Home and Farm Running Smoothly This Winter 

Winter on the High Plains means long nights, cold mornings, and a heavy reliance on propane to keep homes, barns, and livestock facilities warm. Propane is one of the safest and most efficient fuels you can use — but only when it’s handled with care. 

As we move into the heating season, take a few minutes to review these propane safety tips from High Plains Cooperative. A little preparation now can save you from big problems later. 

🏠 1. Start the Season with a Safety Check 

Before the first cold snap, schedule a system inspection with your propane technician. Regular maintenance ensures everything runs efficiently — and safely. 

✅ Homeowners: Check furnaces, water heaters, and stoves for proper flame color and ventilation. 
🚜 Farmers and Ranchers: Inspect building heaters, brooders, and shop units. Pay special attention to regulators and hoses that may have weathered over time. 

Tip: Fall inspections are easier to schedule than emergency calls during the January deep freeze. 

👃 2. Know the Smell of Propane 

Propane is odorless by nature, but suppliers add a strong “rotten egg” smell so leaks are easy to recognize. 

If you smell gas: 

1. Leave the area immediately. 
2. Do not use phones, light switches, or engines. 
3. Shut off the main supply valve if it’s safe. 
4. Call your propane supplier or 911 from a safe distance. 

Never return until the system has been inspected and cleared by a professional. 

❄️ 3. Get Ready for Snow and Deliveries 

Cold weather can make deliveries tricky, so plan ahead: 

• Mark your tank with a tall flag or stake visible above snow drifts. 
• Clear driveways and tank paths for delivery trucks. 
• Order early and try to keep your tank at 20% or higher. 
• Keep snow and ice off regulators and vents to maintain safe system pressure. 

Pro Tip: A full tank before a storm means one less thing to worry about when temperatures drop. 

🧯 4. Handle and Store Propane the Right Way 

• Always store cylinders upright, outdoors, and on a stable surface. 
• Never store tanks in a house, garage, or enclosed building. 
• When hauling cylinders, secure them upright and don’t leave them in hot vehicles. 
• Keep combustible materials away from tanks and regulators. 

🧑‍🌾 5. Propane Safety on the Farm 

For many of our members, propane keeps everything from livestock heaters to irrigation engines running strong. 

• Inspect heaters and brooders for dust buildup or corrosion. 
• Make sure fans and vents are clean to maintain proper airflow. 
• Have a backup heat plan for power outages. 
• Train employees on how to recognize a leak and shut off gas safely. 

💡 6. Be Prepared and Stay Alert 

• Test carbon monoxide detectors regularly. 
• Keep emergency contacts posted near phones and barns. 
• Make sure everyone on the farm knows how to shut off the main propane valve in an emergency. 

🌾 Safe. Reliable. Local. 

At High Plains Cooperative, we’re proud to provide safe, dependable propane service to our rural communities. Whether you’re heating your home, your shop, or your hog barn, our team is here to help you prepare for a warm, safe, and worry-free winter. 

👉 Need a fill or safety inspection? 
Contact your local High Plains Propane team today and schedule early — before the snow flies. 

Together, we’ll keep the High Plains running strong all winter long.