SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — With cooler temperatures on the way, people will be trying to find ways to heat their homes. Propane is one of them and while experts say it’s safe, it must be done the right way.
Otherwise, it may have explosive results like it might have done at a house in the Ozarks.
“It could have been much worse,” said chief James Kilburn, fire chief at Bois D’arc Fire Prevention District.
Two occupants of the home had minor injuries and got out in time. It’s not clear what exactly caused that fire early Thursday, but Chief Kilburn says as we approach cooler weather fire crews will start seeing a lot more house fires.
“A lot of times, people will, with the initial weather change, they will try to use a supplemental heat source,” he said.
Experts recommend that whatever heat source you will be using this winter have it checked out by professionals, especially your propane-powered appliances. MS Propane owner Drew Sanford, says the smell is the number one indicator that something might be wrong.
“You smell the smell a lot faster than the propane actually becomes dangerous,” Sanford said.
He says if you suspect a leak, the first thing you need to do it get out of the house
“You need to not turn on lights, not turn them off, don’t do anything. Literally, go to your tank, turn the tank off, make sure everything is shut off. Once it’s shut off, then you need to call your propane provider.”
He says in case of an explosion, propane burns very fast.
“It’s not going to be something that sticks around in burns and burns and burns. As soon as it lights, it’s flammable and it’s done. It burns out right after that,” he said.
But avoiding leaks and other issues is the number one priority. Sanford says it’s best to have a gas check done by professionals.
“We check to make sure that everything, the regulators are vented, make sure all your appliances are hooked up correctly, and make sure you are as safe as your family can absolutely be,” he said.
And Chief Kilburn says it’s not just propane tanks homeowners have to pay attention to.
“Bottom line, we just need to be sure as we come into this cool weather, we just need to get out furnaces checked out, make sure your fireplaces have been checked,” he said.
Sanford says according to Missouri law, any changes to your propane system or appliances, you’re required to contact your provider.