 How to Install, Inspect & Test LP Gas Tank or Gas Cylinder Regulators
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This article explains LP Gas Pressure Regulators - How to Inspect & Test LP Gas Valves Regulators, or Gas Controls
and we provide descriptions and photographs of unsafe LP gas piping, LP gas regulators, or LP gas valves & controls on appliances or heating equipment. We describe indications of unsafe or improperly operating gas appliances, gas meters, and other gas installation defects.
This document also provides free sample draft home inspection report language for reporting defects in gas regulators, valves, controls, or piping at residential properties.
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
Gas Regulator or Control Inspection, Testing, & Defect Guide
Gas Appliance Regulators: Readers concerned with installing, inspecting, or testing LP or Natural Gas regulators which are found on appliances such as LP or Natural Gas fired boilers, furnaces, water heaters or appliances should also see How to Inspect & Test LP or Natural Gas Regulators & Controls
on Appliances. Readers concerned with changing the fuel type between LP gas and natural gas for a gas fired appliance should see our safety warnings at Gas Conversion LP Natural Gas.
Watch out: improper installation and even improper inspection and testing methods involving natural or "LP" gas can involve
dangerous conditions and risk fire or explosion.
If you smell gas you should leave the building immediately and should do so without doing anything that could create a spark such as operating a light switch or telephone. From a safe location, call your gas company's
emergency line and/or your fire department.
The text provided here is a working draft and may be incomplete or inaccurate.
Location of the LP Gas Cylinder or Tank regulator & Position of the LP Gas Tank Regulator
NOTICE: while example report language is provided here, reproduction of this or any of our web pages or their contents at other websites
or in printed documents for sale is prohibited.
An LP gas cylinder regulator should be mounted so that any moisture or condensate inside the regulator can drain out. Any drain openings should be facing downwards.
Otherwise water or in freezing climates ice can accumulate and damage the regulator, forming an unsafe condition.
This photograph of an LP gas cylinder regulator shows the regulator's vent opening.
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In this photo the red LP gas regulator can be seen installed in a tipped position in upper center of the photo.
The installer felt that the regulator would drain in this position, and that when the plastic cover was installed on the control well (this is a buried LP gas tank) the regulator would be protected from the weather.
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How & Why to Protect an LP Gas Tank Regulator from Rain, Snow, Ice
An LP gas tank or cylinder regulator should be protected from the weather. Water, particularly in freezing climates, can enter and block the safety vent on the gas regulator or ice can form preventing the regulator from properly controlling gas pressure. An iced or water-damaged gas regulator is unsafe.
Our photo at left shows how an existing LP gas tank regulator was protected from rain and weather by a simple rubber cover affixed to the building. The protective cover was secured to the building wall and draped over the regulator. This option was elected when a new LP gas tank (shown in this photo) was installed and connected to an existing regulator difficult to relocate.
It is important that any cover protecting an LP gas regulator does not block fresh air flow around the regulator. Otherwise leaking LP gas can accumulate and form an explosion or fire hazard.
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How to Locate the Gas Cylinder On-Off Valve on an LP Gas Tank
This photo shows at right the silver-colored LP gas tank on-off valve. An arrow on the valve will indicate the direction to turn the valve to close it or open it. Normally you close the LP tank gas valve by turning it "clockwise" or as my daughter Mara says, "rightie-tightie, leftie-loosie" to help remember this important information.
The yellow cover on top of the valve is the connector for filling the LP gas tank.
The small-diameter copper tube leaving at the left side of the valve is the "high pressure" LP gas line carrying LP gas in vapor form from the top of the gas cylinder over to the LP gas regulator whose body you can just see in the upper left hand corner of this photo.)
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What goes wrong with gas regulators on LP Gas Tanks?
Gas pressure too high:
Adjustment of a gas regulator might also be necessary if the gas piping from source (meter or tank) to the appliance
is long or is too small in diameter.
If the gas regulator delivers gas at too high a pressure the gas flame may be also too big (and too hot), which can accelerate
rusting and can warp the heat exchanger at its lower joints causing a "crack" to appear.
A cracked heat exchanger on a gas appliance is unsafe.
Our correspondent, Charles commented that:
After loosing three heat exchangers in two different homes that had routine maintenance inspections,
I decided to look into it and check the gas regulator pressure myself. The same problem can occur with gas water heaters.
Gas pressure too low: if the gas regulator is not properly adjusted or if there are other problems in the gas piping or supply
system the gas pressure may be too low, providing an inadequate and possibly unsafe flame. Depending on the cause of the problem, it may
be possible to correct this at the regulator, but don't try boosting pressure at a gas regulator unless the pressure has always
been too low. Otherwise when the underlying cause for low gas pressure is corrected elsewhere, the flame will be too big and pressure too high at the burner - an unsafe condition.
Immediate LP or natural gas safety hazards: if there is evidence of an LP or natural gas leak at a building, gas odors, for example, you should:
- Do not do anything that is likely to cause a gas explosion, such as lighting a match, operating an electrical switch, or even using a telephone in the building
- Leave the building immediately
- Notify other building occupants of the safety concern
- Contact the local gas company and/or fire department
How are LP Tank Gas Regulator Valves Inspected and Tested?
SAFETY WARNING: If you lack the training and equipment, do not attempt to disassemble or mess with a gas regulator as you could create a very dangerous or even fatal problem.
See Gas Regulators for Appliances for details.
LP or Natural Gas Regulator or Control Inspection, Testing, & Defect Guide
Gas Appliance Regulators: Readers concerned with installing, inspecting, or testing LP or Natural Gas regulators which are found on appliances such as LP or Natural Gas fired boilers, furnaces, water heaters or appliances should also see How to Inspect & Test LP or Natural Gas Regulators & Controls
on Appliances. Readers concerned with changing the fuel type between LP gas and natural gas for a gas fired appliance should see our safety warnings at Gas Conversion LP Natural Gas.
General safety warning: improper installation and even improper inspection and testing methods involving natural or "LP" gas can involve
dangerous conditions and risk fire or explosion.
Watch out: If you smell gas you should leave the building immediately and should do so without doing anything that could create a spark such as operating a light switch or telephone. From a safe location, call your gas company's
emergency line and/or your fire department.
The text provided here is a working draft and may be incomplete or inaccurate.
Location of the LP Gas Cylinder or Tank regulator & Position of the LP Gas Tank Regulator
|
An LP gas cylinder regulator should be mounted so that any moisture or condensate inside the regulator can drain out. Any drain openings should be facing downwards.
Otherwise water or in freezing climates ice can accumulate and damage the regulator, forming an unsafe condition.
This photograph of an LP gas cylinder regulator shows the regulator's vent opening. |
|
In this photo the red LP gas regulator can be seen installed in a tipped position in upper center of the photo.
The installer felt that the regulator would drain in this position, and that when the plastic cover was installed on the control well (this is a buried LP gas tank) the regulator would be protected from the weather. |
How & Why to Protect an LP Gas Tank Regulator from Rain, Snow, Ice
|
An LP gas tank or cylinder regulator should be protected from the weather. Water, particularly in freezing climates, can enter and block the safety vent on the gas regulator or ice can form preventing the regulator from properly controlling gas pressure. An iced or water-damaged gas regulator is unsafe.
Our photo at left shows how an existing LP gas tank regulator was protected from rain and weather by a simple rubber cover affixed to the building.
The protective cover was secured to the building wall and draped over the regulator. This option was elected when a new LP gas tank (shown in this photo) was installed and connected to an existing regulator difficult to relocate.
It is important that any cover protecting an LP gas regulator does not block fresh air flow around the regulator. Otherwise leaking LP gas can accumulate and form an explosion or fire hazard. |
How to Locate the Gas Cylinder On-Off Valve on an LP Gas Tank
|
This photo shows at right the silver-colored LP gas tank on-off valve. An arrow on the valve will indicate the direction to turn the valve to close it or open it. Normally you close the LP tank gas valve by turning it "clockwise" or as my daughter Mara says, "rightie-tightie, leftie-loosie" to help remember this important information.
The yellow cover on top of the valve is the connector for filling the LP gas tank.
The small-diameter copper tube leaving at the left side of the valve is the "high pressure" LP gas line carrying LP gas in vapor form from the top of the gas cylinder over to the LP gas regulator whose body you can just see in the upper left hand corner of this photo.) |
What goes wrong with gas regulators on LP Gas Tanks?
Gas pressure too high:
Adjustment of a gas regulator might also be necessary if the gas piping from source (meter or tank) to the appliance
is long or is too small in diameter.
If the gas regulator delivers gas at too high a pressure the gas flame may be also too big (and too hot), which can accelerate
rusting and can warp the heat exchanger at its lower joints causing a "crack" to appear.
A cracked heat exchanger on a gas appliance is unsafe.
Our correspondent, Charles commented that:
After loosing three heat exchangers in two different homes that had routine maintenance inspections,
I decided to look into it and check the gas regulator pressure myself. The same problem can occur with gas water heaters.
Gas pressure too low: if the gas regulator is not properly adjusted or if there are other problems in the gas piping or supply
system the gas pressure may be too low, providing an inadequate and possibly unsafe flame.
Depending on the cause of the problem, it may
be possible to correct this at the regulator, but don't try boosting pressure at a gas regulator unless the pressure has always been too low. Otherwise when the underlying cause for low gas pressure is corrected elsewhere, the flame will be too big and pressure too high at the burner - an unsafe condition.
Watch Out: Immediate LP or natural gas safety hazards: if there is evidence of an LP or natural gas leak at a building, gas odors, for example, you should:
- Do not do anything that is likely to cause a gas explosion, such as lighting a match, operating an electrical switch, or even using a telephone in the building
- Leave the building immediately
- Notify other building occupants of the safety concern
- Contact the local gas company and/or fire department
How are LP Tank Gas Regulator Valves Inspected and Tested?
SAFETY WARNING: If you lack the training and equipment, do not attempt to disassemble or mess with a gas regulator as you could create a very dangerous or even fatal problem.
See Gas Regulators for Appliances for details about regulators found at gas-burning appliances themselves.
What are the Different Types of LP Gas Regulators
Because of varying requirements, LP gas regulator types found at a typical residential or light commercial property may vary using:
- Separate first-stage and second stage LP gas pressure regulators
- Combined first and second stage LP gas regulators in the same device - see Gas Regulators, Two Stage
- See Gas Regulators for Appliances for details about regulators found at gas-burning appliances themselves.
Other regulators less likely to be found at a residential property include:
- High pressure LP gas pressure regulators
- Adjustable high pressure LP gas regulators
- Automatic changeover gas regulators
What are the Typical LP Gas, Propane Gas, or Natural Gas Pressures Found in Residential Systems
Details about the different pressures found or set for LP gas, propane, and natural gas including before and after different gas pressure regulators are at LP & Natural Gas Pressures.
LP Gas or Propane Pressures:
- 10-200 psi in the LP gas storage tank
- 0.4 psi at typical residential appliances
Natural Gas pressures:
- Natural gas in the natural gas service line in the street will be found at pressures from 60 psi down to as low as 0.25 psi.
- At individual natural gas appliances the gas pressure will be regulated to about 0.25 psi [1]
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Technical Reviewers & References
Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
- National Fuel Gas Code, ANSI Z223.1-yyyy - American Gas Association / National Fire Protection Association
- LP-Gas Serviceman's Handbook,Fisher-Rosemount, Fisher Controls
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Pamphlets No. 54 and 58.
- Specifications for Gas Installations, Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation
- "Gaslight", Gary Quilliam, The Old House Journal, March/April 1989 article describes fixtures, modern fixtures, and sources of supply.
- Residential Gas Hot Water Heater Pocket Partner - Testing and Trouble Shooting, 19. State Corp., Ashland City, TN 37015
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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