LP Gas, Propane Gas, & Natural Gas Pressures & Pressure Settings
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What are the typical pressures found in LP gas or Propane Gas systems
What are the typical pressures found in natural gas systems
Natural gas, Propane, and LP gas piping & regulator pressures
Natural gas, propane, and LP gas gas pressures at appliances
Questions & answers about LP gas pressure, propane gas pressure, and natural gas pressure in piping, at regulators, at appliances

Here we give the standard pressure ranges and pressure settings for LP gas, propane gas, and natural gas fuels, including pressures found in the distribution service piping, in the in-building gas piping, and at gas fired appliances such as gas stoves, clothes dryers, furnaces, boilers, and LP gas or natural gas fired water heaters.

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What are the Typical LP Gas Pressures Found in Residential Systems

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. 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

10-200 psi in the LP gas storage tank
0.4 psi at typical residential appliances

It is important to separate the LP gas (propane gas) pressures that are exerted inside the LP gas storage tank or cylinder from the LP gas pressures that should be delivered to individual appliances.

Watch out: keep in mind that piped-in natural gas found at homes where that service are available will be at different pressures, use a different regulator, and requires changes or adjustment at any appliances that are being changed from LP or Propane gas to Natural gas, or vice versa.

Why do we Need a Regulator on LP or Propane Gas Systems - how do gas regulators function?

Because of varying outdoor temperatures, the LP gas pressure inside the storage tank may be as low as 10 psi in freezing weather or as high as 200 psi with the tank exposed to sunlight in hot weather.

But the gas pressure delivered to a heating appliance (gas range, clothes dryer, gas heating furnace, gas fired water heater, etc) needs to be both constant and at the proper pressure for that appliance.

The job of the LP gas regulator(s) is to deliver LP gas (propane) at the pressure used by appliances, typically at 11 inches of water column or about 6.3 oz/sq.in (that's about 0.4 psi or pounds per square inch). The regulator(s) have to keep gas flowing to the appliance(s) at that pressure even as pressure in the storage tank changes and even when the number of appliances consuming gas changes (as devices turn on and off in the building).

Photograph of a natural gas regulator on a furnace

Gas pressure and gas flow rate at individual appliances in a building needs to be maintained at the level needed by each appliance.

For that reason the gas regulator will increase the gas flow through itself according to pressure drops on the "low pressure" side of the regulator.

At many individual gas burning appliances, the appliance gas control valve will also regulate gas flow into the appliance burners.

See Gas Regulators for Appliances for details.

What are Typical Natural Gas Pressures found at and inside Private Homes?

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

The American Gas Association offers this explanation of typical natural gas pressures, Quoting with significant editing and paraphrasing:

Natural gas runs from the main into a home or business in what's called a one-inch or smaller-diameter natural gas service line. In the service line gas pressure varies by community and other factors, flowing at a pressure range of over 60 pounds to as low as ¼ pound.

When the gas passes through a customer's gas meter and moves inside the home, gas travels to equipment and appliances through piping installed by the home-builder and owned by the customer where it reaches the individual natural-gas-fired appliance(s).

At the customer's gas meter the incoming natural gas passes through another regulator to reduce its pressure to under ¼ pound (0.25 psi) if this is necessary. (Some services lines carry gas that is already at very low pressure.) This is the normal pressure for natural gas within a household piping system. When a appliance such as a natural-gas furnace or stove is turned on, the gas pressure is slightly higher than the air pressure, so the gas flows out of the burner and ignites in its familiar clean blue flame. [1]

Gas Cylinder or Tank Regulators: Readers concerned with installing, inspecting, or testing LP Gas regulators which are found on outdoor above ground or buried gas cylinders used for storage of LP Gas on site should also see How to Inspect & Test LP Gas Tank or Cylinder Regulators.

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.

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GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS
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  Types of Fuel Gas Source
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  Types of Fuel Gas Source

LP and Natural Piping, Control, Appliance References

[1] American Gas Association, 400 North Capitol Street, NW | Washington, DC 20001, web searhc 08/25/2011, original source: http://www.aga.org/Kc/aboutnaturalgas/consumerinfo/
Pages/NGDeliverySystem.aspx
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

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What are the Typical LP Gas Pressures Found in Residential Systems

Why do we Need a Regulator on LP or Propane Gas Systems - how do gas regulators function?

What are Typical Natural Gas Pressures found at and inside Private Homes?

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

Technical Reviewers & References

LP and Natural Piping, Control, Appliance References

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair