Propane Tank Buying Guides

  • How Much Does a Propane Tank Cost?

    The cost of a propane tank is five things added together: the tank itself, delivery, installation, any permit fees, and the first fill of propane. The tank price depends on capacity, on whether it is new or used, and on whether it sits above ground or is buried. The table below lists every tank we sell with its current price and the installation add-on, so you can see the first two or three of those numbers before you speak to anyone.

  • Underground vs Above Ground Propane Tanks: Which Should You Choose?

    An underground propane tank is an ASME tank built and coated for burial, with only a small dome showing, while an above ground tank sits on a pad or blocks. Burial keeps the yard clear and gives a steadier supply in cold weather, but it costs more to install and needs cathodic protection that must be tested on a schedule. Above ground tanks are simpler to install, inspect, move and replace.

  • Should I Buy or Lease a Propane Tank?

    Leasing a propane tank means the supplier owns it, so you avoid the upfront cost and the supplier generally keeps responsibility for the equipment, but states such as North Carolina, Maine and Vermont bar other companies from filling it, so you buy your propane from that supplier. Owning your propane tank lets you choose and switch suppliers, but you pay for the tank and installation, take on maintenance, and should expect a new supplier to inspect the system before its first delivery.

  • ASME vs DOT Propane Tanks: Differences, Requalification and Which You Need

    An ASME propane tank is a stationary pressure vessel built to Section VIII of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and refilled where it sits, while a DOT cylinder is built to Department of Transportation specifications so it can be moved, and tops out at a nominal 420 lb of propane. DOT cylinders must be requalified within 12 years of manufacture and periodically after that; ASME tanks are not on that federal schedule.

  • How to Size a Propane Tank for a Standby Generator

    Size a propane tank for a generator from the generator's full-load propane consumption on its spec sheet, the longest outage you want to cover, and the coldest temperature you expect. Generac, for example, recommends at least a 250 gallon tank for its home standby generators and counts only about 60% of a tank as usable, because tanks are filled to a maximum of 80% and should not run below about 20%.

  • Forklift Propane Tanks: Sizes, Steel vs Aluminum, Exchange and Storage

    Forklift propane tanks are DOT cylinders in 20, 33.5 and 43.5 lb sizes; a 33.5 lb cylinder holds about 7.7 to 7.9 gallons and weighs about 23 to 24 lb empty in aluminum or 34.5 to 36 lb in steel. Spare cylinders must be stored with valves closed, away from heat, damage, tampering and exits, and outdoors in an enclosure such as a locked cage, under OSHA 1910.110 and the NFPA 58 edition your fire code adopts.

  • Propane Tank Size Chart

    Capacities and typical uses from 100 lb cylinders to 1,000 gallon tanks.