Propane Tank distance from exterior wall

[hastalavista]

Ok, FHA assignment.

Subject has a propane tank (150 gal).
It is located on a concrete pad (level) on a slight down slope from the road. It is less than 5-feet from the exterior bedroom wall of the subject (which is a small, 1-br, 450sf cabin-style home).

The propane tank is not a commercial storage tank.
FHA guidelines are

[FONT=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]5. Propane tanks must be a safe distance from the dwelling. Leased tanks are acceptable when not offered for sale. Propane fired furnaces located in a crawl space area is not acceptable.[/FONT]

FHA (in an email response to my inquiry) states

BE ADVISED THAT 'SAFE DISTANCE' IS NOT DEFINED.

The tank is owned and regularly serviced by a local propane company. They are not aware of any safe-distance issue.

Personally, as a buyer, I wouldn't want the tank that close to the building (especially the bedroom)- but that's me.
Being the city-slicker that I am, I thought I'd ask the opinions of my more rural-centric peers!
I'm also going to call a couple of propane companies and ask them if they are aware of any distance-requirements.

(The tank could be moved to another area of the site. New gas lines would obviously be required).

 

[CANative]

The tank is owned and regularly serviced by a local propane company. They are not aware of any safe-distance issue.

No one gives a shat where the propane's at.

 

[hastalavista]

No one gives a shat where the propane's at.

:laugh:

Then why does FHA have a guideline requiring spacing that is quantitatively undefined in terms of distance but qualitatively defined in terms of safety? :new_all_coholic:

 

[CANative]

If you put a propane tank right next to the house up against a crawlspace vent I suppose a leaking tank could allow a hazardous condition under the house (propane is heavier than air).

There there are the safety valves, vents, fillers etc., etc. blah, blah, blah.

Technically, your 150 gallon tank should be 10 feet from the house. But it's a close call. Are you sure it's 150 gallons and the distance is 5 feet.

 

[JT1974]

:laugh:

Then why does FHA have a guideline requiring spacing that is quantitatively undefined in terms of distance but qualitatively defined in terms of safety? :new_all_coholic:

Because some city slicker thought it would be a good idea.

Do you remember reading those newspaper articles about propane tanks blowing up and killing people? Yeah, neither do I. :new_all_coholic:

 

[OSU Beavers]

My FIL had one of those little propane stoves installed last winter and put two small tanks next to the house. "They" told him that one large tank would have to be 20' away from the house, but two small tanks were ok. Not sure if "they" were the city or the propane company.

 

[Diane Lagrou]

This is what drives me crazey about government. Throw a rule out there that they can hang you on.....but not give you enough specific information to protect yourself.

 

[OSU Beavers]

Do you remember reading those newspaper articles about propane tanks blowing up and killing people? Yeah, neither do I. :new_all_coholic:

Like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhti2xAB-Gk&feature=related

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

We had a propane plant blow up. Guess what...when it was all over the only thing destroyed were a few propane tanks. Sure looked impressive!

 

[Mountain Man]

We had a propane plant blow up. Guess what...when it was all over the only thing destroyed were a few propane tanks. Sure looked impressive!

BLEVE this baby! I've fought house fires with those 25lb gas grill tanks popping off. That's not fun either.