If you’ve lived in the Hudson Valley for a while, you know winters can get pretty cold here. The average low temperature in Newburgh in January is 20˚F. If we get an Arctic blast from Canada or the Mid-Northwest, it gets a lot colder.
When you have an aboveground propane tank, you may be wondering if the propane inside it could freeze or be damaged when the temperature plummets.
Here’s the story.
The freezing point of propane is -306.4°F degrees Fahrenheit. The coldest temperature recorded in Newburgh is -20˚F. So there’s not much reason to be concerned about your propane freezing.
But that’s not the end of the story.
While it’s unlikely your propane will freeze here, it can still be affected by very cold temperatures. Propane contracts when it’s cold. When it’s extremely cold outside, the volume of propane inside your aboveground propane tank will shrink, which creates a loss of pressure. The problem is, if the pressure becomes too low, the propane inside your tank will not be able to reach your gas burner. That means you may not be able to run your propane appliances, including your furnace or boiler, which can be very problematic in severe cold.
That’s why you should know what to do the next time Old Man Winter comes to call.
Contact Depew Energy to learn more about our dependable propane delivery throughout the coldest winter months – and beyond!