Buying A Propane Gas Detector For Your Home Or RV? Here’s What You Need To Know
Propane Gas Detector
A propane gas detector is a very popular piece of equipment because propane is usually the first choice for powering RV’s, and is growing in popularity for home use as well, especially in rural areas. Propane can run your appliances, hot water heaters, and really almost anything that can be run on gas. And while it is safe to use, you should always install a propane gas detector as a precaution. Leaks can and do happen, and you want to be sure that you are aware and alerted to them so you can respond before the situation gets dangerous.
Propane has an odor added to it, so that you can smell a leak when it happens. While this is a good safety measure, it isn’t always reliable. If you have a cold, if you are sleeping or if you have trouble smelling propane, odors do you no good. What’s more, the odor can and does fade after awhile, so you have no way of knowing if the smell alert is up to par which is why you may want to consider getting a propane leak detector.
Propane is heavier than air, and most leaks will accumulate near the floor or in the lower areas of your home. The exception to this is with appliances such as stoves, which because they release warm air along with the propane can cause the leak to stay airborne for awhile before it sinks. The best place to install your propane gas detector is close to the floor, no more than 6 inches above it. In an RV, the best place to install it is underneath the kick plate of your stove. To give you flexibility, you can consider buying a portable propane detector.
Propane Gas Detector
Be sure that your propane leak detector is not easily triggered by other substances, such as other chemical fumes. If it is, you want to be sure that you install it away from the sources of these fumes. Hairspray, paints, and other fuels may set the alarm off.
Also, be sure that you will be able to hear the alarm when it goes off. If your propane source is in the basement, for example, you may not hear your alarm if it is mounted there and you are upstairs in bed. For larger areas, you may want to look for a propane detector that has more than one sensor, so that you can place the actual alarm in a central location that will be easy to hear from anywhere in the house. If you or any members of your household have a hearing impairment, look for a propane leak detector that incorporates flashing lights.
You propane gas detector does require maintenance. If they are not battery powered, they may still have a battery back-up system in place, and it is important to make sure that this system is in working order. Find out how often you need to test it, and if the propane gas monitor will give off any indication, such as a beep or a light, if the power is malfunctioning.
The propane gas detector sensors can also wear out (as with most natural gas detectors on the market). Find out what the expected average life of the sensors are, and whether or not you can replace them when they are no longer working or if you will have to buy a whole new rv propane gas detector. You can test your sensors by holding a lighter close to them, and releasing a squirt of gas. If the light flashes and the alarm sounds, then you are good to go.
