Below are answers to frequently asked questions:

Question: What do I do if I smell gas?

An odorant specific to propane is added to help identify any leaks. Some people say the smell is like rotten eggs. If you think you smell propane in your home or the area around any gas equipment, or if a gas alarm signals the presence of propane, you should IMMEDIATELY follow these suggestions:

• Extinguish all smoking materials and any other open flames or sources of ignition. Everyone should vacate the building, vehicle or area
• Move away without using any electric switches, appliances, thermostats, or telephones
• Close the gas shutoff valve on the propane tank or cylinder
• Call your propane supplier and/or your local fire department from a cellular telephone or a neighbor’s telephone
• Even if you do not continue to smell propane, do not open or turn on the propane supply valve. Do not re-enter the building, vehicle or area. Let a qualified propane service technician and/or emergency personnel check for escaped propane
• Have a properly trained propane service technician repair the leak. The propane service technician or emergency responder needs to determine that the leak situation has been fully resolved. The propane service technician should check all of your gas appliances and re-light any appliance pilots
• Return to the building or area only when the service or emergency technician indicates it is safe to do so

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a non-irritating, highly toxic gas. CO is tasteless, odorless and colorless making human detection extremely difficult. CO is produced when fossil fuels burn incompletely because of insufficient oxygen. These fuels include natural gas, propane, kerosene, gasoline, coal, fuel oil, wood and charcoal. The products of complete combustion are water vapor and carbon dioxide (CO2).

What are sources of Carbon Monoxide?

Common CO combustion sources include furnaces, water heaters, oven, ranges, clothes dryers, fireplaces, space heaters, charcoal grills, wood-burning stoves or an idling vehicle in an enclosed space.

What is the effect of exposure to CO?

Red blood cells (hemoglobin) carry oxygen throughout the body. CO enters through the lungs and attaches to red blood cells. CO molecules attach to red blood cells 200 times faster than oxygen. This prevents oxygen from being able to flow to your heart, brain and vital organs. As CO accumulates the body becomes starved of oxygen, eventually causing suffocation.

What are the symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning?

How sick people get from CO exposure varies from person to person depending on age, overall health, the amount of time exposed and the concentration of CO. Below is a list of common symptoms of CO:

• Chronic headaches
• Dizziness, nausea
• Drowsiness
• Irritability
• Unconsciousness
• Weakness of limbs, loss of muscle control
• Cherry-red skin color (at high concentrations)
• Dying houseplants (Not a symptom, but a sign that CO may be present)
• Condensation on cool surfaces. This indicates the presence of flue products, which may include carbon monoxide. (Not a symptom, but a sign that CO may be present)

How can you protect yourself from CO poisoning?

The best way to protect yourself from Carbon Monoxide poisoning is to ensure proper installation, use and maintenance of your heating and cooking equipment. Problems can result from improper installation, poor maintenance or inadequate ventilation. You should have your heating equipment serviced every year by a qualified technician. This includes your fireplace/chimney, furnace/boiler, water heater and any space heaters. DVE has different maintenance plans available to meet your needs. Other preventative measures include:

• Have your heating equipment serviced annually
• When using a fireplace, open the flue for adequate ventilation
• Do not use your gas oven to heat your home
• Do not run a car or truck inside a garage

What do you do if your CO detector goes off?

Treat all CO detector alarms as real until it has been verified that there is no threat. If your alarm is going off, it is not safe to stay in the building. Leave the building and use a neighbor’s telephone to report the alarm to the fire department. In our area dial 911. If someone in your home is showing signs of CO poisoning seek medical attention immediately. Call your emergency responder, usually your Fire Department, from a neighbors phone. Once the fire department has determined it is safe to return to your home, contact DVE to inspect your heating equipment for malfunction.

There are two types of detectors you need to have:

Carbon Monoxide detectors are not substitutes for smoke detectors. A smoke alarm will react to fire products before a carbon monoxide detector will, providing more time to escape in the event of a fire. The State of Vermont requires smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to be installed in any dwelling where people sleep. Prior to the sale of a home or the inspection of a new construction, the property owner must certify that the building is equipped with at least one smoke detector and one carbon monoxide detector.

Every year deaths occur due to malfunctioning or the absence of fire and CO detectors. Make sure your home is equipped with both carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Detectors should be installed on every level and in every sleeping area. A qualified, independent testing laboratory should list the detectors. Keep your alarms clean and test them regularly. Replace detectors immediately if they are not working properly. Make sure you follow the manufacturers installation and maintenance instructions.

Underground Tank Burial Instructions

The information below outlines proper installation of underground LP tanks. Please read through the information provided to familiarize your self with the basic code requirements and proper installation of underground LP tanks. If you have employees that install underground LP tanks please share this information with them.

Please be aware that not all code requirements are outlined here. If you ever have any questions or need to verify that the tank location/burial is to code please call us and we will help you out.

Also visit the Dig-Safe website HERE

Installation of Underground LP Gas Tanks

This information provides guidelines for burying underground LP gas tanks. It is not intended to cover all facets of every application, but is meant to be of general assistance to personnel who bury underground LP tanks.

Underground LP tanks must be designed and installed in accordance with the provisions of NFPA 58 Standard for the Storage and Handling of Liquefied Petroleum Gases, NFPA 54 National Fuel Gas Code and all applicable state and local codes and regulations covering these installations.

1. Select a Location:

The tank must be placed in a location that is in accordance with spacing requirements in NFPA 58 and/or the authority having jurisdiction. The diagram below shows the minimum distance requirements you must follow. Note: local code such as the Town of Dover may require further setbacks. In that case, you must follow the local code requirements.

NOTES:
* The distance requirements must be met by every point of the tank.
** The Town of Dover requires 1000 gallon Underground Tanks to be 25 feet from a building.
***Select an area that has access for our fuel delivery trucks. Our trucks have 100’ liquid hoses. Be sure the tank is located within 100’ of an all-weather surface that is capable of supporting the weight of our bulk delivery trucks. Keep in mind that the customer will be required to keep a clear path to the fill point.

2. Dig the Hole:

Dig the ditch 12” wider and 12” longer than the tank. The top of the tank should be at grade level and cannot be more than 6” below grade. This is required by Dover code and is recommended in surrounding towns. Burying the tank too low prevents proper drainage around the tank hood. The bottom of the ditch must be level, firm and free of rock. If rocks are present, a 6-inch bed of sand should be used.

Warning! Failure to provide proper protection can damage the tanks coating causing hidden corrosion and potential leaks.

In flood zones or areas with serious drainage problems, a reinforced concrete slab may have to be poured in the bottom of the hole. Check with DVE Inc.

The trench for the gas line needs to be 12” deep. However, if the gas line runs through any area where vehicles will be traveling, the line needs to be buried 18” and must be sleeved. If you are using polyethylene tubing there are additional burial requirements. Please contact our office for these.

Precaution must be taken to prevent damage to the tank coating while lowering the tank into the excavation and while backfilling. We suggest using Nylon cargo straps instead of chain to minimize scratching. Protect all points of contact with tire retreading, carpet, etc. Any damage to the coating must be reported to DVE so that the tank coating can be touched up.

Lower the tank into the ditch onto a firm surface. The top of the tank CANNOT be lower than grade level.

Place the anode bag(s) to the side of the tank and at the bottom of the ditch. Bring the anode wiring through the base of the tank hood and wrap the wire(s) around the fill pipe. We will attach the wires to the tank when we come to hook it up.

Remove all rocks from the backfill and bury the tank. Grade ground down and away from the tank dome to provide surface water drainage way from dome.

There must be 12” of cover on the tank and the soil must be downgraded away from the tank hood. If surface drainage is disregarded, the housing dome may be flooded and in the winter months the water may freeze. This can cause corrosion and/or malfunction of the fittings, valves, and pressure relief valves, gauging devices and regulators as well as the corrosion of the container itself.

Where an underground tank is subject to vehicular movement, protection must be provided. Barriers must be placed around the housing dome to protect the relief valve, filling riser and any appurtenances that extend above grade level. Special consideration should be given to snow plow paths. If a tank is in the direction of the plow path, barriers must be placed for protection.

Call us as soon as the tank is buried. Underground tanks should be filled immediately to minimize the possibility of floating out of the ground.

Efficiency Tips:

We are all aware of the rising energy costs. You hear a new report on the news every night and experience the reality when you fill up at the pump and receive a bill after a fuel delivery. We know, because we’re paying those higher prices too.

So now the question becomes, “What can I do to cut down on my heating bill?” In one word, the answer is “conserve.” Reducing the amount of energy you use can significantly lower your bill.

Below are some ways to help you accomplish this:

• If your equipment is 20 yrs. old or more, you can cut your fuel bills by up to 30% if you upgrade to a new, high efficiency heating system. A new high-efficiency heating system can achieve efficiency rates between 86%-95%
• Make sure your system is operating at peak efficiency by having a tune-up. A tune-up can save you as much as 5%. It is best to service your system in the spring while the combustion residue is still dry. As moisture develops throughout the summer months, the residue becomes wet and muddy causing corrosion. Go to “Service” and “Service Plans” for details on the three plans we provide to save you money
• Install a programmable thermostat or manually lower the temperature before you leave your house or go to bed. By doing so, you can cut your annual fuel costs by 10%
• Inquire about high efficiency appliances available for your current heating system and water heater. There are many new products available to help your current system improve its performance
• Check for drafts around doors and windows. Installing storm doors and windows or adding weather stripping or insulation can block out the cold. This means less work for your heating system
• Add insulation to your attic. 30% of a home’s energy can be lost through the roof due to poor insulation. Since warm air rises, the better you insulate your attic the more you will conserve. Remember, insulation with higher “R” values means greater energy savings
• Close the shades or curtains at night to help keep the heat in but open during the day to take advantage of sunshine
• Make sure there’s nothing obstructing baseboards or heating vents. Move furniture out of the path of warmth