Painting this propane tank??? ;)
artemis_ma
7 years ago
The propane tank just got installed and hooked up, about time (note the bits of snow out there). It came in this Dijon mustard color. GC asked propane guy if we could paint it. Propane guy doesn't care -- it's ours.
Sooooo... soliciting ideas! My first thought is that it looks like a giant hot dog, but naw, don't want to go with that theme. I just posted it on Facebook, and suggestions coming back so far lean towards Yellow Submarine with a couple variants on that theme.
Thoughts? Don't guarantee I'll act on any of them, but since I plan to hide it more or less with shrubs, I could be convinced to do something horridly fun....
It's rural, off the road. But I can see it from my driveway and from my garage. (Not from the interior of the house proper.)
Featured Answer
Comments (29)
Related Discussions
Beware of Blue Rhino Propane Tank Exchange
Comments (19)Cylinders are labeled by how much propane they hold. 10lb tank holds 10 lbs of propane, 20 lb tank holds 20 lbs of propane, 30 lb tank holds 30 lbs of propane. 20 lb tanks are more commonly known as BBQ size tanks. These cylinders are meant to hold 20 lbs of propane @ 80% of the tanks capacity. Blue Rhino is most certainly 'short-filling' their tanks to line their already bulging pockets. Also, Blue Rhino puts a plastic 'sleeve' around its tanks which advocates rapid rusting resulting in an ugly and sometimes unsafe cylinder. I have worked at a refill station for 10 years now and I can't tell you how many complaints we get about Blue Rhino tanks. It is not unsafe to put 20lbs of propane in a tank, UNLESS that tank is exposed to 120 degrees F or above, at which point, the pressure relief valve with discharge to reduce pressure inside the tank. You only want 80% of your cylinder filled because propane expands and increases in pressure when exposed to temperatures between 66-119 degrees F. This is why you never want to store a full tank inside. If in the case the pressure relief valve does blow off, and the tank is outside in a highly ventilated area, the propane will dissipate. Also, propane is heavier than air, so if you do have a leak, the propane will settle in low laying areas. Shut all electricity off and call your fire department if you suspect a leak. As for this new 'magnetic valve', I have only seen a few up in MA over the past 10 years. I empty the cylinder, and replace it with a fully functional OPD valve (DO NOT TRY THIS IF YOU ARE NOT CERTIFIED), this way it can be refilled wherever the rightful owner of the tank wants it to be refilled. I can't knock Blue Rhino for its convenience. It's about the only propane you can get at midnight at a 24 hr Stop & Shop. Try finding a refill station open at midnight (never!) If you think Blue Rhino is ripping customers off only filling to 17 lbs of propane. AmeriGas only puts 15 lbs in their exchange tanks!! With all this said, stay away from Blue Rhino and Amerigas. Blue Rhino is now owned by FerralGas which is the largest propane supplier in America. Support your local mom and pop refill stations. If your using Blue Rhino, your just lining the already rich pockets of corporate America. God Bless the USA! Thanks for reading! -Ben Gaetani Tanks 2 You Propane propanetanks2you.com tanks2youpropane@gmail.com Here is a link that might be useful: Ta nks 2 You Propane...See MoreElectric tank or tankless water heater v. Propane tank or tankless
Comments (8)If you're really sure you want tankless (and you kinda seem to be), I'm not going to argue with you. I'll just say a couple of things and then I'll bow out. Disclaimer: I'm not an expert on these matters. They just interest me and I hope to be more energy independent in the future, so I read up on them. I always welcome corrections from knowledgeable folk. First point: IMO electric resistive heating of ANY kind basically just doesn't play nice with PV, off grid or on. The only time it really makes sense is when you're off grid and your system produces more energy during the day than you can store in your battery. This can also apply to some extent if you're intertied and your utility pays you wholesale or less when you sell your power, essentially penalizing you for conserving. Either way, dumping your excess PV energy into water heaters is one way to store it for later use. However, it should be obvious that to store that energy, you have to use traditional storage water heaters, not tankless. Second point: Peak demand matters. It matters to your electric utility, and it matters to your bill. You probably know more about CA rates than I do, but it appears to me that right now California is more into time of use (TOU) metering than peak demand metering. However, more and more utilities are adopting peak demand metering for residential customers (they've had it for business for ages). So even if you're not dealing with it now, it may well be in your future. Demand based metering watches your power (not just energy) usage. The higher it is, the more you pay for all your electricity. In one demand scheme, you pay a surcharge based on your peak power usage (in kilowatts), In another, the price they charge you for every kilowatt hour you use depends on your peak usage -- the higher your peak, even if it's only once in the month, the more you pay per kWh that month. Let me give you an example of the second scheme. Let's say your house's big energy hog right now is an electric range.. Most of the time, you just use one or two surface units at a time. So your peak demand is relatively low, and you pay (say) 14 cents per kWh most months. But when you cook Thanksgiving dinner, you have all the surface units going, plus the oven, and a microwave. On that one day, you have a much higher peak demand. Your utility takes note. And that month, you pay 20 cents per kWh for EVERY kWh you use all month. So even though that month's usage is only a little higher than usual, the final bill for the month is MUCH higher. Now imagine what could happen to your bill if you add an appliance that increases your peak demand every day of every month. Guess what: when it comes to peak demand, tankless electric water heaters are MONSTERS. Think about it. With its mild climate, California is a great place for heat pump storage water heaters. That's what I'd get if I were you. Not tankless, and definitely not electric tankless. And that's all I have to say about that....See MoreHelp deck design w/ propane tank & septic field close
Comments (9)Consider building a much smaller deck that leads to a patio. Is that a water faucet beneath the three window grouping? If so, it could be altered be usable elsewhere. What is between the garage and house -- is that outdoor niche empty of anything that would prohibit you putting something there? Where do the septic line(s) and gas line(s) and any electrical connections exit/enter? If that recess/niche house and garage is clear, you could utilize it for reaching steps that access a back yard patio and garden. Know where your utility pipes and wires ingress/egress your home are located and you can create a sizeable backyard patio and garden without disturbing them -- leave a line of grass atop them with only a paver or two with grass between to go from one side to the other.. Begin by adding an 8' deep deck from the left of the back door to the right corner of the house and four feet beyond the corner. Then add a four feet wide deck/walkway alongside the right side of the house (within the niche on the left side of the niche) all the way to the back of the niche -- all the way back to the section of the house that connects with the garage. Beside that 4' side deck/walkway wrapped around the back right corner of the house you can create a landing in the corner between the garage and the part of the house that connects the house to the garage. From that landing, you can create steps that walk down and away from the house to access your back yard patio. Size your landing so that your last step ends with its front riser even with the outer edge of your 8' deck....See MoreAbove ground propane tank?
Comments (19)We have a 1,000 gallon propane tank for furnace, cooktop, fireplace, hot water heater and emergency generator for about 3,000 sq foot house. We buried ours because its location is very visible from the house and back porch and needed to be in that location for access to the driveway and house. We made the choice not to buy the tank outright because then we would own the liability, maintenance and failure of the tank. Yes, we're locked into our supplier -- but they own the risk and replacement. We take advantage of their pre-buy specials and since our neighbor uses a different supplier we compare with their prices and will call our supplier if we feel we need to negotiate. In 4 years we haven't found a hugely significant difference in pricing. They only fill the tank to 85% to allow for gas expansion so you're not really getting 500 or 1,000 gallons when full - so something to keep in mind when thinking about size....See More
artemis_ma
7 years agoartemis_ma
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoartemis_ma
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoartemis_ma
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoartemis_ma
7 years agoartemis_ma
7 years ago
Related Stories
OUTBUILDINGSSee an Outdoor Bathroom Made From a Water Tank
This repurposed fixture in a California backyard is now the owners' favorite bathing spot
Full Story
MOST POPULARThanksgiving Tales: When the Turkey Tanks
Houzz readers prove adept at snatching victory from the jaws of entertaining defeat
Full Story
GREEN BUILDINGHow to Harvest Rainwater for Your Garden
Conserve a vital resource and save money by collecting stormwater for irrigation in a barrel or tank
Full Story
EXTERIORSHelp! What Color Should I Paint My House Exterior?
Real homeowners get real help in choosing paint palettes. Bonus: 3 tips for everyone on picking exterior colors
Full Story
MOST POPULAR5 Ways to Hide That Big Air Conditioner in Your Yard
Don’t sweat that boxy A/C unit. Here’s how to place it out of sight and out of mind
Full Story
LIFE7 Things to Do Before You Move Into a New House
Get life in a new house off to a great start with fresh paint and switch plates, new locks, a deep cleaning — and something on those windows
Full Story
HEALTHY HOMEGet the Lead Out: Lead Safety at Home
Keep your family safe by properly testing for and dealing with lead in old painted surfaces, water and soil
Full Story
EXTERIOR COLOR18 Home Exteriors Gone Wild With Color
Technicolor dreams play out beautifully with these exterior paint jobs, showing that color confidence has its rewards
Full Story
SMALL HOMESA 1970s Avion Camper Gets a New Groove
Goodbye, shag; hello, fab! Fresh white paint and cheery fabric turn an original mobile camper into a bright and airy vacation home
Full Story
DECORATING GUIDES11 Ways to Work With a Windowless Room
See how to use French doors, white paint, draperies and more to brighten a space and trick the eye
Full Story
neverbedone