There are a lot of noises you like hearing when you’re hosting a weekend barbecue in the fall: the sizzle of a burger patty, the laughter of guests having a great time, the crack of a canned soda or the cheer when your preferred team scores a touchdown.
A strange hissing sound is most definitely not on that list. Your first reaction might be to make sure there’s not a garter snake slithering over your shoe. It could also be coming from your grill’s propane cylinder. Here are some tips on how to respond to a hissing grill tank.
The most common reason a grill cylinder would hiss is that its internal pressure is too high. The cylinder has a mechanism to release this pressure, appropriately called a pressure relief valve. This valve is typically located on the neck of your cylinder on the other side of the handwheel from your grill connection.
Under normal circumstances, the safety relief valve stays closed with a spring, but when tank pressure reaches an unsafe level, that spring is pushed, and the valve opens. You should hear a pop when this happens, followed by the hissing of pressure being released.
The first thing you should do if your grill tank is hissing is shut off your grill’s burner flames. There is a possibility that propane gas is escaping, so you don’t want any open flames to create an explosion risk.
If your cylinder’s pressure release valve is open, don’t try to close it. The valve will close on its own when cylinder pressure returns to a safe level. You can help the process by cooling the cylinder with a hose. (Propane’s volume contracts in cooler conditions.)
If the pressure relief valve isn’t open, your cylinder or grill connections may be leaking. Close the cylinder valve with the handwheel and try the home leak test below.
Are you worried about running out of grill propane during football season? You can rest easy knowing where your closest Roach Energy-supplied cylinder exchange or refilling station is. We provide propane and grill tanks to locations in Shepherdstown, Falling Waters, Martinsburg and Inwood. Drop by during normal business hours and refresh your grill fuel before this weekend’s first kickoff!
The Roach Energy team is always available to discuss propane safety issues with Eastern Panhandle residents. Never hesitate to contact us.
