Posted: November 10, 2025
Winterizing Propane Tanks: Preventing Freezing and Damage
Follow these tips from Buster Brown
One of the very last things that a homeowner wants is to suddenly be without heat or hot water at any point in the winter. If you use propane for home heating purposes or to warm your home’s water, avoiding these situations means properly preparing and protecting your propane tank.
Just as we winterize our homes by adding insulation, cleaning the gutters, testing our heating systems, and stocking up on supplies, we need to winterize and care for our propane tanks as well. This helps protect them from getting damaged, which, in turn, helps keep them working properly and efficiently.
What Happens to Your Propane Tank in the Winter?
The winter’s cold temperatures mostly affect the pressure of your propane tank. As temperatures drop, a tank’s pressure does the same. This drop in pressure can have a negative impact on your home’s heating system.
How to Take Care of Your Propane Tank in the Winter
Here are some suggestions from Buster Brown Propane for winterizing a propane tank and preventing a drop in pressure:
- Mark your tank’s location: Your propane tank will be a lot easier to find during a major snowstorm if you use a stake or flag to mark its location.
- Keep the path leading to your tank clear: After a big storm, make sure you clear the path that leads to your propane tank so it isn’t blocked by ice, snow, or debris. This makes it easy for your propane provider to access your tank whenever necessary.
- Clear off any ice: A buildup of ice can damage a propane tank, so you want to regularly check to ensure ice isn’t accumulating on your equipment. You can also cover your tank with a tarp to protect it against ice.
- Check your fuel levels: Since cold weather typically increases energy demand, it’s incredibly important to stay on top of your fuel supply throughout the winter. This will help prevent the inconvenience of a fuel run-out. If you don’t want to worry about checking your fuel levels, consider enrolling in Buster Brown’s wireless propane tank monitoring service. Keeping your propane tank at least 30% full will also help regulate its pressure.
- Give your propane system a thorough inspection: To ensure your propane system is working properly, inspect your tank’s connections and look for signs of wear, tear, or fuel leaks.
- Book your yearly maintenance appointment: This is one of the best things a homeowner can do to ensure their propane system is operating efficiently. Schedule this before winter officially arrives so you can feel confident that your system is ready for the cold.
Make Buster Brown Propane Your Full-Service Propane Tank Provider
If you are a homeowner in East Texas who is just getting started with propane, Buster Brown Propane is here to help. You can purchase, rent-to-own, or lease a propane tank from us. Our team can handle propane tank installations, repairs, and maintenance.
Contact Buster Brown Propane today to partner with us on all your propane tank needs.
