NOCO helps you stay safe

Propane is a great, versatile fuel that has several advantages in Western New York winters. In your home’s heating and water heating systems, you benefit from significant energy efficiency. You don’t have to worry about running out of fuel since the heat required to keep your home warm is already stored in your propane tank, so you’re not dependent on a utility.

There are, however, some things you need to know and do to keep your propane-powered home safe this winter.

Keep an eye on your propane supply

If a major lake effect snowstorm or a winter blizzard is on the way and you utilize Will-Call for your propane delivery, go out immediately to check your propane tank levels. Not only does sufficient propane have to be on hand to get through the storm, but if ice or snowfall causes roads to become hazardous, deliveries may be delayed. If your propane tank is about 30% full (or less) and there’s severe weather on the way, contact us immediately to schedule a propane delivery.

In the winter, our Automatic Delivery plan is ideal. We take weather conditions and past propane usage into account to accurately predict when you should get a propane delivery, and we make the delivery right away.

Study up on propane safety best practices

Propane is a very safe fuel due to stringent local, state, and federal rules and rigorous industry standards. However, in the unlikely event of a propane leak, you must be informed about propane safety precautions to safeguard your home and family. Every adult in the house should be aware how to shut off the supply at its source, which is the propane tank

Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can be fatal in high enough quantities. The chance of carbon monoxide poisoning increases during the winter months. Here’s what you should do to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

CO detectors should be installed on every level of your property and outside all sleeping areas as directed by the manufacturer. When the batteries are low, replace them with new ones. Every five years, CO detectors must be replaced.

Check for blockages in the vents on a regular basis, especially after it snows, to ensure that they are cleared.

If you use propane or natural gas in your home, we strongly recommend installing gas leak detectors to protect against odor loss in the rare event of a leak.

These are the symptoms of CO poisoning:

• headache
• nausea
• vomiting
• chest pain
• dizziness
• weakness
• confusion

Infants, children, the elderly, and people with breathing or heart conditions are especially vulnerable to carbon monoxide poisoning.

If a carbon monoxide alarm goes off or if you detect a CO leak, evacuate the premises immediately and call 911 and NOCO Energy.

Keep your generator ready to go

A propane whole-house backup generator is great, especially when heavy snow or thunderstorms can send trees into power lines. If you have a propane whole-house backup generator, make sure it has enough propane to last for at least a week in the case of an electricity outage. Run your generator for around 20 minutes every month during the winter to ensure that essential moving components are lubricated and that it is operating correctly.

Go to our propane safety page to learn more from videos on a wide range of propane safety topics from the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC).