How Can I Hide My Propane Tank?

Simple landscaping, from plain grass to shrubs, is the easiest and most cost-effective way to hide your propane tank. Many people build screens or fences on one or more sides of the tank. Be sure to leave sufficient room so that your propane technicians can easily access the tank. The tank may not be legally enclosed in any type of structure, and may not be located under a roof.

Many customers prefer to hide the tank completely by burying it. The excavation for an average underground tank is usually a simple job, requiring a hole about 4? by 12?, and 5? deep - so the cost is minimal. And once the tank is in place, only a small, secured, dome protruding just inches above the ground is visible. The tank, constructed of heavy steel and specially painted with a mastic coating to prevent corrosion, will remain hidden, silently supplying gas for every big energy job, for the life of the home!

Be wary of the propane dealer who tells you there is no cost for an underground tank. If you change companies or move, and the tank remains the property of the propane company, they will have to dig up the tank to get it back. Some dealers require you to sign a contract agreeing to purchase all of your propane needs from that dealer for the rest of your life unless you sell or move. Or you pay to have the tank dug up from you own yard and are left with a hole... not what you need when you sell a house!

A more reputable dealer will require you to purchase the tank, so that it remains your property. The dealer will help locate the tank, and oversee the installation, of course.

Ehrhart Propane Gas has overseen the installation of many underground tanks. Call us any time for more details. The cost will fluctuate somewhat, but a ballpark estimate for a new 500 gallon propane tank (a common size for heating customers) would be about $1000 to $1500.

If you have any questions regarding these possibilities, feel free to call us at any time at 607-387-8881 or 1-800-387-7441.