Home Fuel Storage Limits

RECOMMENDED EMERGENCY HOME FUEL STORAGE LIMITS & GUIDELINES

The Lehi Fire Department is concerned about the environment from the improper disposal of old unused fuels. Naturally, we are also concerned about having homeowners throughout the city with uncontrolled fuel storage capacities on their personal property.

Therefore, we strongly recommend that you reduce your home fuel storage capacities to no more than 5 gallons of flammable liquids (gasoline or Coleman White gas), 25 gallons of flammable gas (propane) in portable DOT cylinders. One thing to remember fuels do not have an indefinite shelf-life; and in fact, many heating and cooking appliance manufacturers recommend that you consume all fuels within 6 months of purchase. Storage of large amount of flammable and combustible liquids needs to be rotated.

Your voluntary cooperation in complying with these important Life Safety guidelines is greatly appreciated by the Lehi Fire Department. These guidelines are truly intended to save your life. And preserve your property. Please contact the Fire Marshal’s office for further clarification on these or any other issues.

This information is only intended to provide the typical homeowner with general guidelines concerning emergency fuel storage at residential locations. Please consult your local fire department for definitive answers to any questions you might have, after reviewing the following recommendations.

The following guidelines are recommendations based on the 2012 edition of the International Fire Code, which has been adopted into the annotated Utah State Code.

 

Gasoline & Coleman White Gas

• Maximum residential storage of flammable liquids (gasoline & white gas) shall be limited to 25 gallons; preferably stored in an unattached garage or shed. Of this 25 gallon total, no more than 10 gallons can be stored in an attached garage; and absolutely no flammable liquid storage is allowed in basements.
• Empty containers shall be counted as full when calculating total storage capacity.
• Flammable liquid storage containers shall be of an approved type. Most of these containers are labeled as approved for flammable liquid use, and indicate the standards they are designed to meet (DOT, ASTM, NFPA 30, etc.) Always use approved or original retail containers. (No used glass jars or milk jugs)
• If you decide to store more than 5 gallons of flammable liquids at your home, you need at least one 2A10BC rated fire extinguisher, located no closer than 10 feet, and no further away than 50 feet. Control of sources of ignition is mandatory! All transfer and dispensing of flammable liquids requires careful attention be paid to eliminating static spark discharge, and ignition of flammable vapors. Open flames and high temperature devices must be controlled and approved for use with flammable liquids. And, smoking is prohibited in the storage area.
• Flammable & Combustible liquids in the fuel tanks of motor vehicles (gasoline, diesel and 2-cycle blends) are exempt, and therefore not considered as a part of your total home fuel storage quantities.

 

Diesel, Kerosene & Lamp Oil

• Maximum residential storage of combustible liquids (Diesel, Kerosene & Lamp Oil) shall be limited to 60 gallons outside the residence; no more than 25 gal in an attached garage and no more than 10 gallons can be stored in an attached garage; and absolutely no combustible liquid storage is allowed in basements.
• Combustible liquid storage containers shall be of an approved type. Most of these containers are labeled as approved for flammable liquid use, and indicate the standards they are designed to meet (DOT, ASTM, NFPA 30, etc.) Always use approved or original retail containers. (No used glass jars or milk jugs)
• If you decide to store more than 25 gallons of combustible liquids at your home, you need at least two 20 BC rated fire extinguishers, located no closer than 10 feet, and no further away than 50 feet.
• Control of sources of ignition is mandatory! All transfer and dispensing of combustible liquids requires careful attention be paid to eliminating static spark discharge, and ignition of flammable vapors. Open flames and high temperature devices must be controlled and approved for use with flammable/combustible liquids. And, smoking is prohibited in the storage area.
• Portable kerosene heating appliances shall be (UL) listed, and shall be limited to a fuel tank capacity of 2 gallons. However, the International Fire Code specifically prohibits the use of these unvented heating appliances in occupied living spaces. If you decide to use these devices, closely follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use, always maintain adequate separation from combustible surfaces, maintain good ventilation in order to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, and use a battery powered carbon monoxide detector to detect dangerous conditions.

 

Propane & Butane

• Residential Propane storage issues are more complex than those for flammable & combustible liquids. If you want a permanent LP-Gas system and tank installed, The International Fire Code allows you up to 2,000 gallons water capacity in heavily populated areas, provided you obtain a permit from the fire department, comply with relevant installation codes, and hire a state licensed contractor to perform the work and supply the equipment and product. Please contact any state licensed propane supplier, under “Gas-Propane” in the yellow pages, for more information regarding permanent propane gas installations.
• For portable DOT tank storage, you are allowed up to 25 gallons total capacity. You could have up to five 5-gallon (20 lb) portable appliance cylinders (the size usually found on barbecue grills-DOT 4BA240); or one 23 gallon (100 lb) cylinder (DOT 4bw240), in storage at your home, in an unattached garage or shed. But, if you want to store propane and flammable/combustible liquids together, they should be separated by at least 10 feet.
• You are only allowed to store up to two (2) of the small portable 1-pound disposable propane cylinders inside your home or attached garage. NFPA 58.All other propane cylinder storage must be outside your home in an unattached garage or shed.
• Propane cylinders attached to heating and/or cooking appliances, as well as those mounted on trailers, motor homes, and campers, do not count towards your total storage capacity.

 

Unattached or empty cylinders are counted as being full for purposes of calculating your total storage.