Can we keep gasoline containers in our separate garage to avoid house storage danger? Garage is unheated in N.Y.

-- churchorganist (musicswede@webtv.net), April 05, 1999

Answers

Storing gasoline ANYWHERE other than in a house is better than in a house. It's nasty stuff, it really is.

The thing to remember about gasoline is that gasoline is much less dangerous than gasoline fumes. When storing gasoline be sure the container is as full as it can practically be. The less air space, the less expansion. An empty or near empty container is more dangerous than a full one. Please note that depending on the type of container, you want it full without being so full that on a warm day the container releases gasoline or fumes. Example, a 5 gallon dome shaped can with a spring shut safety lid spout, if filled right up to the top of the spout, will have that dome of air to expand and could force gas out the spout on a hot day.

This is one reason why underground storage of gasoline is so much safer, less temperature change. Even just a ditch with a tarp cover will moderate the temperature. You DON'T want to store gasoline in a nice air tight root cellar, again fumes.

Please note that many municpalities have ordinances determining what type of container you can use and how many gallons per household. If you violate these ordinances and have a fire, your insurance company might not pay you. You might want to buy a cheap tin shed and locate it away from everything.

Of course always store your fuels with the appropiate anti-oxidant, in this case Sta-Bil or similar product.

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), April 06, 1999.

to reiterate, USE THE STA-BIL!!!!!

BTW What part of NY??

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (reinzoo@en.com), April 06, 1999.

Chuck- near Albany, Mohawk river (low elevation) not in the nearby high elevation hilltowns that get the minus temps so often!...

-- churchorganist (musicswede@webtv.net), April 06, 1999.

I am thinking about storing gasoline in 55 gallon drums. Should they be vented?

-- Novacop (Sandmann@alasbab.com), April 06, 1999.

Do not forget to ground the 55 gallon drums. Run a ground stake into the ground - copper pipe etc and run a ground strap to the drum tightly clamped. Static electricity - sparks - especially in the winter months can cause those fumes to explode. Be wary of transferring gas from plastic containers to metal containers. Remember the old lab experiment of creating a huge arc by rubbing wool against plastic. I take it you are storing the gasoline for a generator.

-- Ariel Jacala (ajacala@nfx.net), April 06, 1999.