Posted: September 7, 2026
For the most part, your propane storage tank is one of the lower-maintenance pieces of your home’s infrastructure. If the propane tank at your home was installed by a previous owner, you may not know for sure how old it is. Fortunately, they are built to last. As long as your propane tank remains rust- and corrosion-free, and the pressure valves and gauge work correctly, your tank can last for a long time. Underground tanks may require a little more attention, mainly because it’s impossible to inspect them visually.
Here are three important signs that you need to replace your propane tank. And the most common one might surprise you.
While serious damage to propane tanks is rare, if your storage tank is damaged, it should be professionally inspected as soon as possible, and most likely replaced. Damage most often comes from an impact—due to storms or weather, for example, but other causes can be from construction or collision.
If your tank is damaged, make sure you know the smell of gas—a rotten egg odor. If you suspect a leak, leave the area, then call 911 and us.
We inspect your above-ground tank for signs of age every time we deliver fuel, but it’s always smart to keep an eye out for rust. While a little rust or a few small dings are not a problem, large or deep patches of rust and bigger dents can develop into leaks and also allow moisture into the tank – two problems you definitely want to avoid.
If you have an underground tank, you can’t check for that type of deterioration. That’s why underground tanks should be installed with sacrificial anodes (typically, we recommend one bag per 500 gallons), which absorb natural electric currents in the ground and water that would otherwise corrode and deteriorate your tank. You should schedule regular inspection for your underground tanks so we can monitor the annodes and check for other signs of problems.
The most common reason people need to replace their tank is because they are using more propane. If you find you are ordering propane more often, it’s a good sign that your propane use has increased.
There are several typical reasons you may be using more propane. Have you added more propane appliances? If you started out only using propane for cooking, but now also have a propane water heater, propane space heaters or a gas fireplace, you will have increased your propane use.
Sometimes, you may be using more propane temporarily. That can happen if the number of people in your home increases for a few weeks—like when kids return home from college for breaks—and there are more people bathing, doing laundry, or washing dishes. Or, if you use propane for heat, you may need to use more propane during periods of intense cold.
But if your household has expanded on a more permanent basis—a new baby, extended family moving in—you likely will continue using more propane regularly.
If your tank is too small, you’ll find yourself scheduling deliveries more often—or worse, dealing with a runout at the worst possible time. A larger tank can reduce how often you need to order propane and make sure you always have enough on hand.
If you think you need a new propane storage tank, contact the experts at Roberts. When you’re a Roberts Energy customer, we’ll make sure your tank is in good shape, and can do inspections of your underground tank. We can help make sure you have the right size propane tank for your home. All that plus reliable deliveries, friendly service, and transparent pricing.
Find out why so many homeowners from Burlington to Brattleboro and across Vermont trust Roberts for all their propane needs. Contact us to become a customer today.
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