How much does a propane tank inspection cost?
Updated
Short answer
Checking a propane tank and its lines yourself costs $0 to $10 and takes 15 to 30 minutes. The only supply is a spray bottle of soapy water for bubbling the fittings. A propane supplier charges $75 to $200 for a leak and pressure test of the whole system, which is the inspection that catches a slow leak inside the house's lines, and some suppliers include it with delivery or a service plan. The home check is a look and a sniff; the supplier's test is the real inspection.
Cost breakdown
| Item | DIY | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $0 to $10 | included |
| Tools you may need to buy | none | included |
| Labor | your time | $75 to $200 |
| Total | $0 to $10 | $75 to $200 |
The DIY column is a spray bottle and dish soap. The pro column is a technician's leak and pressure test, which pressurizes the lines and watches a gauge, checks the regulator and the tank, and looks at the appliance connections.
What drives the cost
- Who supplies the gas. The supplier who owns the tank often tests it at delivery or on a service plan for little or nothing, and charges a separate fee only for a called-in visit.
- The size of the system. A single tank feeding a water heater is a quick test. A tank feeding a furnace, a range, a fireplace and a pool heater takes longer.
- An interruption of service. If the tank ran dry or the line was opened, most suppliers require a pressure test before relighting, and the fee comes with it.
- A problem found. A regulator or a fitting that fails the test is replaced, which is parts and labor on top of the test.
- A tank out of date. A portable cylinder past its recertification date can't be refilled until it's recertified or swapped, and a buried or large tank has its own inspection cycle.
DIY vs. pro
The home check is yours, and it's cheap: how often to inspect a propane tank and lines is once a year, plus a look at the gauge and a sniff near the fittings whenever you're passing. Soapy water on a fitting shows a leak as bubbles, and the cost is the soap.
The supplier's test at $75 to $200 is the one that finds what you can't, and the right schedule is every few years or whenever the gauge drops faster than use explains. Any smell of gas in the house means leave, call the supplier from outside, and let them do the finding. That's not a cost decision.
FAQ
How much does a propane leak test cost?
$75 to $200 from the supplier, and often free or included when it's done at delivery or on a service plan.
Can I check my own propane tank for leaks?
The outdoor fittings, yes, with soapy water. Bubbles mean a leak. The lines inside the house need the supplier's pressure test.
How much does propane tank recertification cost?
A small fee for a portable cylinder, and often cheaper to swap the cylinder at an exchange than to recertify it.
Does the propane company inspect the tank for free?
Many do, at delivery or as part of a service plan, especially for a tank they own. Ask what the plan includes.