GAS SAFETY
Propane, Regulator and Leak Checks (2026)
The soapy-water leak check takes two minutes and is the only home test that reliably finds a propane leak. It should be run every time a tank is connected, at the start of every season, and any time you smell gas — and it needs nothing more than dish soap and a brush.
What you need
- Dish soap and water in a spray bottle or cup
- Soft brush
- Adjustable wrench (some connections only)
- Bathroom scale for the tank-weight check
The routine, step by step
Mix the solution and set up outdoors
One part dish soap to one part water. Do all of this outside, with the grill lid open and no ignition source anywhere nearby — no cigarettes, no phone calls next to the tank, no pilot lights. Confirm all burner control knobs are in the off position before you start.
Connect the tank and open the valve slowly
Hand-tighten the coupling nut — the connection uses a left-hand thread on older POL fittings and a right-hand thread on the current QCC/Type 1 design, and neither should need a wrench. Then open the tank valve slowly, no more than a quarter turn at first. Opening it fast is what trips the excess-flow device inside the regulator.
Brush the solution onto every connection
Coat the tank valve outlet, the coupling nut, the full length of the hose, both ends of the regulator, and the point where the hose enters the manifold. Growing bubbles mean escaping gas. A film that simply sits there is fine.
Act on any bubbles immediately
If bubbles appear, close the tank valve at once. Tighten the connection by hand and retest. If it still bubbles, the hose or regulator assembly is faulty and must be replaced — this is a whole-assembly replacement, not a repair. Do not use the grill until the test is clean.
Reset a tripped regulator
A grill that will only reach 250–300°F usually has a tripped excess-flow device. Turn all burner knobs off, close the tank valve, disconnect the hose, wait 60 seconds, reconnect, open the tank valve slowly, wait another few seconds, then light. This resets the device and restores full flow.
Check how much gas is actually left
Weigh the tank. Every cylinder is stamped with a tare weight — the empty weight — usually marked "TW" on the collar. Subtract it from the total on a bathroom scale and you have the propane remaining. A standard 20 lb tank holds about 20 pounds of gas. The hot-water trick works too, but the scale gives you a number.
Inspect the hose and the tank itself
Run a hand along the hose looking for cracking, brittleness, abrasion or a soft spot. Check the tank collar for the manufacture date — cylinders require requalification twelve years after manufacture and periodically after that, and exchange depots will refuse an out-of-date tank. Rust or dents on the cylinder body mean it should be exchanged rather than refilled.
Store the tank correctly
Upright, outdoors, out of direct sun, away from anything that could ignite it, and never in a garage, shed, basement or vehicle passenger compartment. Fit the outlet plug whenever the tank is not connected.
Common mistakes
- Using a flame to check for a leak. This is the mistake that turns a small leak into an injury.
- Wrenching the coupling nut tight — it is designed to seal hand-tight, and over-tightening deforms the seal.
- Opening the tank valve quickly, which trips the excess-flow device and causes the low-heat problem people then blame on the burners.
- Storing a spare tank in the garage or under the deck stairs.