What is commercial LPG all about?

LPG vapour is heavier than air, which has important safety implications. Any leakage will sink to the ground and accumulate in low lying areas and may be difficult to disperse, so LPG should never be stored or used in cellars or basements.

Like mains gas, LPG has no smell and so a strong "stenching" agent is added before delivery to help detection of any leaks. LPG is flammable in air and although non-toxic, large quantities could cause suffocation.

LPG is a high performance fuel, but will only ignite if mixed with air in a gas:air ratio of between 1:50 and 1:10 (lower than the limit for mains gas). The low limit for flammability means that even small leaks could have serious results.

The ignition temperature of LPG in air is around 500ºC – lower than that of mains gas but actually requiring more energy to cause ignition. These means that some gas lighters may not work with LPG.

The calorific value of LPG is about 2.5 times heigher than that of mains gas so more heat is produced from the same volume of gas.

LPG is chemically reactive and will cause natural rubber and some plastics to deteriorate. Only equipment and fittings specifically designed for LPG should be used.

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