What Are The Most Common Propane Tank Sizes?

A Short Guide to Finding the Right Size Tank for Your Home or Business

For starters, you’re probably familiar with portable tanks like those you use with a grill. Those tanks usually give their capacity in pounds, which ranges from 5 to 100 pounds. But residential and commercial propane tanks are noticeably larger, and their size is given as their water capacity volume in gallons.

For your familiarity, propane is stored in a liquid state under pressure, and it always needs room to expand into a vapor. That’s why propane tanks are “filled” to 80% of its water capacity. For example, a 120-gallon tank will hold approximately 100 gallons of propane when completely full.

No matter whether you are looking for propane for your home or your business, size matters. There’s no one “typical” size, as most homes have tanks with a capacity from 150 and 500 gallons depending on their specific uses and requirements. For commercial applications, tanks can go over 1000 gallons and more.

How Do I Find the Right Size Propane Tank for My Home?

To know what size tank you need, you need to know how you will use your propane. For a homeowner, it might be just for cooking, or for heating water, heating your home, and more. For a business, there are more variables to consider.

Either way, the pros at Rand Wade can take the guesswork out of calculating the best size tank for your needs. Here’s a general guideline to get you started:

• 40- to 100-pound cylinders: If you plan to use propane for a gas grill, patio heater, outdoor cookstove or for an RV, a refillable portable cylinder tank is what you want. Warehouses, construction, and similar businesses use 33-pound cylinders to power forklifts.
• 120-gallon propane tank: This size tank is perfect if you only use propane just for water heating or space heating, or to fuel a range or clothes dryer.
• 150-gallon propane tank: If you have one or two low-Btu appliances, such as a water heater, cooking range, space heaters, wall heaters or a clothes dryer, this size tank should provide ample propane. It’s also the right size for a small dry-cleaning business or commercial cooking.
• 250-gallon propane tank: For three or more propane appliances like ranges, water heaters or fireplaces—but not a furnace or boiler—you may need to go up to this size. This size is also adequate for commercial cooking or restaurants operating one or two appliances, fryers, or a big grill.
• 500-gallon propane tank: This, in most cases, is a great size to utilize if you heat your home with propane; especially if you live in a region where winter lasts 3 months or longer. You’ll have enough propane to simultaneously fuel appliances including fireplaces, ranges, and water heaters. For business, this is the size for various agricultural applications, bigger commercial kitchens, and generators.
• 800- to 1,000-gallon propane tanks: This capacity will fuel an extra-large residential home or small commercial business heated with propane that also uses several propane appliances, or high-use residential applications like multifamily homes. It also serves high-Btu propane appliances like pool and spa heaters, commonly used in the hospitality sector.

Once we’ve helped you determine the best size tank for your needs, our in-house team of professionals can help determine the best location for your tank and make sure it’s installed safely. We’ve been installing tanks for all kinds of homes and businesses for more than 50 years!

First Comes the Tank…Then Comes Propane Delivery

In addition to a safely installed tank, you’ll want to be sure you have reliable propane delivery service to ensure you always have propane. You want a company that puts customers first.

That inherently means offering fair, transparent pricing, but it also means offering real value and true reliability, with products and services designed to make your life easier. And it’s what makes Rand Wade the local favorite for prompt, reliable, courteous propane delivery service to homes and businesses across eastern North Carolina.

Ready to get started? Rand Wade’s experts can help you understand all your options when it comes to propane tank sizes. Contact us today.