Posted: November 17, 2025
Some of us have been using propane for years and other people are just starting to think about switching over to the fuel and installing a propane tank on their property.
If you fall into the second category, there is so much to learn and know about getting set up and started with the fuel. This includes determining what size propane tank you should get, how much propane can safely go into a tank at a time and what kind of timeline you can expect out of a tank.
Considering all the information that there is to cover, let’s get started!
Propane tanks come in a range of sizes. Here at Fraticelli Oil & Propane we offer customers the option of leasing tanks in the following sizes:
When you are trying to figure out what size propane tank you will need, you should think about the size of your home, what exactly you will be using propane for and the age and condition of the appliances you are wanting to use propane to power.
One very important piece of information to keep in mind is that the size of your propane tank does not equate to how much fuel can safely be in it at a time. A 500-gallon propane tank should never actually have 500 gallons of propane inside. Allow us to explain.
For safety purposes, a propane tank should only ever be filled to the 80% point. It is necessary to leave an extra 20% for the fuel inside to expand. This will happen as temperatures increase. Therefore, a 120-gallon propane tank should only have 96 gallons of propane in it at a time and so forth.
While installing a propane tank on your property may seem like a big and serious investment, homeowners can count on them lasting a long time. We are talking close to about 30 years if they are well cared for.
Annual professional maintenance is the best thing that you can do to care for and help your propane tank last as long as possible. These appointments will also help catch any small problems before they turn into huge and potentially severely damaging issues.
Homeowners should also inspect their tanks regularly for rust, dents and corrosion, keep their tanks filled with fuel and clean their tanks.
Fraticelli Oil & Propane makes it easy for anyone to become a propane customer. We lease and install propane tanks and tank monitors throughout central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.
Contact the Fraticelli team today to hear more about our propane tank installation process and propane services.