How To Decipher The Expiration Date On Your Grill's Propane Tank

Most gas grill enthusiasts are knowledgeable about general safety tips like storing your propane correctly and burping your propane tank before grilling, yet many aren't aware that those tanks can actually expire. At least every 12 years, propane canisters in the United States are required by law to be recertified as functional because the structural integrity can degrade over time. If you are the type of person who only whips up smoky grilled fare once in a blue moon, it might be worth checking the expiration date before calculating how much gas is left in the tank.

Interestingly enough, you have probably seen the expiration date before and paid it no mind. The handle of the propane tank features several imprinted numbers and letters, and among them is a born-on date. It is displayed as a four-digit number that signifies the month and year the container was constructed, such as "0621," which would indicate that it was made in June 2021.

There is also usually a series of numbers and letters prior to that number that act as an identification code for that specific canister. It's not of much importance to you as a propane customer, as it is meant to assist technicians when they are requalifying a tank as safe, but it can help you locate the manufacturing date if you have trouble finding it. If the born-on date on your tank is approaching the 12-year mark, you will want to take action immediately to ensure your next barbecue doesn't end in disaster.

The good thing is that if you do find that your grill's propane tank is about to expire, all you need to do is take it in for a replacement, just as you would when it runs out of juice. Whichever company services those containers will have one of their technicians check it for defects and make sure the tank is fully intact before refilling it. Once the canister has been recertified, it doesn't need to be checked again for another five years.

A propane tank's manufacturing date isn't quite like an expiration date on food, but one could argue that it is actually far more dangerous than an edible product that might make you sick. There are hundreds of injuries that stem from propane tank-related fires every year, as well as dozens of deaths related to burns and explosions. If you find yourself inclined to give an expired container one more go before trading it in, you might want to rethink how much grilled fare you will be missing out on if you end up in the hospital due to an exploding expired tank.