Where do you store gasoline?

**TucsonMax** · 06-25-2009, 01:32 PM

I have regulation 5 gal jugs, use stabilizer, leave room to expand and rotate every 6 months. I'd like suggestions on where (physically) you store regular car/truck gasoline: inside garage/outside; alone or with other things (what things?) and what should I be aware of/never do in terms of storage? I don't have a shed or much outdor space and it can be over 100 degrees in Tucson for weeks at a time. (I read all of the old posts on gas - they are mostly about length of storage/sabilizing and disesel.) Thanks.

**Ken** · 06-25-2009, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by TucsonMax

I have regulation 5 gal jugs, use stabilizer, leave room to expand and rotate every 6 months. I'd like suggestions on where (physically) you store regular car/truck gasoline: inside garage/outside; alone or with other things (what things?) and what should I be aware of/never do in terms of storage? I don't have a shed or much outdor space and it can be over 100 degrees in Tucson for weeks at a time. (I read all of the old posts on gas - they are mostly about length of storage/sabilizing and disesel.) Thanks.

I've built/used a small concrete enclosure (locked and vented) to store about 50 gallons of fuel outdoors at a distance away from any buildings. I didn't do it, but it's probably a good idea to enclose the structure within a locked fence.

**Rick** · 06-25-2009, 03:05 PM

No one is going to like this answer. I'm not particularly fond of it myself but....in my garage. It's the only place I have to store them. I have four 5 gal. Blitz cans and one 5 gal. Explosion proof (yeah, right) can. Stabalized with head space. I check on them often for any signs of leaking. Also have five 20lb propane tanks in there. I'll also add I'm all electric so I have no hot water heater or any other ignition source in there.

However, if this place ever catches on fire I'm just gonna hop in the truck and keep driving.

**pgvoutdoors** · 06-25-2009, 03:29 PM

Now if you tell us that you sit in the garage when on the computer - That might explain a few things...

**crashdive123** · 06-25-2009, 04:56 PM

TucsonMax - I bought one of those smallis Rubbermaid sheds, put some shelving in it and store my gasoline there. Rick, with the better quality Blitz cans that you use it probably isn't an issue. I would never store the number of plastic gas cans (which I use) inside my garage unless it was a detached garage.

**Ken** · 06-25-2009, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

No one is going to like this answer. I'm not particularly fond of it myself but....in my garage. It's the only place I have to store them. I have four 5 gal. Blitz cans and one 5 gal. Explosion proof (yeah, right) can. Stabalized with head space. I check on them often for any signs of leaking. Also have five 20lb propane tanks in there. I'll also add I'm all electric so I have no hot water heater or any other ignition source in there.

However, if this place ever catches on fire I'm just gonna hop in the truck and keep driving.

*meth lab operator two houses away talking to his partner* "Well, my BOB's all set to go. I looked in the garage two houses down yesterday, and you wouldn't BELIEVE what's stored in there! That place is a bomb just waiting to go off!"

**Rick** · 06-25-2009, 05:52 PM

I had a T-shirt made up that says, "My gasoline is stored in the garage. If you see me running...step on it!"

**oldsoldier** · 06-25-2009, 06:04 PM

I store mine in my back yard storage bldg. Since it gets rotated on a regular basis in my mower,chipper,etc. (lined up in row use cans from the right side of line when I empty/refill a can it goes to left end of row and rest a slid to right. Same with kerosene. i keep 6 5 gal kerosene cans and 8 gas cans.

**RobertRogers** · 06-25-2009, 06:25 PM

You have to be very careful with this stuff. Half a dozen years ago I had a small apartment above the landlords garage. One of his cans of lawnmower gas rusted through one night, and the fumes came up through the floor and into my space.

Made me quite sick for several days. Could have gassed me, or even caused an explosion.

**TucsonMax** · 06-25-2009, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by crashdive123

I bought one of those smallis Rubbermaid sheds

Thanks Crash, that's exactly what I was thinking about using.

**crashdive123** · 06-25-2009, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by TucsonMax

Thanks Crash, that's exactly what I was thinking about using.

That was supposed to read smallish (darn fat fingers!). Here's a pic that gives you an idea of the size of the one I use. A note of caution - and Rick has posted this before as well - when using plastic gasoline storage containers it is easy to build up a static charge. Make sure you briefly ground the can before pouring.

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**Rick** · 06-25-2009, 07:25 PM

And don't fill them in the back of your pickup truck. That's a good way to start a fire. Set them on the ground to fill them. Setting them on ground will ground them and discharge any static that has built up. In addition, the fuel passing into the container can generate a static charge as well. If they are sitting on the ground the charge will be dissipated.

Good reminder, Crash!!

**Schleprok** · 06-25-2009, 08:04 PM

I've got the same cans as in Crash's pic. Stored in the shed out back. 6 cans, 5 gallons. Only ventilation is via the eaves. Shed is 8 by 10, framed like a house. Tin roof and siding. One window (closed) one door. Been in the 90s all week, heat index over 100. Shed still stands.

**TucsonMax** · 08-22-2009, 02:44 PM

An update on this post: I visited my local fire station to discuss the issue with them, I was concerned about high temps and storing propane in the same shed, leaned-up against the side of my house. Here's what the fireman suggested:

1) Use a metal cabinet, rather then a plastic one or wood shed. Basically, if there's a fire, metal will either: protect the gas inside the cabinet or contain the blaze inside (at least for a while). Where plastic will melt and wood burn, both quickly, thus either adding tremedous fuel to the fire, or quickly catching my house ablaze.

2) Also, no matter what or you use: LABEL the outside of the cabinet or shed with gas/flamable stickers. This little suggestion could save save lives.

**OhioHillbilly** · 08-22-2009, 03:51 PM

We keep ours in the red plastic cans but no all in the same place. I keep a couple behind the chicken coop and a few in the garage across the road. We use stabilizer and switch them out every six to eight months. We've been thinking about underground tanks, like the 100 gallon size. Same with rain water.

**Ken** · 08-22-2009, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by OhioHillbilly

We keep ours in the red plastic cans but no all in the same place. I keep a couple behind the chicken coop and a few in the garage across the road. We use stabilizer and switch them out every six to eight months. We've been thinking about underground tanks, like the 100 gallon size. Same with rain water.

Be VERY careful with underground tanks. A myriad of federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply, and you will most likely be required to have inspections and get permits, if you are even allowed to have one. This is one thing I wouldn't try to bend any rules doing.

If "only" 100 gallons of fuel were to somehow leak out of the tank, the clean-up costs, fines, and penalties you may be liable for could be tremendous, and could cost you your property.

Whatever you do, be very aware of the law regarding underground storage of MORE THAN 110 gallons of gasoline. Even if only 10% of the tank is below-ground, the tank is considered an "underground storage tank." http://www.deq.state.id.us/Waste/pro...gs_federal.pdf

**Rick** · 08-22-2009, 05:06 PM

We had a gas station leak fuel into one of our underground man holes. We used a "sniffer" that was inserted into man holes looking for things like fuel or hydrogen sulfide. That's how we found the leak. I have no idea how much it cost the station owner but judging from the size of the equipment and the number of days it took and the truck loads of contaminated soil that had to be removed, I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't in six figures.