Posted: May 19, 2025
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Grilling season. For some folks, it’s always a good time to fire up the propane grill, but for most of us, as the season shifts warmer, we head outside to grill everything from fruit to fish, and from hot dogs to secret recipe barbecue.
If it’s been a minute since you last fired up your propane grill, make sure you’re ready to go and avoid the disappointment of a low or empty propane tank. Of course, if you have a built-in grilling setup, your grill may be connected to your main propane supply. But if you use portable cylinders, you need to check your tank level.
Here’s what you need to know!
It’s likely been a while since you last fired up the grill, and even longer since you refilled your tank. There’s no gauge, but you can use a scale. Look for the tare weight (TW) stamped on the handle. This is the weight of your tank when empty. Weigh your tank and subtract the tare weight to know how many pounds of propane are in your tank. The average grill uses 1.5 pounds of propane an hour at medium-high.
Ready to bring your tank in for a fill-up? It’s easy to remove your tank. First, make sure your grill is off, and the tank valve is closed (turn it all the way to the right, until it’s tight.) Next, unscrew the grill pressure regulator by turning it to the left. Some grill models also have a restraining bolt. Just loosen it, and remove the tank. To reconnect, follow those steps in reverse. Be sure the tank valve is closed when you reconnect the pressure regulator.
Your safety is important to us, so follow these rules when transporting your refillable cylinder.
Some people appreciate the swap-and-go convenience of a cylinder exchange. But savvy customers love the savings they get by refilling.
First, you’ll save on the price of the propane. The difference can be up to $1.75 per gallon! You’ll also avoid restocking fees
You also save because you’ll pay only for the propane you use. When you choose to refill your propane tank, you’re only buying the propane to fill the rest of your cylinder. When you opt to exchange your cylinder, you don’t get credit for any propane left in the tank when you take it to be exchanged. Because think about it: When you know your propane cylinder is starting to run low, your instinct is to take it in to exchange before you run out. So unless you run them until they’re completely empty, you could be wasting half a tank or more over the span of a few tanks.
Superior has 10 convenient locations across East Alabama, West Georgia and Northwest Florida for fast, easy propane tank refills. Contact us or come by today and be ready to grill this weekend!