Sometimes you run into home expenses than are just plain unfun/depressing/insert disappointed descriptor here. I would have much rather made some cute decor purchases instead of dealing with our propane tank, but there’s an aesthetic win here too so hold tight!
Our range and water heaters use propane. Originally we wanted to bury the propane tank, but it’s more expensive. We decided to settle with leaving it above ground (very common around here), but just hide it behind those trees to the right of that picture.
Unfortunately when they were installing it, they hit rock and couldn’t move it past the end of our driveway with the standard equipment. You came up over the hill and looked at the ugly propane tank. Ugh. Fine bury the stupid thing. Take my decorating money. Rude.
The installation estimate gave us a range depending on if they hit rock and the amount of rock, etc. Obviously they hit rock pretty soon into the dig. It actually wasn’t that bad. You can see the beginnings of the rock shelf at the top left. At least it wasn’t over the entire hole.
No big deal. Just time to break out the jack hammer attachment.
Once the rock was broken up, the rest of hole could be dug out. I didn’t have a body to hide (at the moment), so I figured might as well go with the original plan and bury the tank. Plus lots of witnesses around.
The under ground tank is slightly different. The valves are above, so they can fill it with propane as needed. It’s the same size as the one that was installed above ground.
They maneuvered the tank into the spot.
You can see that little green trash can looking thing. It slips over the propane tank once it was situated to protect the valve. Then bam the hole is filled.
The cost included installation (labor + equipment rental) and the tank since an underground tank can’t be rented. Apparently burying it is a pretty permanent thing. Go figure. We decided to pay for the propane when they come and fill it instead of doing an easy payment plan. We’ve never had propane and don’t have an accurate estimate of how much we will use, so it seemed like the smarter choice to just pay as you go.
Ugly propane tank view gone. Now all that’s left is a little green door. We’ve had some rain since then, so I need to put some more dirt around and let it compact some more…or I could get grass. Another unfun home expense.
what a great idea! i want to bury all the ugly things! can i bury my ac? 😉
OH I feel you on that! I don’t think it would be efficient, but you try and let me know how that works out for you!
not as exciting as a geometric painted floor, but it’s nice to have it underground. I’m nominating my decrepit back deck for being buried. Hmm….wait…..
Definitely not as exciting and most definitely more expensive and non DIY-able. Take the burn approach to the deck then bury the ashes.
Even though it was kind of a pain to do and more expensive than you wanted to pay, I feel like this will be a decision you will be so glad about for years to come. We’ve spent lots of $ on things for our house that are not pretty but necessary (hello new furnace!) and it’s nice to check that stuff off your list and not have to think about it again. Until you start longing for a new sofa or nicer flooring or fancy kitchen countertops… 😉
Absolutely! The good thing about the building is I don’t feel like there are huge/expensive projects to tackle (with the exception of landscaping, well, sprinkler system, grass…ugh), but there are so many small to medium projects that it’s testing my patience. Of course burying the propane tank logically should happen before all the other landscaping stuff, so in the grand scheme of things it was the right call to be made in the right order.
I am with Cassie on that. I so want to bury my ac.
We considered getting a propane tank when we remodeled, but I just couldn’t deal with that tank… So we stayed all electric.
I love how you dealt with it all. Head on and all that…
You guys ROCK 
Having a gas range was non negotiable so propane was a must. We actually loved our induction cooktop at the last house, but we wanted to be able to use a cast iron skillet. There really should be an option for 4 gas burners and 2 induction burners. That would be the best designed range ever. We miss the induction for boiling water for coffee and melting chocolate. The struggle.
Yes! Unfun home expenses straight up suck! Thank goodness it’s a one-time thing. We had our basement flood in our old house twice within three months so paying for new carpet twice and the water removal twice was awful. We try to just let it go, but it can be hard. Can’t wait to see more finished house pics!
Oh yuck!! That’s the worst! Finished house pics…bahaha. This house will never be finished. I keep telling myself I need to get a few shots of some completed spots, but then I look around and realize there are no completed spots. Tragic. We are the slowest decorators ever which is one reason why we started the blog, so we would start doing things. Of course this month I’m just not posting instead of doing things. Ha. I actually am close to finishing the nursery, so I don’t want to reveal those projects until it’s done. About time though Beckett is 8 months tomorrow!! Yikes.
I’m kind of scared of it 😉
I’m so glad we have natural gas! No fun to spend money on this
Yeah definitely not fun and slightly terrifying, but natural gas is not an option out here. Boo. We had it at our last house for our water heater and central heater. Of course we didn’t have it in the kitchen where we would have gotten the most benefit from it!
I find it disturbing that I was considering how many bodies would fit into that hole [grown humans] when you had a similar thought. If you ever need help with Nick, let me know 😉
Oh I kinda like that guy I think I’ll keep him. I do have another list…just kidding.
Sorry about your gas issue.
No, really. I am. That stinks. We didn’t run gas to this house because we were too cheap to pay for it each month. Glad it worked out!
your mom has gas issues
Ack! I hate having to spend money on stuff like this! I feel your pain! xoxo
I didn’t even know that they COULD bury a propane tank? Ha. I must live under a rock. We will have propane for our new house, so I’m keeping this in my back pocket.
I bet it’s one of those things that you wouldn’t be aware of until you were given the option. I mean you notice the tanks above ground, but it wouldn’t register that the green cover was anything unusual. I think our neighborhood has nearly 50% of the houses with buried tanks. They definitely aren’t pretty to look at, and you can’t really pretty them up by hiding them since you have to have access to them.
Propane, and propane accessories. What a drag. It looks a lot better though. Good work, Wills.
Thanks you can come stare at our green dome any time.
Do you remember where you got the green box with the lid? I am needing one and having a hard time finding it.
Thanks !
The company who installed the tank put it on. Maybe contact your propane provider?
Can you let me know where you got the green box from and cover. Looking for that exact thing
The company that installed it brought the green box.