What size propane tank do I need to run a gas fireplace?
For a fireplace on its own, a stationary 120-gallon tank comfortably covers it — a 100 lb cylinder or a pair of them can work at the small end. If the tank also feeds your furnace and water heater, you're already in 250- to 500-gallon territory, and a fireplace barely adds to it. Your propane supplier sizes the tank; we size the gas line.
It comes down to two questions
First: is the fireplace the only propane appliance, or one of several? A fireplace by itself sips fuel — roughly 20,000 to 40,000 BTU an hour — so a modest stationary tank covers it. But if that same tank runs a furnace, water heater, range, and dryer, the fireplace is a rounding error and the furnace dictates the size. Second: how cold does it get where you are? That matters more than people expect, which brings us to vaporization.
Why we steer you toward a stationary tank
Propane has to boil off — vaporize — inside the tank to feed the appliance, and a small tank has less surface area to do it. On a frigid mountain morning in Fairview or up near Cashiers, a little cylinder can struggle to keep up with a fireplace's demand and the flame drops. A stationary tank — 120 gallons and up, above or below ground — has the surface area to vaporize steadily through a cold snap and cuts your refill trips. For a permanent fireplace, that's almost always the right call over a portable cylinder.
Who does what
The tank itself — buying or leasing, setting it, filling it — is coordinated with your propane supplier. Steady Flame handles everything downstream: the licensed gas line from the tank to the fireplace, sized for the load, permitted, and pressure-tested. We do this coordination constantly across propane country, so we can talk to your supplier directly about placement and capacity. Call (828) 545-0525 for a free in-home assessment.
How we can help
Related questions
- Do I need a bigger propane tank if I add a gas fireplace?
- Can my fireplace share a propane tank with my furnace and water heater?
- How long will a 100 lb propane tank run a gas fireplace?
- How close to the house can a propane tank be placed?
- Can a propane tank be buried underground?
- How do I know if my house has natural gas or propane?
Still deciding? Talk to a real installer.
Free assessments across Western North Carolina — no pressure, straight answers.