What size propane tank do I need to run a gas fireplace or log set at home?
Mills River is largely propane country — rural large-lot homes here mostly run on a tank rather than a gas main. Size it to the whole gas load: an indoor fireplace alone fits a 120- or 250-gallon tank, but add an outdoor fire pit, patio heater, or range and the demand climbs toward 500 gallons.
Add up the outdoor gas features too
Mills River's open valley and big lots make it prime outdoor-living country, and a lot of homes here run propane. The mistake is sizing a tank for the indoor fireplace alone, then adding a built-in gas fire pit or a permanent patio heater and finding the tank undersized for everything running at a fall gathering.
A single indoor fireplace is a light load — a 120-gallon (about 420-lb) or buried 250-gallon tank covers it. Once outdoor features, a range, and water heating join in, we calculate the combined peak and usually land on a 500-gallon tank.
The 20-pound-bottle question
Plenty of Mills River homeowners ask if a freestanding fire pit can just run off a 20-lb bottle. A portable feature can — but a built-in, hard-plumbed pit or a permanent patio heater should tie into the house tank and be professionally connected, which is licensed gas work with a Henderson County permit.
Your propane company sizes, sets, and fills the tank. We run and permit everything from the regulator in — indoors and out.
Plan it before entertaining season
The open valley here rewards outdoor fire features, and the time to plan the tank and lines is late spring, ahead of the season — not the week you're hosting.
Mills River's 25 minutes south of our showroom. Call (828) 545-0525 for a free assessment.
Fireplace help in Mills River
We install and service fireplaces throughout Mills River and the rest of Henderson County — just 25 minutes south from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- Can I run a gas fire pit off a 20-lb propane tank?
- What gas pressure does a fireplace need for natural gas versus propane?
- Can my gas meter or propane regulator handle adding a fireplace?
- How much gas does a fireplace use per hour at full input?
- Will my fireplace put out less heat on propane than on natural gas?