At the time of writing this HowTo we are now in Spring and entering into Summer but year round we may have reason to store Gasoline in our Garages and Sheds for use in lawnmowers, weed wackers other garden tools and in the winter we should have a supply ready for use in our gasoline powered snow blowers.
The first thing you should understand after knowing that Gasoline can cause fires is that storing gasoline for your tools should be kept to a minimum. This means if you have less then or about an acre of grass you should only need to keep about one gallon on hand. The same is true if you are storing gasoline for snow blowing in the winter. You should only keep what you will use within a couple weeks.
The reason for this is both safety and because Gasoline can go bad over time. When gasoline is produced it is shipped to the service station within a few weeks and then used in our vehicles almost immediately. Gasoline that is stored over winter and not used will usually require a stabilizer liquid additive.
The best solution for storing gasoline in a small quantity is an approved container made out of thick polypropylene plastic or heavy steel. The stronger and less resistant to puncture the better. You should never store gasoline in a glass jar which can break or in a plastic food container like an orange juice jug that could melt from contact with the gasoline over an extended time.
Gasoline is normally stored in a Red container and diesel or kerosene is kept in a blue container. You should never mix the containers because cross contamination of only small amounts can cause explosive results in your Kerosene heaters.
Where To Store The Gas Can
You should limit your risk of fire by keeping the gasoline outside in a detached garage or shed. You never want to keep gasoline anywhere near an appliance that uses natural gas or propane and this includes water heaters and furnaces.
If you do not have a shed you may want to purchase a small plastic storage box or build a small storage container.
If you must keep gasoline inside your home you should only do so in your garage and this is only ok to do in the winter time just prior to a snow storm. Keep just enough gasoline to allow use of your snow blower and keep your main storage in a shed away from your home.
Is it ok to keep extra gas in a can in the trunk of your car?
No you should not keep extra gasoline in your vehicle because heat can cause the gas to expand the container it is in and either burst the lid off the container or burst a seam.
What happens is the gasoline liquid combines with the air in the container and because it is more dense then air it expands the container.
If you are traveling on a trip and know you will need gasoline for your stove then bring an empty container and fill it up when you reach your destination.
What type of container is best for storing large amounts of fuel at a farm or business?
If you are going to store more then 5 gallons of gasoline on a continuous basis for fueling a tractor or atv or for other reasons then you should look into specialize outdoor containers. Most medium sized containers will need some type of protection from the elements and you will most likely need a pump that is specifically designed for flammable products. A standard pump could cause a spark.
For this type of storage container you should contact your local supplier and also your fire marshal because you may need a permit and inspection.