3 Tips For Safely Storing Spare Oxygen Tanks At Home
Many people rely on an oxygen machine to help them maintain proper levels of oxygen in their bloodstream. These oxygen machines utilize tanks filled with compressed oxygen in order to meet patients' needs. Storing spare oxygen tanks at home can be a tricky process. Without proper storage, these tanks can become a safety hazard.
Here are three tips that you can use to ensure your spare oxygen tanks are stored safely in the future.
1. Always store your tanks laying down.
While you might be tempted to stand your oxygen tanks up in order to conserve space while they are not in use, this could pose a serious safety risk. If a spare tank is knocked over, it could become damaged. The compressed gas inside the tank can begin to leak out, which could propel the tank like a rocket through the air.
By storing your spare tanks in a prone position, you help reduce the possibility that the tanks will be knocked over or damaged during storage.
2. Keep your tanks away from heat sources.
The oxygen stored within your spare tanks could expand and cause the tanks to burst if exposed to high temperatures. When you are storing your spare oxygen tanks at home, you need to find a location that is a safe distance from any heat sources. This means finding a room that isn't near a furnace, stove, grill, or other electrical devices that could produce heat.
Closets often make great storage locations since these rooms typically don't have a vent or outlets for electrical devices. Just be sure that the closet isn't near any heating ducts or adjoining a wall where your heating system is located to ensure maximum safety.
3. Store tanks away from smoking areas.
You should never smoke while you are using an oxygen machine, and you should stay a safe distance from individuals who are smoking in order to prevent spontaneous combustion. If someone in your household is a smoker, you will need to ensure that you create a designated smoking area that is far away from your stored oxygen tanks.
You should ensure that the tanks are not located in a room where smoking occurs, and any outdoor smoking should be done away from the exterior wall of a room where your oxygen tanks are stored.
Being able to properly store your spare oxygen tanks ensures that you will have access to the oxygen you need to survive without compromising your safety. Talk to a home health care provider, like Lincoln Mobility, for more help.