Propane delivery drivers work to get ahead of winter storm

SARATOGA COUNTY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - As another winter storm is headed towards the Capital Region, some homeowners may be concerned about staying warm and heating their houses. In an effort to make sure everyone in need has heat, Ferrellgas has been delivering propane to anyone in need ahead of the snowy weather.

AJ Witchley, the district manager for Ferrellgas out of Johnstown, said he services about 30 homes a day and has been sending drivers to calls as much as possible.

“There was a lot of more snow we’ve seen in past years," Witchley said. "Customers are using more gas, which is alarming to them.“

Witchley said many people are not vigilant about checking up on their tanks, and therefore let their tank levels get too low. He said about 15% is too low and that homeowners will need to be refilled. In order to check your tank level, Witchley said to find the dial gauge and find what the number is.

“The actual dial gauge is what the tank is reading," Witchlet said. "That’s for the customer. As a propane driver, you work your bleeder on the tank, as you call it, and that lets you know when you’re actually full.”

The entire process takes Witchley about 13 minutes, but there are preparations and safety measures that go into refilling a tank, such as finding the tank, wearing protective gloves, and boot cleats. In order to make the service as simple and efficient as possible, Witchley recommends shoveling your driveway, clearing any snow off your propane tank, and having a clear path to the tank.

Witchley said if a technician is unable to get to your house on the day you anticipated, make sure that you're prepared with a secondary heating source, such as space heaters and a furnace.