This article will let you know why you MUST NOT keep gas cylinder in kitchen? Explained MUST have safety precautions, if cylinder you kept cylinder in kitchen. Ideally cylinder should be kept away from kitchen in well ventilated area and connect to gas stove through a sleeved copper pipe (specs inside) with shut-off valves at both ends. View it to know all you need to learn about installation and handling of the domestic gas cylinder for maximum safety.
Best location to keep the LPG cylinder at home
Quick summary in Video form
- LPG cylinder explodes when cylinder surface exposed to heat for a prolonged time resulting the conversion of a liquified form of LPG inside the cylinder to gaseous form in high pressure.
- That means you should be able to immediately able to put off the fire surrounding the cylinder, in case of fire around cylinder.
- Due to above reasons, do not store the cylinder near heat sources or a place with combustible materials.
Can we keep the LPG gas cylinder in kitchen?
- You can, but not at all recommended and avoid as much as possible.
- Never keep the LPG cylinder in a confined cavity below the kitchen platform enclosed by modular kitchen shutters. As LPG is heavier, if gas leaked it will not get dispersed outside resulting in a higher concentration of gas inside the cavity causing cylinder body gets heated when a fire occurs and cylinder explodes.
- Always keep the LPG gas stove on a platform above the LPG cylinder level.
Why locating the right place to keep Gas cylinder is important?
- As you are aware, LPG is dangerous if getting leaked inside a room. So, the cylinder should be placed in such a way that in case of accidental leaks, you are able to safely exhaust easily in open air.
- As LPG is heavier than air, it settles at the ground level when leaked. So, a room with a small exhaust vent or window will not be enough to easily exhaust the leaked gas in the room.
- If you position the cylinder away from the kitchen in an accessible place, if a fire occurs in kitchen accidentally, you can safeguard cylinder in getting heated and also close the cylinder valve easily to stop gas supply to the fire area.
- In summary, do not keep the LPG cylinder inside the kitchen. If you have no other option other than keeping cylinder in the kitchen, follow the MUST do actions mentioned in the article.
What are the preferred locations to keep LPG cylinder at home?
- Independent house – Preferably outside the home (refer below conditions).
- Keep the cylinder outside the home with a small chamber (to avoid theft) if possible. Even if you are keeping outside home in a room, ensure that the room is not with combustible material. This is to ensure that the cylinder does not get heated if an accidental fire happens.
- If you are keeping inside the home, ensure that you are keeping in any ventilated space other than the kitchen. Ideal space will be the one accessible to close the cylinder valve in case of fire inside the kitchen.
- Flat / Apartment – In balcony or area with maximum exposure to open air except kitchen.
- Ideal space will be the one accessible to close the cylinder valve in case of fire inside the kitchen.
- Ensure that we do not store the room with combustible material to avoid cylinder body getting heated in case of a fire caused by combustible material.
What if you do not have a space other than kitchen to keep the LPG cylinder? (MUST Dos)
- First and foremost, install a LPG (gas) leak sensor in kitchen. Low cost standalone units are available.
- Always have a portable fire extinguisher always available at home and kept in an always accessible location.
- Avoid Refrigerator (or heat sources like stoves or puja lamp) placing close to cylinder as heat emitted by it can heat the LPG cylinder.
- If your kitchen LPG cylinder is placed in closed cavity, you must either ensure that the sufficient vents are provided bottom level of the enclosure or remove the cabinet door to allow easy exhaust of the gas in case of leakage inside the cavity.
- If the flame colour is blue, the stove should be in good condition. Red or yellow colour flame shows incomplete combustion and a warning sign that the stove needs servicing. (Not to worry much, but good to rectify as blue flame will generate heat optimally (save money) and do not generate carbon monoxide when incomplete combustion occurs).
- Remember that a leak can occur because of faulty “O” ring rubber washer of a cylinder or faulty regulator mainly, faulty stove and rarely because of cylinder damages. So, we must be prepared with the above precautions.
Important safety precautions to be aware
What all the safety precautions you must have at home associated to LPG use?
- Foremost, install an LPG (gas) leak sensor in the kitchen. Standalone sensors are available at low cost. Preferred to choose the one with battery backup.
- Ensure that sensor is installed at a lower level (as leaked LPG settle down) near to cylinder (if located outside of kitchen) and/or stove.
- Have fire detection sensor in the kitchen and place where cylinder is placed. Standalone battery-operated sensors available at low cost.
- Every time when you change the cylinder, observe for gas leaks immediately and after 15 to 30 minutes. Hardened rubber washer on the cylinder next where regulator connects may cause leakage. Call gas distributor if leak observes. I observed the leak a few times and swapped the rubber washer (using a twicer) from an empty cylinder to solve the leak.
- You may substitute the standard gas regulator with an approved (preferably BIS approved) Automatic Gas Safety regulator with Gas Leakage Detector and Auto Cut Off mechanism. This automatic regulator helps to cut off the gas from stove to stove, in case if flame off due to wind or spill over of water from vessel or pipe leak situations. Consult with your LPG supplier before you substitute the regulator.
- Even there are gas stoves available in the market with automatic gas cut-off valve so that when flame off because of any reasons mentioned above will not cause gas filling up in the kitchen.
- Empty and full LPG cylinders must be kept in a cool and well-ventilated area with safety cap fixed.
- Always use BIS-approved appliances, including regulators.
- MUST not keep LPG gas cylinder at entrance of the house as in case of fire, it will obstruct the safe exit from the house.
What to do when gas leaked in the kitchen?
- Immediately close the gas cylinder valve and open all windows & doors to disperse the gas to open air.
- Use portable fire extinguisher immediately to put off the fire.
- Do not attempt to use FAN to exhaust gas as sparks in the fan may cause explosion. Avoid using any switch too.
- If fire is around the cylinder and you cannot close the valve or remove the cylinder from heat source, keep the cylinder cool by spraying the water or sand on it. If the fire is intense, call fire emergency service and evacuate the area.
How to connect the cylinder and gas stove when both are located in different locations?
(if cylinder is kept away from kitchen?)
Specifications & Best Practices for LPG gas pipe connection between cylinder and stove – Checklist
You can either use copper or stainless-steel pipe to connect. But must ensure you use right pipe specification and follow best practises listed below.
Copper pipe (Option-1)
- Insist sleeved copper pipe with 3/8 x 14 SWG (gauge) specification.
- Must use sleeved copper pipe to avoid risk of melting in case of any earth leakage in building.
- Must install shut-off valves at cylinder and stove ends.
- Insist single pipe without joints.
- Better not to conceal the pipe, especially when you have a joint (if unavoidable) in the pipe. Or have the joint area visible through a junction box if case if you have concealed.
- If concealed the pipe, mark on wall so that no one will accidentally drill or nail on that area.
- Ensure that the contractor does the pressure test after the installation.
Stainless-steel pipe (Option-2)
- Insist stainless-steel pipe with 3/8 x 16 SWG (gauge) specification. Bending will be difficult for a thicker grade at the same time we can avoid lower thickness.
- Use seamless stainless-steel tube (type IS 304)
- Must install shut-off valves at cylinder and stove ends.
- Insist single pipe without joints.
- Better not to conceal the pipe, especially when you have a joint (if unavoidable) in the pipe. Or have the joint area visible through a junction box if case if you have concealed.
- If concealed the pipe, mark on wall so that no one will accidentally drill or nail on that area.
- Ensure that the contractor does the pressure test after the installation.
- Typical life of SS life is believed to be 150 years.
- Cost perspective, stainless-steel 16 SWG expected to be cost more than sleeved copper of 14 SWG.
Other key notes for piping work to connect LPG cylinder and Gas stove
- Must use flexible, steel braided hoses to connect at cylinder and stove ends. (In India popularly known as SURAKSHA Rubber LPG Hose).
- At my flat, distance between both LPG cylinder and gas stove is 29 feet plus 3 feet braided steel pipe at both ends to connect to stove & cylinder. So, the distance between stove and LPG gas cylinder is 35 feet.
- As per the gas piping contractor, even a distance of 60+ feet should not create any issue as the gas pressure inside the cylinder is much high. However, you consult with the contractor to be double assured if the distance required for you is more. Installation is like what I mentioned in option-1 (copper piping). I have concealed the pipe, and for last 5 years it is under use.
Specifications of standard domestic gas cylinder used in India
- The typical life of a gas cylinder is 15 years. Due date for mandatory tests are printed on cylinders, commonly called as expiry date.
- 14.2 KG of Liquified gas is inside the domestic cylinder in RED colour.
- Typical empty gas cylinder will weight 15 to 16KGs. The total weight will be around 30 Kgs.
- You can check the weight by comparing the total weight printed on the cylinder with a body weighing machine. I observed many times that suppliers extract some quantity of gas resulting in lower total weight. Gas distributor will replace the cylinder when complain.
Disclaimer–I have shared learning and best practices from my experience. I tried to avoid errors. It is not possible to rule out the chances of error. If you find any error, please notify. You may try these learnings at your risk and I won’t be liable for any troubles it causes. However, I am happy to answer any clarification requests posted via the comments section.

Comments 10
very informative
Thank you for sharing
Great article
I find the blog post very interesting and moreover very informative. It helped to know the reasons why we should not keep gas cylinders in Kitchen.
A must read article for everyone using gas cylinder for cooking.
Great article. This is very useful for me. Thank you for sharing
hi..sir ..
if i put pipeline for gas for my kitchen from ground floor… horizontal may be aound 60 running feet is running and verticle piping around more than 80 running feet,,, is their any gas pressure drop or i will get the same pressure …
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