Posted: August 3, 2026
Our team at Tevis Energy is committed to ensuring your year-round comfort. At the heart of that mission is keeping your propane tank filled so all your gas-powered equipment, including your heating system, water heater, stove, generator, dryer, and so much more, stays up and running. But you may have noticed that after a propane delivery, your tank gauge reads around 80%, not 100%. Here’s why.
Propane tanks are never filled all the way to the top, and that’s by design. Propane is stored as a liquid, and like most liquids, it expands as the temperature rises. If a tank were filled all the way to 100%, or even close to it, there would be no room for that expansion, which could lead to dangerous pressure buildup.
To prevent this, propane providers fill tanks to about 80% of their total capacity. A 120-gallon aboveground tank, for example, typically holds around 96 gallons of propane, while a 500-gallon tank usually holds about 400 gallons. This standard practice keeps your tank operating safely and efficiently all year long. And rest assured, you’re only ever billed for the actual gallons delivered, not for any empty space in the tank.
Keeping an eye on your propane level is easy thanks to the gauge on top of your tank. You’ll find it under the dome, displaying numbers in a circular pattern that usually range from 5 to 95. The position of the needle tells you how full your tank is. If it’s pointing to 50, your tank is about half full.
Prefer not to walk outside to check your tank levels? Want peace of mind even when you’re away from home? Tevis Energy offers wireless tank monitors that attach directly to your tank and track your propane level in real time. Our team is notified automatically when it’s time to schedule your next delivery, so you don’t have to think twice about it. If you lease your tank from us, then your first year of monitor leasing is free, repairs included.
Homeowners throughout Cumberland County, nearby areas of Southern Pennsylvania, Central Maryland, and the rest of our Mid-Atlantic service region trust Tevis Energy to keep their propane simple and stress-free.
Ready to make propane one less thing to worry about? Ask us about enrolling in automatic delivery, and enjoy benefits like:
Contact Tevis Energy today to become a customer and start getting the most reliable propane delivery in the Mid-Atlantic region.
