How to store gasoline safely at home
The CPSC says store gasoline in a child-resistant gas can with the cap on, in a cool, well-ventilated place, and never inside the house, in a basement or near pilot lights, heaters or other things that can light it. Fill the can on the ground, not in a truck bed or trunk, to cut the risk of static igniting the vapors (Mass.gov).
If vapors inside a gas can catch fire, the CPSC says the can can force out burning vapor and liquid in a blowtorch-like jet, and thousands of people go to the emergency room every year with burns from flammable liquids.
- The rules
- How much can you keep?
- Filling and carrying a gas can
- How long stored gasoline lasts
- Refueling a generator
- Carbon monoxide warning
- Gear
The rules
- Use an approved gas can of 5 gallons or less, made for gasoline (Unified Fire Authority, Utah). Never glass jars, milk jugs or plastic bags (Lehi Fire Dept., CPSC).
- Buy a child-resistant can and keep it out of reach of children (CPSC).
- Cap on, always. Never leave a can open (CPSC). Keep the spout and vent sealed too (UFA).
- Cool and well ventilated (CPSC). A locked shed or detached garage is best (Mass.gov).
- Never in the house or basement, and never near fuel-burning appliances, pilot lights, open flames, stoves, heaters or electric mowers (CPSC).
- Remember the vapors. Gasoline fumes are heavier than air (UFA), and the CPSC says they are invisible.
How much can you keep?
Limits come from your local fire code, so check with your fire department. Two Utah examples, both based on the International Fire Code:
| Fire department | Limit for a home |
|---|---|
| Lehi Fire Department | 25 gallons total. No more than 10 gallons in an attached garage. None in a basement. Strongly recommends no more than 5 gallons. |
| Unified Fire Authority | 30 gallons of gasoline, and no more than you need for your equipment. |
Lehi counts empty cans as if they were full. Both say to keep a 2A10BC rated fire extinguisher where you store fuel.
Filling and carrying a gas can
- Put the can on the ground before you fill it. Never fill it in a truck bed or car (UFA, CPSC).
- Keep the nozzle touching the inside of the can while it fills. This cuts the risk of static lighting the vapors (Mass.gov).
- No smoking near gasoline (CPSC).
- Carry it upright and secure, away from passengers, in the trunk or a pickup bed (Mass.gov).
How long stored gasoline lasts
- Briggs & Stratton says gas can start to break down in as little as 30 days (Briggs & Stratton).
- Heat, sunlight and air make it go bad faster. Store it cool, dry and out of the sun (Honda).
- Honda says add fuel stabilizer to the can each time you fill it, following the stabilizer's directions. Stabilizer will not fix fuel that is already stale (Honda).
- Check your generator manual for ethanol limits. Honda says not to use fuel with more than 10% ethanol in its generators (Honda).
- For fuel stored 12 months or more, Honda passes on the EPA's suggestion: add it to a car's gas tank when the tank is fairly full (Honda).
Refueling a generator
- Turn the generator off and let it cool before you add fuel (Washington State Dept. of Health).
- Do not siphon gasoline. The CDC says it can cause burns, poisoning and lung damage.
- Never use gasoline to start or restart a fire (CPSC).
Carbon monoxide warning
Stored gasoline usually means a generator. The fuel can burn you, but the exhaust is what kills most people.
The CDC says more than 400 Americans die every year from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning not linked to fires, more than 100,000 go to the emergency room, and more than 14,000 end up in the hospital. You cannot see or smell the gas. People who are asleep or drunk can die before they ever feel sick.
- Never run a generator, grill, camp stove or charcoal inside your home, basement or garage, even with the doors and windows open (CDC).
- Run generators outside, more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents (CDC). Not on a porch or in a carport (CPSC).
- Never heat your home with a gas oven (CDC).
- Have a battery-powered or battery backup carbon monoxide alarm on every level and outside sleeping areas, and test it monthly (CPSC).
- Headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain or confusion can mean carbon monoxide poisoning (CDC). If the alarm sounds or anyone feels this way, get everyone outside, then call 911 or Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
Read the full rules on portable generator safety.
Common mistakes
- Keeping gas cans in the basement or next to the water heater or furnace.
- Filling a can while it sits in the truck bed or trunk.
- Using an old milk jug, glass jar or any can not made for gasoline.
- Leaving the cap or vent open.
- Siphoning gas by mouth. The CDC warns of burns, poisoning and lung damage.
- Storing gas for a year with no stabilizer and expecting the generator to start.
- Refueling a hot generator.
Gear for this
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Gas can with a flame arrestor, child-resistant cap
Since 2023 the CPSC requires flame mitigation devices on new gas cans to protect against flame jetting. Check the label.
Fuel stabilizer
Honda says add it each time you fill your gas can.
2A10BC fire extinguisher
The rating Lehi and Unified Fire fire departments call for where fuel is stored.
Questions people ask
Can I store gasoline in my garage?
Many fire codes allow a limited amount. Lehi Fire Department in Utah, for example, allows no more than 10 gallons in an attached garage. A detached garage or shed is better, and the CPSC says never store it near pilot lights, heaters or fuel-burning appliances.
How long does stored gasoline last?
Briggs & Stratton says it can start to break down in as little as 30 days. Honda says add stabilizer each time you fill the can and keep it cool and out of the sun.
How much gasoline can I store at home?
It depends on your local fire code. Two Utah fire departments set 25 and 30 gallons, and Lehi strongly recommends no more than 5. Ask your local fire department.
Sources
- CPSC: Fuel Container Safety tips (2023)
- CPSC: Flame Mitigation Devices required on gas cans (2023)
- Mass.gov: Gasoline Safety
- Unified Fire Authority (Utah): Fuel Storage at Home (PDF)
- Lehi Fire Department (Utah): Home Fuel Storage Limits
- Honda: Generator Fuel Recommendations
- Briggs & Stratton: The Importance of Fuel Stabilizer
- Washington State Department of Health: Generator Use During a Power Outage
- CDC: What to Do to Protect Yourself During a Power Outage
- CDC: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics
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General safety information only, not medical or professional advice. Rules can change, so check the linked sources and follow your local officials. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.