OK, this one is going to be a bit of obscure of an issue (hopefully!!) than yesterday's review of why you should upgrade many of your flexible plumbing lines to be braided stainless steel lines.

But some food (ha) for thought for you related to the gas grill you may have sitting just behind your house.

Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to run out from time to time to purchase a replacement propane tank to sit underneath your grill?  My experience has always been that I run out of propane in that small tank just when I'm ready to start grilling. 

So, it would seem fantastic, then, if your grill was hooked up to the much larger propane tank that your home also uses for heating, your gas water heater, your gas stove, etc. That way, the propane company that regularly comes to re-fill that large propane tank for you will be effectively ensuring that you always have propane for your gas grill.  How convenient!  :)

But wait --

Could there be a downside to having your gas grill connected to such a large supply of propane?  I'm going to say yes -- from my own personal experience -- thanks to a squirrel.

A few months ago, I came home after a week away, and when I walked out onto my back porch I was greeted by an overwhelming odor!?!

I eventually figured out that it was propane. 

I eventually figured out that it was coming from the gas grill. 

I eventually figured out that it was actually coming from the gas line running to the gas grill. 

I eventually figured out that a squirrel had chewed through that line while I was out of town, and that propane had been leaking (billowing??) into my back yard for at least a few days.

Thankfully, there weren't any explosions as a result of this squirrel's devious behavior -- but it caused me to (quickly!) reconsider whether I appreciated the convenience of having the gas grill hooked up to a large in ground propane tank.  I concluded that the convenience of not having to go out and purchase a new small propane tank every so often was not worth the risk of having the exposed gas line running to the grill damaged, and having lots of propane leaking out of an enormous propane tank. 

That conclusion was significantly reinforced when the propane company next came to fill my in ground propane tank.  I sort of wondered if they were surprised by how much propane I had used in the middle of the summer. 

I have yet to track down the squirrel to send him or her the bill for the propane....
 

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