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How to make an underground propane dome blend in with the landscape

Propane gas is an amazingly convenient, efficient, and cost-effective way to meet your heating needs. But for many homeowners, propane is something they want to keep out of site and out of mind. If you have an underground tank, the only sign of propane you usually see is a propane dome in your yard.

Overall, propane tank domes are rather inconspicuous. They only rise about a foot above ground and tend to be green so they blend in with the yard.

If you recently had an underground propane tank installed in your yard and are ready to make it more beautiful for the season, here are some landscaping tips.

Here’s 4 landscaping ideas to hide your underground propane tank dome:

1. Create a perrenial flower bed

The benefit of a perrenial flower bed surrounding your propane tank dome is that your plants will come up every year! Less work for you. Perrenial ground covering is a great solution to cover a larger area around your propane tank dome. Check out this list from Better Home and Gardens for ground covering inspiration.

A flower bed can help a propane tank blend in with the natural landscape.

2. Cover the dome with a faux-rock cover

Rock-shaped propane tank covers and other camoflauging solutions on the market can hide your propane dome and add a little more interest to your landscaping. Rockon offers natural looking rock shaped covers to place over your propane dome.

A rock-like cover for an underground propane dome via www.propanetankcovers.com.

3. Surround the dome with metal or wood garden decorations

If you weren’t blessed with a green thumb, consider using metal or wood garden decorations. consider decorative wooden or metal flowers. Just remember, wooden ones will wear out if left exposed to winter weather.

4. Draw people’s eyes upwards with fountains or bird feeders

You definitely don’t want a real water feature on or around your propane tank, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with look-a-like ornaments. Any light object with multiple legs could camouflage your lid effectively.

By drawing the eye up, it’ll be almost as if you don’t have a tank there at all. Plus, you’ll be at much less risk of ever tripping over the lid. Just make sure the item can’t sink into the soil or render your tank inaccessible in an emergency.

What to know before you decide to landcape around your propane tank dome

One great benefit You don’t have to worry about seeing it on the outside of your home. Underground tanks are more protected from the elements.

Unlike above-ground tanks, an underground tank only exposes one key part: The secured dome that houses valves, gauges, and regulators. The dome is a critical component. And propane tank domes can blend in nicely with your yard with a little work.

Before you choose a landscaping option, keep these important factors in mind:

Access

No matter what workaround you decide on, easy access is critical. Not only do you need to be able to get to your tank conveniently – in rain, snow, or shine – but contractors and others might need to help you inspect or maintain it. Poor access is not only inconvenient, it can also be dangerous.

Safety

Speaking of danger: “Out of sight, out of mind” might work for many things, but your underground propane tank shouldn’t be one of them. Be sure to avoid positioning decorative elements such that they could fall and damage the tank or prevent you from noticing problems that might arise with the dome.

Plant types and root systems

Your underground propane tank has gas lines and connectors you do not want your plants root systems to damage. In general, choose grasses, flowers, and perrenial plants with root systems that wont damage your tank or its connecting lines. Do not plant large shrubs or trees near your propane gas tank. Also avoid plants or shrubs that will alter the soil composition around the tank. That could contribute to leakage or other accidents.

Get creative when concealing your underground propane tank

Having an underground propane tank is already a great step toward a tidy and uncluttered yard. With a little creativity, you can take things further and ensure that your tank completely blends in. As long as you keep safety in mind, there are many ways to make a propane tank lid disappear!