Propane is popular in remote parts of Michigan, like the Upper Peninsula. (image: npsjr via flickr.com)
Michigan residents, who burn more propane than any other state in the country, just got a reminder from the governor to leave the service work on their LPG heating systems to the pros.
Earlier today, Gov. Jennifer Granholm told propane consumers to hire properly licensed contractors for maintenance or installation work. And with that in mind, the state’s Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG) launched a webpage to educate consumers on the requirements for working on LPG heating systems.
“We urge homeowners to consider hiring a qualified contractor who has the expertise to alter or install such systems,” one DELEG official says.
So for state residents, here’s how to play your next repair job or system installation by the book:
• Hire only licensed mechanical contractors.
• Make sure they obtain the proper permits.
• When the work’s done, notify one of the state’s mechanical inspectors for an on-site inspection.
Michiganders guzzled more than 10 million barrels of propane in 2008, according to federal data — more than 2 million barrels ahead of California, the nation’s second largest consumer. The fuel is popular in rural pockets of the state, like the remote Upper Peninsula.