When it comes to preparing for the worst there are a number of different things you need to pay attention to. And there are definitely a number of things you want to have stored away for an emergency. One of those things is gasoline. As with anything, however, you want to make sure you’re not storing your gasoline for too long where it’s no longer useful. After all, you don’t want to waste your money and that gasoline can easily be used before the expiration date, right?
Why is Expired Gasoline Bad?
Expired gasoline is actually harmful to your vehicle or whatever you put it into. Where ‘good’ gasoline will ignite the engine and get you moving, bad gasoline not only doesn’t move your engine, it also damages internal components. If you put old gas into a vehicle it could damage the fuel system. If you put it into anything else you’ll have the same problem. That’s why you want to get rid of it instead of putting it into anything.
How Long Does Gasoline Last?
But the more important question is how long you can store that gasoline and still use it. The answer is about six months. Now, keep in mind that this requires you to store your gasoline properly and to make sure that you are not letting in too much air. If the container your gasoline is stored in gets too much oxygen it can actually cause a fire or explosion. The best-case scenario would be that it goes bad faster.
Now, if you store your gasoline in a tightly sealed container that’s made of either plastic or metal you can keep it safe and make sure that it continues to work the way you would expect when you need it to. Keep the gasoline also in a safe location that is not too hot or too cold, which can cause degradation to the container or the gasoline inside of it.
Also keep in mind that lower quality gasoline will last less than six months, with some lasting only three months before it starts to go bad. On the other hand, adding stabilizers to the gasoline could extend the lifespan to up to three years.
How Long Does Ethanol Last?
If you have a type of gasoline that is blended with ethanol you’re not going to get as much lifespan out of it. This type of gasoline lasts approximately three months, even when stored properly. The reasoning behind this is that the ethanol absorbs a lot of moisture and oxygen. That means you end up with several factors contributing against the quality and longevity of your gasoline.
When you’re looking to store gasoline for a possible emergency make sure you’re not storing away more than you will be able to use within a few month period. That way, you can continuously cycle out the gasoline you have that is getting old, using it in your vehicles and other gas-powered items, and make sure you have fresh gasoline ready in case of an emergency.
