It can be a hassle to head to the gas station to fill up every week or two. So when you’re standing at the pump, have you ever topped off your tank, thinking it will save you time between trips? Or to round the price up to the nearest dollar?
If so, read below to learn the top five reasons why you shouldn’t top off your tank.
Why topping off your tank is a bad idea
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), topping off your tank is a waste of money and dangerous to you, your car, other people and even the environment. Find out why you should always skip this all-too-common practice.
- The gas can spill when overfilled. No one likes getting gasoline on their hands or clothes. It’s also problematic for a variety of other reasons:
– It’s hazardous
– It’s flammable
– Spilled gasoline can seep into the ground, potentially polluting the water and harming wildlife - The fumes are toxic. Gasoline vapors are harmful to breathe and toxic to the ozone layer. According to the EPA, evaporation, and fumes from spillage contribute to the pollution problem by releasing toxic air pollutants such as benzene, which is not only toxic and flammable but carcinogenic.
- It’s a waste of money. Once you hear the first click of the gas pump, did you know that some of the gas you pump after that isn’t going into your car’s tank? You’re actually paying for gas that is filling up the hose, ready to be pumped into the next customer’s car. Additional gas you try to pump into your tank may be drawn into the vapor line and fed back into the station’s storage tanks.
- It can cause the gas pump to break. Most gas stations have a vapor recovery system. When you top off your gas tank, you can cause it to break or become inoperable. This problem can add to the air pollution problem and cause the gas pump to fail for the next person in line.
- It can ruin your car. Have you ever wondered why your vehicle won’t allow you to add more gas once you’ve been alerted that your tank is full? Because gasoline needs room to expand, your tank needs extra room for that expansion. If you try to top off, the extra gas you’re trying to add may actually evaporate into your vehicle’s vapor collection system. This can ruin the mechanism, making it work improperly, and cause your car to run less efficiently.
Once you understand the dangers of this common practice, hopefully, you’ll think twice before ever topping off your gas tank again. Avoid the risks of personal injury, vehicle damage, and environmental harm when you play it safe at the pump.
