Gas pump myths: Debunking 5 common gas refueling claims

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PORTLAND, Ore. — Gov. Tina Kotek has signed House Bill 2426, giving Oregonians access to self-serve gas statewide starting Friday morning. For many of the state's residents, it will be their first time taking matters into their own hands at the pump, and even Oregonians who have stumbled through the process on out-of-state trips might still have questions about how to safely fill up without assistance.

There are some details that (we sincerely hope) Oregon motorists already know, because they're important even when an attendant pumps the gas — things like turning the car all the way off before fueling, not smoking at the pump, making sure to get the right grade of fuel and not driving away with the hose still attached.

But there are other questions and scenarios that Oregon drivers may simply not have thought about before, because they pertain more to the person operating the pump. Some of these questions came from KGW viewers, and others commonly pop up online. Here are five facts we can VERIFY about how to make sure you're pumping gas safely.

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Do I need to be concerned about static electricity?

Yes, you should try to avoid static discharges around the pump. Although the risk is very low, the spark could ignite vapor from the gasoline.

Liquid gasoline is highly flammable, it produces vapor that can also catch fire if it becomes sufficiently concentrated in the air and comes into contact with an ignition source. That's why you should never smoke around the pumps, and why you should always turn your car completely off before fueling up.

Static discharges occur if you have a buildup of static electricity in your clothes and then make contact with a metal surface. If that metal surface happens to be an active gas pump nozzle, the resulting electrical spark could set off a fire — although such incidents are extremely rare, according to the American Petroleum Institute.

Drivers should avoid getting back into their cars while the pump is running, according to Alison Green with the Oregon State Fire Marshal's office, because doing so can build a static charge. If you have to get back into the car, the American Petroleum Institute recommends touching a metal surface such as the car door with your bare hand before going back to remove the nozzle from the gas tank.

"It's just one of those things to completely eliminate the chance, the small chance that it is," Green said.

Can I use my phone while pumping gas?

Yes, it's safe to use your phone at the pump.

Lit cigarettes and static electricity are both risky because they can create open sparks or flames. Cellphones are electrical devices, but they're self-contained and produce no open sparks, so they don't carry the same risk. It's safe to take a call or otherwise use a phone while the pump is running, Green said.

However, she added that the phone could be a distraction, and ideally drivers should try stay aware of their surroundings and keep an eye on the pump while they're filling up.

A 2010 report from the Petroleum Equipment Institute documented 176 reports that the agency had received about gas station fires suspected to have been caused by static discharges from 1992 to 2010, but the organization said it could not find a single case of a fire caused by a cell phone.

Can I walk away and leave the pump running?

It is physically possible to walk away with the pump running, but it's not recommended.

Gas pumps require the user to pull and hold a handle to maintain the flow of gasoline, but most pumps have a clip or latch that can be engaged to hold the handle up once it's pulled. Pump nozzles also don't need to be held in place once they're inserted into the gas tank, and pumps are all equipped with automatic shutoff devices that will stop the flow of gasoline when the tank is full, even if the clip is engaged.

So technically there's no reason you can't start the flow, clip the handle and then just walk away for a few minutes. However, Green recommended that drivers keep an eye on the pumps and don't leave their vehicles unattended. The gas price database GasBuddy also recommends staying close by in case of a pump malfunction.

There's also an etiquette reason, GasBuddy points out — other people might arrive while you're away and want to use the pump, so the courteous thing to do is to stick around so you can hang up the nozzle and move your car out of the way as soon as you're done filling up.

Can I top off the tank?

No, state fire officials and industry experts all recommend not topping off.

"Topping off" refers to manually pulling the pump handle to add a bit more gasoline to the tank after the pump has shut off, in order to fill the last bit of space at the top of the tank.

The reason you shouldn't do it is that there isn't really going to be any space left. The pump's automatic shutoff system works by using a sensor in the nozzle to monitor the flow of air that gets pushed out of your car's gas tank as the interior fills with liquid gasoline. When the tank is full, the flow of air stops, prompting the pump to shut itself off.

Trying to force in more gas beyond that point increases the risk of overfilling the tank and spilling gasoline outside the car, which is both a fire hazard and an environmental hazard.

Topping off can also damage your car, according to AAA and Consumer Reports. Gas tanks are equipped with charcoal filter systems to catch fuel that vaporizes inside the tank, and overfilling the tank can saturate the filter and ruin the system, resulting in increased carbon emissions and decreased engine efficiency.

Should I try to avoid touching or inhaling gasoline?

Yes, gasoline is toxic and highly flammable.

This one is kind of obvious, but it's worth keeping in mind. The American Petroleum Institute recommends drivers avoid breathing gasoline fumes by keeping their faces away from the pump nozzle. This is especially important if you're filling a portable container rather than a vehicle's gas tank.

In addition to the fire risk, gasoline can irritate the skin and eyes. Any gasoline that spills on your skin should be washed off immediately, and if any of it spills on your clothes, you should remove the gasoline-soaked items.

Gasoline evaporates, so it's not a big deal if a drop or two falls on the ground while you're replacing the nozzle after fueling, but any larger spill should be immediately reported to an attendant at the gas station.

"They have spill kits and they can take care of you," Green said.