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• Methane Gas & Septic System Dangers
• Septic System, Septic Tank, & Cesspool Safety Warnings

This article explains Methane Gas & Septic System Dangers from Gases, gives basic advice, and cites additional reference material. This is a chapter of our Septic Safety document which outlines safety warnings & procedures for septic systems and cesspools, and provides some safety suggestions for septic system inspectors, septic system inspections, septic pumping contractors, and home owners. Septic tanks, cesspools, and drywells present serious hazards including septic cave-in's or collapses, methane gas explosion hazards, and asphyxiation hazards. Simple precautions which we describe here can help avoid a dangerous or expensive septic problem. © 2008-1978 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted. Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Technical review by industry experts has been performed and is ongoing - reviewers are listed at "References." The Septic Safety document is a chapter of Inspecting, Testing, & Maintaining Residential Septic Systems.

Methane Gas Hazards around Septic Systems, Methane Gas Toxicity vs. Methane Explosion & Asphyxiation Risks, How to Measure Methane Gas Levels

Methane Gas Hazards are primarily of explosion or asphyxiation

We commented above at Septic System Safety that methane gas which maybe encountered in septic system is both explosive and an asphyxiant. A thoughtful reader, George Fielder, previously a salesperson for GfG Instrumentation, pointed out that these are the hazards. (We had inaccurately stated that methane gas was "toxic".)

Measurement Instruments for Levels of Methane Gas

Mr. Fielder added that additionally, toxic and combustible gases like methane and H2S that would be found in a septic tank can be readily measured by a portable, handheld gas monitor that can be rented from almost any safety equipment supply company or trench equipment rental company like United Rentals. They are easy to use and understand direct reading instruments that if nothing else might satisfy the curiosity of the do-it-yourselfer who likes to stick his nose in it. True the user will need to know and understand the measurement scale and exposure levels for the particular gases being measured but this also can be easily explained when renting said instrument and reviewing an MSDS sheet. Most portable handheld monitors on the market today are less complex than a volt-ohm meter and can readily be understood with a brief explanation.

Consult Your Local Safety Equipment Distributor

Readers who have the need to measure methane gas levels or who have questions about the hazards of entering confined spaces such as septic tanks should contact their local safety equipment distriutor for further advice. In addition, local fire & emergency service officials as well as gas distribution companies as well as some home inspectors or environmental testing firms may have expertise and gas testing or measurement equipment on hand.

More a review of methane gas exposure levels and testing see Toxic Gas Testing - Methane. More information about methane gas hazards, toxicity, or other environmental hazards is available from public and professional agencies and associations such as the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) www.aiha.org, OSHA www.osha.gov, and the Mine Safety & Health Administration www.msha.gov. Also see Industrial Hygiene News.

Stay out of Septic Tanks and Link to Septic & Cesspool Safety Article

However, we emphasize that in ordinary procedures used in the care, repair, or maintenance of septic systems, the safety warnings we've listed above should be followed with care, and in general, quantitative measurements of the level of methane or other gases are not needed during a septic system repair.

Anyone working on or around or owning a septic tank should be sure to review the entire document at SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY

Technical Reviewers

Particular thanks are due to experts and also consumers who read these articles and suggest corrections, changes, and additions to the material. Content suggestions, technical corrections and content critique are invited for any of the content at our website.

• Alan Carson Carson Dunlop Associates, Toronto, Ontario. Mr. Carson is a home inspection professional, educator, researcher, writer, and a principal of Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection and education firm. Mr. Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors
• Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. (727) 595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com 11/06
• Hankey and Brown home inspectors, Eden Prairie, MN, technical review by Roger Hankey, prior chairman, Standards Committee, American Society of Home Inspectors - ASHI. 952 829-0044 - hankeyandbrown.com 11/06
• Arlene Puentes, a licensed home inspector, educator, and building failures researcher in Kingston, NY. 11/29/06
• John Francis, Bioworks, Inc., marketing and technical services - editing/proof reading 4/07. "BioWorks provides environmentally responsible, safe and cost-effective solutions to the agriculture industry"
• Daniel Friedman - principal author
• Thanks to Denise Cermola for permission to use the photo above, showing a dump truck collapsed into a seepage pit. (email 11/16/06 to 12/10/06). The contractor drove over this seepage pit connected to septic tank and caused total destruction of the system.
• Thanks to George Fielder who points out that methane gas is not toxic, but rather (we add) the hazards of methane gas produced by septic systems include possible explosions or the asphyxiation of someone who enters or even just leans over a septic tank opening. (email 10/20/2007)
• Technical reviewers are invited to comment or ask questions - contact us

Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

The Septic Systems Online Book - Where Are We?

• This Chapter: SAFETY WARNINGS
• Next Chapter: SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
• First Chapter: SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK

More expert information on this topic

More Information on Septic System Diagnosis, Maintenance, & Repair

• Cesspool Safety - Specific Warnings about Cesspool Collapse Hazards (this document)
• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information
• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• Home & Outdoor Living Water Requirements
• Septic Tank Capacity vs Usage in Daily Gallons of Wastewater Flow, calculating required septic tank size, calculating septic tank volume from size measurements
• How Big Should the Leach Field Be? - table of soil percolation rate vs. field size
• Septic System Drainfield Absorption System Biomat Formation - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
• Table of Required Septic & Well Clearances: Distances Between Septic System & Wells, Streams, Trees, etc.
• When Not to Pump a Septic Tank to avoid damage, unsafe conditions, or wasting money


Pennsylvania State Fact Sheets relating to domestic wastewater treatment systems include

• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-161, Septic System Failure: Diagnosis and Treatment
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-162, The Soil Media and the Percolation Test
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-l64, Mound Systems for Wastewater Treatment
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-165, Septic Tank-Soil Absorption Systems
• Document Sources used for this web page include but are not limited to: Agricultural Fact Sheet #SW-161 "Septic Tank Pumping," by Paul D. Robillard and Kelli S. Martin. Penn State College of Agriculture - Cooperative Extension, edited and annotated by Dan Friedman (Thanks: to Bob Mackey for proofreading the original source material.)

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