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3 Dangerous Gases Lurking inside Your Septic Tank

3 November 2015 by Jetse Wilkes

All septic tank owners know that they're supposed to get their tank professionally pumped regularly, but if you're a do-it-yourselfer, it can be tempting to try to tackle the job on your own. While there are many household plumbing tasks that you can easily do by yourself, pumping your own septic tank is definitely not one of them. This is because your septic tank is full of deadly gases, and by pumping your own tank, you will expose yourself to them. Here are three dangerous gases that are lurking inside your septic tank.

Hydrogen Sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide is a gas that is produced when bacteria break down the organic material inside your tank. This gas collects above the waterline of the tank as well as in the distribution box, so if you open the access door to your tank, the gas will be released. The gas smells like rotten eggs, but by the time you smell it, it may be too late.

This gas can lead to deterioration of the concrete walls of your septic tank, so you can imagine how bad it is for the human body. It can kill at a concentration level much lower than other toxic gases, and in some cases, death is immediate. To keep yourself safe, never open the access door to your septic tank.

Methane

Methane is another gas that is present within your septic tank. Like hydrogen sulfide, it is produced by bacteria as they break down your waste. This gas is both colorless and odorless, so you won't know it's there until you feel the health effects.

If you open the access door to your tank, methane gas will be released. If you inhale high levels of the gas, the oxygen level in your body will drop, and you will have difficulty breathing and may even suffocate. People who are exposed to methane gas may collapse and fall into the open septic tank, which is why septic tank contractors work in pairs.

Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is another gas that is produced by your septic system. Like methane, carbon dioxide has no odor or color; the only clue that it is present will be that you notice a faint acid taste inside your mouth.

When you open the septic tank, carbon dioxide will be released, and if you breathe it in, you will be in serious danger. In concentration levels of only 10%, carbon dioxide can make you convulse or pass out, which can make you fall into the septic tank. Death can also result from breathing in carbon dioxide.

Pumping a septic tank is dangerous for even the most dedicated do-it-yourselfers due to the deadly gases inside the tank. If your tank needs to be pumped, keep yourself safe by hiring a team of septic tank contractors, like those from The Outhouse, to handle it for you.

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