Certain symptoms suggest exposure to gases like methane or carbon monoxide, which are odorless, or hydrogen sulfide, which smells like rotten eggs. These symptoms include: Headaches. Dizziness.
High levels of methane can reduce the amount of oxygen breathed from the air. This can result in mood changes, slurred speech, vision problems, memory loss, nausea, vomiting, facial flushing and headache. In severe cases, there may be changes in breathing and heart rate, balance problems, numbness, and unconsciousness.
If you think it's a natural gas smell, call Dominion Energy immediately (1-800-767-1689) and if it's anything but a very faint smell, evacuate your home, office, or other space, and wait for the gas company to give you an all clear. A natural gas leak can lead to a violent explosion.
Long-term, low-level exposure may result in fatigue, loss of appetite, headaches, irritability, poor memory and dizziness. Breathing very high levels of hydrogen sulfide can cause death within just a few breaths. There could be a loss of consciousness after one or more breaths.
The health risks linked to sewer gas exposure include: Hydrogen sulfide poisoning: Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs, even in low concentrations. Exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulfide can cause eye and respiratory irritation.
Exposure to lower concentrations can cause eye irritation, a sore throat and cough, shortness of breath and fluid in the lungs. These symptoms usually go away in a few weeks after exposure ends. Long-term, low-level exposure may result in fatigue, loss of appetite, headaches, irritability, poor memory and dizziness.
Causes of Sewer Gas Smell
The most common cause of sewer gas smells in your house is a leak in your plumbing. You'll want to prevent even small leaks to avoid major plumbing repair costs. Sewer gas smells could be coming from your pipes either because they weren't installed properly or were damaged.
High levels of natural gas exposure can cause natural gas poisoning, which is characterized by fatigue, severe headaches, memory problems, loss of concentration, nausea, loss of consciousness, and suffocation.
Methane is non-toxic and creates no hazard when inhaled in limited quantities; however, if large quantities of natural gas or methane is allowed to displace air, lack of oxygen may result in suffocation.
You can smell leaking methane only when commercial gas utility companies add a chemical smell to it or when it mixes naturally with hydrogen sulfide, causing a "rotten egg" smell. If you can smell it, the level may be too high to be safe. Methane can also be found in coal gas.
Methane is the primary contributor to the formation of ground-level ozone, a hazardous air pollutant and greenhouse gas, exposure to which causes 1 million premature deaths every year.
Oxygen in the air and cause suffocation with symptoms of headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, loss of coordination and judgment, increased breathing rate and loss of consciousness. HAZARD. ACGIH: Maintain minimal 19.5% Oxygen content. ► Methane decreases the amount of available Oxygen.
Breathing gasoline vapor can cause headache, nausea, and dizziness. Extremely high levels can cause fainting and even death. Gasoline in the air can also irritate the eyes, nose, and throat.
The best way to test for methane gas in the home is to purchase a methane gas detector and, for monitoring methane gas at all times, homeowners should look to purchase a fixed gas detector that has the capacity to be mounted to a wall.
A sewer gas smell in the bathroom can be caused by:
broken seal around the toilet in the wax ring or the caulk. A burst pipe. tree's roots have grown into or have caused damage to your sewer pipes. the sewer or main drain has bellied, collapsed, deformed, or deteriorated.
If you have a shower, tub, or sink that gets minimal use, the odor could be caused by sewer gas filtering into your home through an empty plumbing trap. Sewer gas contains methane, which has a distinctive sulfur smell. The drains from your fixtures all connect to the main sewer pipe that exits your home.
The Dangers of Hydrogen Sulfide, AKA “Sewer Gas”
A naturally occurring gas, hydrogen sulfide, or “H2S,” is toxic at high concentrations. Prolonged or acute exposure to the gas can cause eye irritation, headache, nausea fatigue, and – in extreme cases – death. Smell Sewer Gas in your building?
But if there is a sewer smell in the house, similar to that of rotten eggs or cabbage, you may have a sewer gas leak. Gasses off-put by the sewer are a byproduct of the breakdown of waste. But the pungent smell they create is not just disgusting – these gasses can be dangerous as well.
One of the most common issues of drain odor is due to blockages and clogs. Any type of blockages, whether they are partial or full, can prevent waste water from properly leaving your home. Over time, this stagnant water sitting in the pipes can build up bacteria and produce pungent odors throughout the night.
The smell is caused by a gas called hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell) which can be dangerous even at low levels. It can affect both people and pets, and prolonged exposure to the gas can cause symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and sinus infections.
This can be dangerous- the rotten smell in your home may indicate more significant problems with your plumbing, or it can cause health issues for residents of your household. As Healthline mentions, fumes from sewage can cause adverse effects on your health.