Many of us have gas hazard-related stories, and I certainly have one that wasn’t pleasant. Keep reading and you’ll find out.

Most of the information here is surely public knowledge for those seasoned preppers who smile while reading this, though

However, after a couple of close encounters (one when I was young and another more recently) my eyes were opened, regarding gas hazards.

This article focuses on gas produced by the decaying of organic matter, not conventional gas storage leakages.

In our pursuit of self-sufficiency and preparedness, we often focus on visible threats such as resource scarcity, social unrest, and natural disasters. However, we must also consider the invisible dangers: odorless and toxic gases. In an unpredictable world with infrastructure failures and accidents, these gases pose a silent and potentially lethal threat that every prepper needs to understand and prepare for.

The tragic case of the Chelysheva family in Russia, who died from gases released by decaying potatoes, is a stark reminder that danger can arise from unexpected sources. In crisis situations where we use alternative heating, food storage, or cooking methods, improper practices can lead to unforeseen risks. Understanding these hazards is crucial for survival and safety. Mind you, in regular times, when you can get medical assistance, it can be a life-threatening hazard. In the middle of nowhere, in your secluded, isolated, well-stocked walled compound, that basement that took so long to fill with our veggies, could become a grave.

Let’s elaborate.

For a prepared individual, survival involves more than just stockpiling supplies. It means recognizing various risks and taking proactive steps to mitigate them. The danger of odorless toxic gases is real and potentially devastating, making it a threat no prepper can ignore. This article aims to provide knowledge and help you develop strategies to protect our community.

Carbon monoxide is a well-known example of an odorless toxic gas, but hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) are also silent killers, as those with industrial experience already know. Adequate ventilation is vital and often underestimated in preparedness planning, especially in milder climates where ventilation measures might be overlooked. Modern gas detectors are also essential as an early warning system against these invisible threats.

While generator-related accidents are sadly still common, this article focuses on another type of hazard and a possible countermeasure.

Odorless and toxic gas

Odorless and toxic gases in our usual environments will always be there; the only possible defense is recognizing this hazard, and keeping the proper conditions to avoid the gas buildup.

While the Chelysheva family’s case is often linked to solanine and other toxins in decaying potatoes, the decomposition of organic matter can produce various gases, some odorless or with a faint odor that might be missed or initially disregarded.

Insufficient ventilation allows these gases to reach lethal levels, so caution is essential.

Detecting every possible gas individually is impractical, as the detectors are too expensive and usually are built to measure small concentrations. However, many share a characteristic: they are explosive. Therefore, using an explosive gas detector where decaying organic matter might produce gases like HCN (hydrogen cyanide) could serve as an early detection method.

Ventilation in homes, offices, and other buildings can be achieved naturally by opening windows and doors. In certain climates or spaces with poor natural airflow, mechanical ventilation is necessary. Systems like extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms, and heat recovery ventilation (VMC), ensure a continuous supply of fresh air and removal of contaminated air.

My own story with a high-risk event involved the following: after a fun day at the pool, I got dressed quickly while three of my friends remained in the changing rooms. I wanted to grab a soda before leaving and eat something because all the playing in the water had made me hungry. The pool maintenance worker prepared the chlorine mixture and, with a bucket, distributed it on the surface before walking away. The gas cloud resulting from the reaction with the water was slowly and imperceptibly pushed towards the changing rooms where my friends still were, and the worker had to go in and get them out when he heard them coughing. They had irritated bronchi and a persistent cough for several days after that incident.

Another toxic and potentially odorless gas, hydrogen cyanide (HCN), may have a faint bitter almond smell that some cannot detect. This highly poisonous gas can be released in industrial settings and during the combustion of certain materials. Inhalation disrupts the body’s ability to use oxygen, quickly leading to severe health issues and even death.

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is also toxic, even at low concentrations: we had a LOT of training in the oil and gas company I worked for back in the day, including how to wear a positive-pressure mask. Though often described as smelling like “rotten eggs,” high concentrations can paralyze the sense of smell, making it equally dangerous. It is produced in industrial processes, the decomposition of organic matter in the absence of oxygen (like in sewers or septic tanks), and natural sources, like volcanoes. Exposure to high concentrations can cause eye and respiratory irritation, seizures, coma, and death.

Facing the invisible threat of these gases, modern electronics offer vital tools for early detection and prevention. Gas detectors are specifically designed to identify and measure the concentration of hazardous gases in the environment, and they are already common in industrial and domestic settings.

Besides specific CO detectors, multi-gas detectors can identify various toxic or flammable gases. These are particularly useful in industrial environments with a higher risk of different gas leaks but can also be valuable in homes with gas heating or cooking systems.

Technology

Gas detector technology has significantly advanced. Modern detectors use various sensors like electrochemical, infrared, and metal oxide semiconductor sensors, each with unique advantages and applications. Some even integrate with smart home systems, sending alerts to users’ phones upon detecting dangerous gas levels, even when they are away.

I have to be open-minded here: I am all with these newest technologies, as “intrusive” as they may look.

Because of a very simple reason. Let’s suppose your well-isolated root cellar/basement is provided with a few outlets. If you are like most of us and build a good sturdy door, the chances of hearing an alarm from the outside are not too high. Even worse if the detector uses batteries, they will be exhausted (the internal sensors of these detectors consume power)…and you could walk straight into a gas chamber. Or a low-oxygen atmosphere, which is more or less the same.

My logical advice? Get a detector with a probe, open a hole in the wall, and install it outside.

If you store your propane bottles in your root cellar, then this is going to work without any doubt. Decaying vegetables also produce methane by the way. It is the principle of the biodigestion process.

However, storing a gas bottle in a confined space such as a root cellar is not a good idea; any sudden failure in the valve of a pressurized device can generate a catastrophe.

Furthermore, the introduction of pests into our cellars could create another significant problem. To keep insects and rodents out and protect your supplies, it’s important to install screens on those vents (using stainless steel or galvanized is better than plastic screens: rodents can chew through plastic). Historically, many famines or severe food shortages were the result of pests infesting food storage areas in medieval cities.

The following lines are the byproduct of both common sense and some years of experience dealing with dangerous atmospheres, like inside Above Ground Storage Tanks (AGST), and other vessels regularly used in the facilities I used to work in.

Combining good ventilation with modern electronics like gas detectors is the most effective strategy to minimize the associated risks with odorless and toxic gases. Proper ventilation prevents gas buildup, while detectors provide early warnings, regardless if these are the product of leaks or dangerous accumulations.

The Chelysheva family’s tragedy highlights the constant, often invisible, threat of toxic gases. To make it more tragic, it was an evitable event. Their odorless nature makes them particularly insidious. However, by implementing fundamental preventive measures like ensuring adequate ventilation in all spaces, and taking advantage of modern technology like gas detectors that you can connect to a SmartHome network, we can significantly improve the safety of our dwellings, and protect ours from these substances. Awareness of these risks and adopting these measures are essential for anyone with a root cellar, or thinking of building one.

Those gas detectors usually last for a long time, and if you have a biodigester, they are almost a necessity.

Conclusion

Let’s conclude with this summary:

1. Make sure your root cellar has the means to dissipate trapped gases!
2. Using a detector with a probe inside of the confined space where your supplies are is a wise step.
3. Remember to use good-quality screens in your root cellar vents.
4. You don’t need to buy expensive permanently installed equipment. Just make sure to take a few readings from the outside, somehow, before coming in to check there is no trapped gas.

Disclaimer:

Please use your common sense when dealing with hazardous atmospheres; conduct your own research to determine which detector is best suited for your needs.

I extend our sincere gratitude to our sponsors for their generous donations, which made this work possible. Their support is invaluable in helping us, and to share valuable information with our community.