Frequently Asked Questions

 ONLY EPA approved MONTHLY MONITORING methods. Approved EPA methods include SIR, ground water monitoring, vapor monitoring, automatic tank gauges, and double-walled interstitial monitoring, etc. 

No. TotalSIR uses the same inventory control data that you're currently collecting if you're using Manual Inventory Control. 

It is the least expensive of all the monthly monitoring options. For a typical, single site owner with three tanks in the ground, it is less than $50/month. We do offer discounts for multi-tank volume.

Yes. Most ATG's can only detect a leak at or below the product level in the tank at the time of the test. They can't detect leaks in product lines, or discover losses that arise from miscalibrated meters, short deliveries, or theft. In other words, ATG's don't give you inventory control. TotalSIR is simply the best, least expensive, most accurate form of inventory control available. Many of our customers use their ATG to "stick" the tank, but use TotalSIR for monthly analysis. 

Yes, both ATGs and SIR are required to detect leaks at a rate of .2 gallons per hour. SIR also monitors attached lines. ATGs only do so if there is an additional add-on module purchased and installed. 

 In our experience successful IC is a simple matter of:

• Training
• Company policies that make accurate fuel IC a "must-do" priority and
• Accountability.

We will provide you with some simple training tools that will help clearly illustrate to you and your staff the "how-to's" of good IC. Because we are able to see exactly what is recorded on the daily data forms, we are in a perfect position to help you reinforce sound inventory control procedures. Once personnel know that a third party is monitoring their performance, it usually provides sufficient incentive to do the job correctly. All that remains is for you to inform your staff that successful IC is vital to the survival of the business, and in turn, their employment.

This is a question that a lot of people ask when they transition to SIR as a permanent monitoring method. The simple answer is that MIC is not an EPA accepted "Monthly Monitoring" method, and thus it will not buy you "compliance."  

The question arises from a mistaken belief that MIC is the equivalent of SIR. It isn't!

TotalSIR is 3rd party certified to be accurate when used to analyze tanks up to 45,000 gallons for either a single tank or a manifolded system. Manifolded systems are limited to no more than four tanks and 45,000 gallons of total capacity.  

TotalSIR can successfully analyze extremely high throughput on single tanks as long as the inventory control procedures are done properly and accurately. The potential problem is for tanks with multiple fuel drops in the same day on a regular occurrence. The person responsible for taking stick readings and recording the deliveries must be extremely careful and accurate.  

No. TotalSIR satisfies the federal and state* requirement for monthly monitoring, thereby eliminating the need for both tank and line tightness tests.

*State Environmental Regulations vary. Always check with  your state agency, for the most current information. 

You only have to take stick readings on the days that you are open for business. TotalSIR requires 23 days of data to perform the monthly analysis.  

Federal laws require measurements to the nearest 1/8 inch for UST owners using SIR as their permanent monthly monitoring method. Depending on the capacity of the tank, 1/8 of an inch can represent hundreds of gallons of fuel. Even if the law did not require this degree of measuring accuracy, you'd want to do it because of the amount of inventory unaccounted for if you only read 1/4, 1/2, or whole inch increments.  

This is the single greatest challenge for customers using SIR. If you consistently get this part of your inventory control efforts right, you will be very pleased with how smooth and inexpensive TotalSIR will be for you.