Flammable storage in garage/furnace question

[mtnwkr]

Just moved to new house and I'm getting my garage set up. after filling up this cabinet I had a second thought about it being near the furnace. I checked the furnace over and see no warnings about storing flammables near it. Should this concern me? I could move it to the other side of the garage but it works best in this location. It's an electric furnace that is backup for the heat pump. Electric/heatpump water heater.

 

[Kermit007]

I would consider moving the paint cabinet to the other side of the garage. Fumes and sparks do not go well together.


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[matt_i]

Electric? I wouldn't worry. If there are sparks you have a serious problem with the furnace. The enclosed cans of paint would take quite a bit of arc flash without damage in my estimation.....

 

[mtnwkr]

Thanks Matt, That's what I was thinking.

 

[Full Throttle]

I would move it for service purposes if no other reason.

 

[Sportsman762]

i do not see much of a problem with it. If you have a fume problem, it would make working in the shop unbearable anyhow.

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

I would feel okay, if it were my garage. I don't think many fumes escape from spray cans or paint cans with a lid on them.

I wouldn't store a jug of gasoline there, though.




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[ford33]

Could you swap locations with the tool box?

 

[mtnwkr]

While I could swap with the tool box, that would put my tools farther from the workbench. The problem is the rest of the garage has a 2" lip from the foundation so I'd have to block it up to get it against the wall.

 

[jetnow1]

Built a shed, store all gas and gas powered tools outside. Also be sure to be careful with rags that have any evaporative solvents. Look up Ryans post on his shop fire.

 

[Showkey]

It is interesting when we are concerned witha pint of gas in the leaf blower or 5 gallon sealed can.........when.......the vehicles like cars, motorcycle that might have 60 gallons of fuel. All within 10 feet of the NG water heater.

My shop/garage has 80 gallons of fuel in total. No water heater and the furnace is 10’ off the floor.

I take normal precautions and common sense ........but........not going to move garden equipment, ATV, Motorcycles to a shed.

Rags ( from wood working finishes) and lack of general cleanup is probably more of an actual risk.

 

[Falcon67]

Same - s##t ton of fuel in the shop, but no open flame type heaters and such. Working on clearing things in the shed to move some of it, but there's still a lot of fuel on the property LOL.

 

[pcmeiners]

"Electric? I wouldn't worry. If there are sparks you have a serious problem with the furnace."

Are all your controls on the heat system and lighting in your garage explosion proof? If not those system produce sparks every time the heat comes on or a light switch is turned on. Granted the odds of something explosive spilling or an careless mistake happening are low, it does happen often enough. If you have kids, it adds to the probability .

 

[Jlbc212]

A general rule of thumb is to keep any device which may provide an ignition source up off the floor where most flammable combustible vapors tend to settle. Even though the OP indicates the heating/cooling is electric a control device can produce a spark, but most control devices for heating/cooling appliances are well above the floor. Clothes washers and dryers, and refrigerators with electric motors sometimes have spark producing motor starters with motors located low in the appliance housing. I'd advise against having those in a garage where flammable/combustible liquids are stored. I've seen quite a few garage/house fires where gasoline spilled on the floor or stored in a vehicle, like a motorcycle in a cellar, was ignited by an appliance. Natural gas is lighter than air and has been known to ignite at the right gas/air concentration by the tiny spark produced within a telephone.