Use caution heating your garage ! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

T and S · 01-15-2016, 12:06 PM

Working on the old truck - I cleaned my front brakes off with brake cleaner. Fired up the kerosene heater and went to work. I was working in a tight corner of the garage. For what ever reason the fumes of the heater and the brake cleaner kinda lingered in that corner where I was working. Started feeling bad, I went outside for fresh air and felt better.
The next day I had a hard time getting my breath and my chest hurt, but the day after I felt fine.
Usually the kerosene heater doesn't bother me, but mixed with the brake cleaner fumes it caused problems.
BE CAREFUL OUT THERE !!

LostMy65 · 01-15-2016, 12:14 PM

Glad you're okay.
Mixing chemical fumes can be dangerous.

TJ's Chevy · 01-15-2016, 01:08 PM

I have wood heat in my garage. When I painted my engine in the winter and had the stove on it seemed like the fumes were 3 times worse than normal....simple reason because all doors and windows were locked tight to keep SOME warm heat in. After 4 hours of painting I had taken probably 7+ air breaks as I would get a headache from the fumes. lol So I now save my painting for the summer mornings. haha

**mrtoni** · 01-15-2016, 01:10 PM

Brake cleaner is a killer.

siggyfreud · 01-15-2016, 01:34 PM

Just remember that they still need oxygen to burn, so in an enclosed space you're also removing oxygen. When you take that away there is less to dilute the other chemicals in the air, so you're getting the other fumes in greater concentration. I used a forced air propane heater for awhile, and kept the garage door cracked. Eventually I got tired of using propane, or having cool air and warm air mixing, so I coughed up the money and did a standalone heat-pump style unit in the garage.

Now I can keep it at a nice 65* year round, unless it gets particularly hot (95*+) and then the coolest I can get it is about 72, which is still comfy.

scuderia · 01-15-2016, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrtoni

Brake cleaner is a killer.

No kidding right? Been welding for 40 years and just discovered this. Acetone is my only cleaner now....
http://www.brewracingframes.com/safe...sgene-gas.html

TJ's Chevy · 01-15-2016, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scuderia

No kidding right? Been welding for 40 years and just discovered this. Acetone is my only cleaner now....
http://www.brewracingframes.com/safe...sgene-gas.html

Guess I ain't using brake cleaner anymore.

canadian_diesel1964 · 01-15-2016, 03:23 PM

damn glad your ok ! Also swearing off brake cleaner

ERASER5 · 01-15-2016, 04:14 PM

It was phosgene gas. The CFCs in the brake cleaner burned through the heater. An old story and a deadly one at that.

Just use "California" brake cleaner. No CFCs. It does not clean as well, but at least you will be alive to scrub harder.

wjjeeper · 01-15-2016, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scuderia

No kidding right? Been welding for 40 years and just discovered this. Acetone is my only cleaner now....
http://www.brewracingframes.com/safe...sgene-gas.html

I was going to post this link.
Very dangerous stuff gentlemen.

T and S · 01-16-2016, 12:11 PM

phosgene gas !? great...... won't be doing that again.

tommys72 · 01-16-2016, 01:54 PM

Nasty stuff!

Phosgene is the chemical compound with the formula COCl2. This colorless gas gained infamy as a chemical weapon during World War I where it was responsible for about 85% of the 100,000 deaths caused by chemical weapons.

T and S · 01-16-2016, 09:43 PM

I knew about the dangers of brake cleaner when welding. Now I think I will not use brake cleaner under any circumstances.

Chevy_mud_truck · 01-17-2016, 12:43 AM

Had a buddy spend a week in the hospital over use brake cleaner around a kerosene space heater

01-15-2016, 12:06 PM	#1
T and S Registered User Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Oak Ridge, Mo. Posts: 301	Use caution heating your garage ! Working on the old truck - I cleaned my front brakes off with brake cleaner. Fired up the kerosene heater and went to work. I was working in a tight corner of the garage. For what ever reason the fumes of the heater and the brake cleaner kinda lingered in that corner where I was working. Started feeling bad, I went outside for fresh air and felt better. The next day I had a hard time getting my breath and my chest hurt, but the day after I felt fine. Usually the kerosene heater doesn't bother me, but mixed with the brake cleaner fumes it caused problems. BE CAREFUL OUT THERE !! __________________ If you don't like this pound sand .....

01-15-2016, 12:14 PM	#2
LostMy65 But Found Her 25yrs Later! Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Oregon City, Oregon Posts: 10,530	Re: Use caution heating your garage ! Glad you're okay. Mixing chemical fumes can be dangerous. __________________ I lost my 65 - Found it 25 years later: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=426650 66 C20 Service Truck: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=428035

01-15-2016, 01:08 PM	#3
TJ's Chevy Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 10,384	Re: Use caution heating your garage ! I have wood heat in my garage. When I painted my engine in the winter and had the stove on it seemed like the fumes were 3 times worse than normal....simple reason because all doors and windows were locked tight to keep SOME warm heat in. After 4 hours of painting I had taken probably 7+ air breaks as I would get a headache from the fumes. lol So I now save my painting for the summer mornings. haha __________________ 1966 Chevy C10 "Project Two Tone" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=596643 1964 GMC "Crustine" semi-build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=665056 My youtube channel. Username "Military Chevy": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_h...fzpcUXyK_5-uiw

01-15-2016, 01:10 PM	#4
mrtoni Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: sparks, nevada Posts: 1,881	Re: Use caution heating your garage ! Brake cleaner is a killer.

01-15-2016, 01:34 PM	#5
siggyfreud Registered User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Portland Posts: 1,330	Re: Use caution heating your garage ! Just remember that they still need oxygen to burn, so in an enclosed space you're also removing oxygen. When you take that away there is less to dilute the other chemicals in the air, so you're getting the other fumes in greater concentration. I used a forced air propane heater for awhile, and kept the garage door cracked. Eventually I got tired of using propane, or having cool air and warm air mixing, so I coughed up the money and did a standalone heat-pump style unit in the garage. Now I can keep it at a nice 65* year round, unless it gets particularly hot (95*+) and then the coolest I can get it is about 72, which is still comfy. __________________ Current Build - Project "Ghost of Poseidon" 72 C10 Pro-touring build Previous Build - 66 GMC Pro-touring build. Sold.

01-15-2016, 03:23 PM	#8
canadian_diesel1964 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Belmont Ontario Canada Posts: 418	Re: Use caution heating your garage ! damn glad your ok ! Also swearing off brake cleaner

01-15-2016, 04:14 PM	#9
ERASER5 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 4,859	Re: Use caution heating your garage ! It was phosgene gas. The CFCs in the brake cleaner burned through the heater. An old story and a deadly one at that. Just use "California" brake cleaner. No CFCs. It does not clean as well, but at least you will be alive to scrub harder. __________________ '70 GMC C1500 LWB Power disc brakes. WooHoo! Posi 6 Lug Dana 60

01-16-2016, 12:11 PM	#11
T and S Registered User Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Oak Ridge, Mo. Posts: 301	Re: Use caution heating your garage ! phosgene gas !? great...... won't be doing that again. __________________ If you don't like this pound sand .....

01-16-2016, 01:54 PM	#12
tommys72 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: springfield mo Posts: 3,075	Re: Use caution heating your garage ! Nasty stuff! Phosgene is the chemical compound with the formula COCl2. This colorless gas gained infamy as a chemical weapon during World War I where it was responsible for about 85% of the 100,000 deaths caused by chemical weapons. __________________ United States Marine Corps 2000-2011 Iraq and Afghanistan veteran Just living life now and enjoying it and my wife, daughter and son

01-16-2016, 09:43 PM	#13
T and S Registered User Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Oak Ridge, Mo. Posts: 301	Re: Use caution heating your garage ! I knew about the dangers of brake cleaner when welding. Now I think I will not use brake cleaner under any circumstances. __________________ If you don't like this pound sand .....

01-17-2016, 12:43 AM	#14
Chevy_mud_truck Registered User Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Lester West Virginia Posts: 244	Re: Use caution heating your garage ! Had a buddy spend a week in the hospital over use brake cleaner around a kerosene space heater



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