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We need to talk about Garage safety!

Cncguy1

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After watching last nights heartwrenching episode of Graveyard Carz, I am very concerned with how we store our cars. The episode featured the Phoenix Cuda, a 1 of 48 1971 Hemi Cuda hardtop, During the episode the owner explained that one of his cars leaked gas on the floor the gas turned to fumes turning his garage into essentialy a bomb. He came home turned the lights I assume and boom the garage, Cuda and almost he were blown up.
This is the second story I have heard of this happening the other incident involved a friend of a guy I work with. He came home and his racing fuel had turned to vapor leading to an explosion in his garage.

So as I watched this episode and also think about my coworkers story and getting serious about building a garage. How can these situations be prevented? Were the garages built too good and sealed too tight? Lets here your thoughts and try preventing this from happening to someone else.
 
Hell fixing my plow truck, in the bay right beside my Bee restoration, I caught the return line on fire right on the pump while mig'ng the box flap back down that I'd cut to repair a leaking line! Melted the line and plastic attachment right off with an eternal flame burning out the hole. I managed to get a rag up between pump and box and snuff it out. No BOOM ! Thinking maybe his wife cracked the natural gas line on the furnace for him... :)
 
I learned in elementary school, if you come home, open the door and smell gas, not to turn on any lights. The light switch can spark, causing the explosion.

Keeping used shop rags in a proper container as not to cause a spontaneous combustion situation. Not taking a chance when making sparks when welding or grinding, to start a fire.

Getting in a habit of keeping things in their place, not to cause any hazards goes along way. Keeping extension cords and receptacles in good shape.

Keeping fire extinguishers in and out of the shop. Keep them up to date. Turn the Co'2 ones upside down and shake them once in awhile. The powder can pack in the bottom.
 
I almost lost my shop in June do to an electrical fire.
Some Romex strung against some tin 30 years ago had developed a thin spot and caught some insulation and a rafter to smoldering. Luckily I was in the shop and able to put it out.
I've since rewired my shop
 
Don't work with gasoline using a drop light with a incandescent bulb. A few drops of gas, boom. Guy in NeHOA or NHOA seriously burned himself and his car.
 
Good storage.. is removing fuel tanks, and Batterys.. put those in a seperate shed at the far end of the property away from buildings.. Ive watched fuel travel from one end of a kwansit to the other and ignite.. that was just from a Bsa Lightening Fuel tank.... all jerry cans I have are in a different shed as well..
 
Make sure you have a safety cable running through the garage door springs from end to end. A snapped spring can cause severe damage to person or property.
 
Don't store combustables in closed spaces simple science. There is a reason for building codes that address garages/shops..furnaces and othe fuel fired equipment, storage, intrinsically safe devices and so on...Read NEC 70 Haz Locations Class1 Div 1 there are many other regulatory requirements and safety issues that are addressed in NFPA for both residential and commercial applications.
Many of the fumes we have to deal with are heavier than air people some forget that and install water heaters/furnaces on the floor....
https://www.nfpa.org/Codes-and-Standards/All-Codes-and-Standards/Free-access
 
Buy only diesels:lol:
 
Good storage.. is removing fuel tanks, and Batterys.. put those in a seperate shed at the far end of the property away from buildings.. Ive watched fuel travel from one end of a kwansit to the other and ignite.. that was just from a Bsa Lightening Fuel tank.... all jerry cans I have are in a different shed as well..

Did someone say BSA Lightning?
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That is why I got rid of my 125 gal compressor as it had a 1946 date on it. I bought a new stand up 80 gal Curtis a number of years ago. Gas cans go out with the Lawn tractor.

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do a little research. the window in which gasoline is combustible with a given A/F ratio is very narrow. Unless your doing something extreme such as welding on your gas tank, the chances of achieving that A/F ratio are very slim. not saying it can't happen but, not something i would be too concerned with as long as your using some common sense and good judgement.
 
Ventilation will alleviate vapor from forming pockets or being trapped in a confined space. Fix any leaks, don't work on fuel related items in a closed garage. My garage has upper and lower wall louvered vents as well as a vent stack out the roof.

Another area of concern for explosion is your water heater tank. Check the pressure relief valve regularly. If it gets stuck or corroded shut it will build pressure and blow up.
 
I learned in elementary school, if you come home, open the door and smell gas, not to turn on any lights. The light switch can spark, causing the explosion.

Keeping used shop rags in a proper container as not to cause a spontaneous combustion situation. Not taking a chance when making sparks when welding or grinding, to start a fire.

Getting in a habit of keeping things in their place, not to cause any hazards goes along way. Keeping extension cords and receptacles in good shape.

Keeping fire extinguishers in and out of the shop. Keep them up to date. Turn the Co'2 ones upside down and shake them once in awhile. The powder can pack in the bottom.
Good advice with one minor correction, if I may:
A CO2 extinguisher has no "powder" - it's just the gas itself.
The ones that do are those that have designations like "BC" and "ABC" (I have ABC's all over the place here, ones customers can't have hanging in their businesses anymore but I know to still be good).
Those have the familiar yellow powder (monoammonium phosphate) in them; it's a good idea a couple times a year to flip those over and give 'em a couple light smacks with a rubber mallet (I've grown to do it with the heel of my hand) to get the powder uncaked from the bottom of the cylinder.
Of course, make sure any extinguisher has a proper charge on it (gauge) and if it has more than a half dozen years' age on it, it's best to have it checked (Code requires them be tagged annually when they're in businesses, but we're talking private garages here).
One part of the Code I agree with is that at 12 years, they're supposed to be hydro-tested to check cylinder integrity.
Me, I just tell customers to get them replaced with new ones. For the price difference (negligible), it's cheap insurance.

Now, all that being said, I'm a 35+ year fire sprinkler guy. I wish everyone had fire sprinklers in their homes and garages.
Nobody dies in a fire in a properly sprinklered building and 99 times out of a hundred, the fire department arrives just in time to turn the water off after the sprinklers have put out the fire already. :)
 
Here’s another garage fire that happened a month and a half ago.

From this...
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To this...

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I'm amazed at how many of us will paint our cars in makeshift booths with non explosion proof lights, and items like fans and heaters plugged into outlets inside. Vapours inside the booth are quite concentrated and won't take much to ignite.
 
One part of the Code I agree with is that at 12 years, they're supposed to be hydro-tested to check cylinder integrity.

We do monthly visual , annual , 6 year internal and the 12yr hydro test/inspections.... You don't want to be out of bullets when you need them most!
 
I'm amazed at how many of us will paint our cars in makeshift booths with non explosion proof lights, and items like fans and heaters plugged into outlets inside. Vapours inside the booth are quite concentrated and won't take much to ignite.
Guilty!! Was only spraying a fender from a PT Cruiser but still.....my exhaust fan and lights were not explosion proof.
 
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Here's my F350 after 'falling off' 4 Jack Stands & sitting on my concrete driveway when I was installing new brakes, rotors, calipers & axle bearings. LONG STORY! Smashed my left forearm, wrist & hand. Just finished physical therapy on my wrist, hand & three fingers last week and this all happened back on June 4th. UGH!
I was laying underneath pumping my floor Jack to raise the left rear corner of the truck when all hell broke out! I AM VERY VERY LUCKY, for sure!!!
Interestingly enough, I had the driver's front wheel ready to remount & when the truck fell, two front studs landed on the inside of the wheel & held that corner up. Go figure!
Notice my floor Jack still wedged under the truck!
Good thing that came out of this is I talked my wife (finally!) into getting a 4-Poat lift for my garage! Yahoo! Food for thought! Scott

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