[Chas]

Dan,

I was unaware of common solvent reaction to fire, that is beyond explosion... Though I did know that fluorocarbons, Freon, break down.

Until I read the instructions for the new water heater, a high efficiency 30 gal. Rheem. Even common solvents, laundry product fumes (esp chlorine bleach), though may not burn are broken down in the flames to acids that condense on the bottom and flue of the hot water heater, to a lesser extent also erode the vent piping as well.

Another forgotten example is the propellant in some aerosol cans.

I had an experience when I was fitting rolled rubber foam insulation around a refrigeration line in the utility room. I used a can of silicone spray to ease the rubber into the wall. The hot water heater started and roasted the fumes of the Freon which I did not smell, into phosgene gas. I felt the tingle in my nose, I shut the gas main, had my family run out of the house. I went in 15 minutes later and ventilated the utility room. The fumes turned all the copper pipes down to 4' off the floor green. Very scary, needless to say the hot water heater was short lived

My apologies for going off topic, but solvent fumes are a danger beyond the explosion risk.

My "shop" is a made-over garage, I open the back door and slider at opposite ends of the room to ventilate when using solvents.

Chas