Acetone and garage heater

I’m working on replacing the carpet in my boat, it’s in my shop that’s heated by a hanging propane heater (unsure of size but it heats the shed easily 30×34′). I’d really like to use acetone(or xylol is fairly effective too) to help with getting the old adhesive/remaining backer off but I know that stuff is quite flammable, should I be concerned of that heater kicking on and turning the shop and me into a pile of ash or am I over reacting? It’s not overly well ventilated either, just a man door and two garage doors all on the same side of the building. (So I will be wearing a respirator while doing it, but keeping the vapor from building up could be an issue)

Grabbing a more friendly/less flammable stripping agent after work today but if that is not working I may need to go back to the acetone method. I would just pull the boat out of the garage and do it outside but most of the time I’m only working on it evenings well after dark.

*Edit – I could probably rig a box fan up into the attic scuttle to force air up into the attic to help ventilate*

If it were me, I wouldn’t risk it, though I don’t think it’d be an issue. I’d probably just shut off the heater while I was working and let the garage air out prior to turning it back on.

I’d rather be cautious than blow up.

Use your box fan to blow the vapor outside. Make sure your insurance is current.

Heat the shed up, turn off the heater and use the cleaner while the heater is off. If it gets too cold take a break and run the heater a little while and shut it off again

Coletrain27 wrote:

Heat the shed up, turn off the heater and use the cleaner while the heater is off. If it gets too cold take a break and run the heater a little while and shut it off again

A co worker and I were just talking of that method, possibly even just leaving it off all night to be sure I get adequate clearing of the vapors. Biggest risk there is I probably forget to stop on the way out the driveway in the morning and turn it back on and it’s extra chilly in the shed by evening.

I do this all the time turn heat off, use your favorite product then open door air it out the crank heater back on! But make sure you don’t have a older unit with pilot that always burns

The SCRATCHER wrote:

I do this all the time turn heat off, use your favorite product then open door air it out the crank heater back on! But make sure you don’t have a older unit with pilot that always burns

Same here, I’ve never had a issue besides maybe getting a headache

If memory serves me right acetone has a vapor rating of 2 which means it is heavier than water so the fumes should stay low to the ground. I have done similar in my garage and mine is set up the same as yours 28 x 32 with 2 overhead doors and a small service door in the corner. I always shut the heater off di my work with the far overhead door slightly cracked and a box fan in the service door drawing any accumulation out. When I am done I open the far door all the way and let the fan blow for an hour or so.

I removed carpet in a boat with Goo Gone (like gallons of it) in an insulated garage with a salamander heater. No issues. I’m not claiming it was the safest or smartest thing to do, but I did it.

Dutchboy wrote:

Use your box fan to blow the vapor outside. Make sure your insurance is current.

Please do not use any fan to exhaust flammable fumes, unless that fan is rated as explosion proof. A vapor explosion is not a joking matter. Folks get severely injured every year attempting this and similar scenarios inside a closed environment.

I’m not going to provide any advice and I’m not going to be liable for anything you do. But- if it were my garage, my boat, my life, I would get it done.

Here’s some info that may help you decide:

Acetone is heavier than air (about twice as dense) so vapors will collect at the floor, likely making it easier for you to manage vapors.

Lower explosive limit (LEL) of acetone is 2.5% volume.

At least from a health safety standpoint and it were my project, I would definitely use the Acetone over Xylene. Xylene has a LEL of 1.1%, meaning less xylol vapor is needed to create an explosion. Xylene is also heavier than air, and heavier than Acetone which means more vapor collecting at low spots. Xylene is also an aggressive liver and kidney toxicant.

I would do it in my garage with my setup and my life, because I’m confident I could manage the risk. Hope some of this info helps you make a decision.