Materials: Glues, epoxy, stain, wax, spray paint, etc etc

[Pbmaster11]

I am working out of my dad's two stall garage... I live in Fargo, ND and it gets really cold. I have the garage heated when I am working but shut off when I am not in there. I store all of these materials, chemicals, etc etc in our garage storage room. My dad made the point today that the furnace is in the same room, with an open flame. He is worried about combustion with these vapors (if any?) or materials.

I keep my epoxy (west system, expensive), my mineral spirits, and paint thinner in the house away from the flame.

I don't want to keep that door cracked if there are vapors (I can't smell anything funky) due to the cold will get in the room and ruin the supplies.

My question is are these materials safe with this open flame? Any fumes I have to worry about?

[Beechwood Chip]

I might build a small cabinet out of drywall or another fire resistant material, with a small electric heater to keep the contents from getting too cold. It doesn't need to be perfectly air tight, but it should be pretty tight. If nothing else, that will reduce the electric costs.

This will keep the cold from ruining the materials, reduce the risk of the furnace igniting any vapors, and it will be safer in the event that there is a fire.

[Trip]

==> I keep my epoxy (west system, expensive), my mineral spirits, and paint thinner in the house away from the flame.

==> My dad made the point today that the furnace is in the same room, with an open flame

storage of flammables in the vacinity of open flame is an issue. I bet there are some good sites on facility management that cover the topic more fully. One thing would also concern me is accidental spillage during use. I can't count the times over the past decade where a can of mineral spirits has tipped over. You need to take a look at how close the furnace is from your work and storage areas. In my shop, the furnace units (gas) are more than 130' from my work areas. I also store bulk flammables in an outbuilding leaving only quart containers inside.

[CessnaPilotBarry]

What else is left when you bring in what you stated? If nothing else flammable is out there, no worries.

I have an oil fired furnace, for hydronic heat, in my basement shop. I flick the switch off before handing flammables. Oil furnaces do not have a pilot light. There are individual sealed gallons of mineral sprits, SLX, acetone, etc... stored ~ 30' from the furnace, not to mention a 275 gallon oil tank ~ 40 feet away.

My basement "breathes", as it draws combustion air from the home above, and there is a grade level walk-out double door and dryer vent, neither of which are air tight. I'd be surprised if your garage is "tighter" than my basement. Are there eave vents, roll-up doors, or any other major leaks?

[Trip]

==> I have the garage heated when I am working but shut off when I am not in there. I store all of these materials, chemicals, etc etc in our garage storage room. My dad made the point today that the furnace is in the same room, with an open flame. He is worried about combustion with these vapors (if any?) or materials.

Further thought, if you get into spraying don't do it the room with the furnace. I do most of my spray work in a portable booth either outside or in an outbuilding -- would not do that in the same space as a furnace.

[man of wood]

First read the cans to see if it flammables and or if it can stay out in the cold. I have read that some people using a cooler with a very small light in it. a light like a Christmas bulb.