# Gas hot water heater in the shop



## bigdave (May 29, 2009)

Hi all. I'm brand new to this and am in the process of setting up a small shop in my 13' by 21' single car garage attached to my home. I have a gas hot water heater in the corner. It is, of course, properly vented to the outside and all. My problem is what dangers does this involve? All I currently have as far as dust removal is my Shop Vac. Is the dust in the air a problem with the flame of the heater? Can I enclose the heater with a box/closet type of setup (assuming I allow proper ventilation of course)? Any suggestions from you folks who've been around these type of situations would be great.

By the way, thanks so much for all the welcome emails when I signed up last week. What a group!! I've been a member of a lot of forums over the years but have never been so warmly welcomed anywhere else like I was here. I'm really looking forward to being a part of this crowd and getting to where I can offer more than questions!!

Have a great day and thanks in advance for any responses.


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## tomakazi (May 30, 2009)

I've been working in the same situation for 30 years and haven't had a problem. It could potentally cause a problem, but would be very odd. Just keep it clean around the heater. Avoid finishing around the heater. You could close it in easy enough just vent it proper.


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## Ottis (Apr 17, 2009)

Agree with tomakazi, in my old house….I had a two car garage with a gas water heater in the shop….never had any problems. But I kept the shop well ventilated….and ended up enclosing the heater anyways. I think it cost me a whole $50 for everything to enclose it.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Remeber, in the fire dept we say if it grows, it blows. Dust is an explosive material in the air. Keep the concentrations LOW!!


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Hey Dave
I've had one in my shop for years but each shop is different it depends on how close fumes will be when finishing will be and if a heavy concentrations of saw dust will be close to the open flame of the pilot.


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## BTKS (Nov 30, 2008)

Bigdave, if you do enclose and vent, I would use a direct vent from the outside air and make it several feet away from the exhaust. Also be careful not to create the perfect nesting sight for local pests. A birds nest or a bloated asphyxiated opossum may be big trouble in the making. Sounds like others have been successful with gas and sawdust. It's not my first choice of situations. If the heater is old and needs replacing anyway you may look at just moving it elsewhere or changing to electric. No flame, no fumes and with gas prices fluxuating, maybe same operating cont. There's my unqualified two cents worth.
Best of luck, BTKS


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I'll throw out another couple cents worth if you think aobut changing the heat. Forced air electric furnace is the worst possible way to heat a home. Individual room heaters are much more efficient.

OOps!! It's a water heater :-((


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## bigdave (May 29, 2009)

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate all the replies. Since I don't see myself making too much dust in the foreseeable future with my new hobby I think I'll leave things as they are for now. (which I'm fast becoming very addicted to, by the way. Or, am I actually just becoming addicted to the pursuit of equipment and setting up the "shop", since so far that's pretty much all I'm accomplishing? LOL! Anyway . . . .)

By year's end I plan to upgrade to a tankless unit and it'll be up out of the way. Might even install it outside since freezing isn't a major concern in my neck of the woods.

Again, thanks for all the timely advice. You folks rock!


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## johnwilley (Sep 15, 2017)

There will be no problem if you maintain proper ventilation. These days everyone is going for power vent tankless water heater and I love such deals.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I have the same set up in a one car garage. Been doing woodworking for many years with no problem. I am not an expert on dust explosions, but I would think it would take a LOT of dust to trigger an explosion from the HW heater flame. So, keep your dust under control.

But mainly, keep flammable containers closed properly. I do my finishing in an outdoor spray booth!

Now, sayin' all that, your mileage may with your set up.
Good luck.
Mike


















Dual dust collection!!!


















And a mini-split AC w/heat pump!


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## Desert_Woodworker (Jan 28, 2015)

Think about a "carbon monoxide detector" but I definately would not use a canary bird in a cage, for my detector.


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## papadan (Mar 6, 2009)

John, Mike, and DW, since this thread is 8 years old, will you tell me why you want to heat hot water?


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

> John, Mike, and DW, since this thread is 8 years old, will you tell me why you want to heat hot water?
> 
> - papadan


Dam, suckered again.


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## Desert_Woodworker (Jan 28, 2015)

PDan- I'm not beating the hot water tank, I am warning people of the danger of carbon monoxide. This issue about recently with a friend of mine, who is setting up a garage workshop.


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

I had a similar situation. I chose to enclose my and then provide combustion air ventilation into the enclosure (closet).

I would say concern for fire from dust was never on my mind, fire from solvents a little, but mostly it was becasue I sealed and air conditioned the space, so I would have had to provide combustion air anyway.


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