As many know from my other thread I am about to being reloading. I live in a townhouse, and the best spot I have to reload will be a nice sized outdoor storage room attached to the house. I will have room to put in a nice size reloading bench and store all of my equipment, etc.

My question is this: Is it safe to reload in the same room as my natural gas water heater? I never keep gasoline in there due to the possibility of fumes being ignited by the pilot light. I will be reloading across the room from the water heater, but it isn't a large room. My reloading bench will probably be 6-8 feet away from the water heater. If I can't reload there I am SOL.

Safe? Advice?

I think you'll be safe reloading in there. Just keep your powder and primers way from the water heater. You might want to keep an eye on the humidity in that room as it might be a bit high - hard to know. Humidity would be bad for stored primers over time and lead to rust on things you don't want to rust, like your press and dies.

I've reloaded in my old basement with a gas water heater present - no problems

No flamable fumes in reloading, you will be plenty safe.

Thanks guys. I figured it would be safe, but I didn't want to assume without asking someone more knowledgable than me.

I live in Alabama and we have PLENTY of humidity. I will have to think of a solution to that.

No problem, my setup is even closer. The humidty is a bigger issue.

Move to Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming, New Mexico or Utah. Low humidity there...

Water heater is no problem. In fact, in the winter it will probably supply all of the heat you need in Birmingham. If you can install a small window air conditioner you'll enjoy life a lot more when using the store room in warmer weather.

I did it for years, never had a problem with humidity issues.

when I'm sitting at my bench, my gas water heater is about 5 feet right behind me. My dehumidifier is 1 foot from that.

Keep everything off the floor in case the water heater or the pipes rust out. The heater should have a source of fresh air so it does not consume the oxygen in the room.

quote:

Originally posted by ireload2:
Keep everything off the floor in case the water heater or the pipes rust out. The heater should have a source of fresh air so it does not consume the oxygen in the room.

Ireload2 is right. To put a finer point on it, I will venture that your greatest danger is probably low oxygen levels or carbon monoxide. If your utility room does not have a carbon monoxide detector, get one.

I probably would not store my primers or powder there. Not that it is particularly unsafe, but if a fire should happen, I would not want to give anyone cause to suspect I contributed.

When you are done reloading, sweep away from the water heater (lest a stray primer or unburnt powder should wind up under the heater) and if you suck up any spilled powder with a vacuum cleaner make sure it is a Rainbow brand (the filter element is water) You don't want to pass gunpowder through an electric motor. While the carbon/graphite might be a good dry lubricant, electric motors spark and I believe graphite conducts.

quote:

Originally posted by ireload2:
Keep everything off the floor in case the water heater or the pipes rust out. The heater should have a source of fresh air so it does not consume the oxygen in the room.

Ireload2 is right. To put a finer point on it, I will venture that your greatest danger is probably low oxygen levels or carbon monoxide. If your utility room does not have a carbon monoxide detector, get one.

I probably would not store my primers or powder there. Not that it is particularly unsafe, but if a fire should happen, I would not want to give anyone cause to suspect I contributed.

When you are done reloading, sweep away from the water heater (lest a stray primer or unburnt powder should wind up under the heater) and if you suck up any spilled powder with a vacuum cleaner make sure it is a Rainbow brand (the f

quote:

Reload in same room with Gas Water Heater?

I wouldn't worry about it.



The book "How the mind works" suggests that most behavior and decisions are not made based on reason, but rather emotion. The mind does not reason well, except when it thinks it is being cheated.

What does it all mean?
Maybe you could figure this out if you fantasized that someone was cheating you by preventing you from reloading with the tank, and write down your arguments. Then fantasize you are being cheated by someone forcing you to do your reloading with a tank, and write down all your arguments. Then go with the bigger pile of paper.

I tried that fantasy and nothing came to me either way. I could not get anything across the synaptic cleft.

I do feel guilty for waisting your time.
I measured it.
I reload 27 feet from a gas water heater.
I do have a door I can close between them.

I tried reloading with the door open and with the door closed.
No difference.

I tried staring at that door, wondering if I should close it, to provide isolation during storage.

I could not feel any concern.
I can't seem to worry about it.

Been safely doing it for years. Lou

i just made my reloading bench the focal point of my living room

My reloading room is 7'6"X 6'. I share it with a gas WH, Watersoftener, and salt tank,plus the central vac, and reverse osmosis, Plus a rolaway tool box. I have an area in the garage where I do the dirty work. This area is mostly just for assembly.
Lyle

It'd be as safe as that gas space heater I used for years in Okla or that wood stove I use to heat my shop now.

There is a guy, a couple hours North of Spokane WA that handloads in a small room with a wood stove, while wearing a hat that looks like the one in the above picture, except the handloader is not a handsome TV actor in costume. He is the real deal hick.

In the winter I do all my handloading next to the fireplace in the living room. Makes me feel safe and warm at the same time.

The Texas Memorial Museum has a multimillion dollar gun collection. Things like 75% gold inlaid coverage dueling pistol pairs from Napoleon IIIs armorer and ivory stocked wheel lock pairs. The ivory stocks are about 18" long.
Much of the collection are things none of us could dream of owning.
A lot of it got soaked by a broken water pipe 3 floors up in a janitor's mop room. The pipe broke on a week end. Use your imagination around water pipes, shit happens.

Why do water pipes in museums housing priceless gun collections always break on a weekend? Why do tornados always strike trailer parks?

They don't always.
It is rumored there were tornados before there were trailer parks.