Thanks for your concern, but the danger of fumes from the galvanised metal is essentially zero. Not only do the walls not really get hot enough to start burning the zinc, but the dangers of metal fume fever are in general enormously exaggerated, especially for Zinc.
I've personally been exposed to very large amounts of Zinc Oxide smoke and never experienced any ill effects. Other metals are plausibly toxic, but Zinc causes only a minor immune response in *some* individuals.
You should not be using the furnace indoors, so inhalation of significant amounts of fumes would be unlikely anyway. The Carbon Monoxide released from the burner is a much more acute danger to your body than any metal fumes from the furnace hardware. The charge of course might be a different matter.
2nd February 2008 13:07
PIerce14u2 wrote ...
Using Galvanized metal for teh furnace is a no-no since when heated the ganvanizing burns and gives off a poisionus gas.
2nd February 2008 22:16
Alan Yates wrote...
Thanks for your concern, but the danger of fumes from the galvanised metal is essentially zero. Not only do the walls not really get hot enough to start burning the zinc, but the dangers of metal fume fever are in general enormously exaggerated, especially for Zinc.
I've personally been exposed to very large amounts of Zinc Oxide smoke and never experienced any ill effects. Other metals are plausibly toxic, but Zinc causes only a minor immune response in *some* individuals.
You should not be using the furnace indoors, so inhalation of significant amounts of fumes would be unlikely anyway. The Carbon Monoxide released from the burner is a much more acute danger to your body than any metal fumes from the furnace hardware. The charge of course might be a different matter.