Last Updated on December 1, 2023 by Daniel Osakwe
Heat guns are incredibly useful tools, but they can also be a potential safety hazard. To keep you safe, it’s important to know how to use a heat gun properly, how to avoid setting fire to your house, and how to protect your family. In this article, we’ve listed 5 interesting heat gun safety tips you should stick to when using this device.
Table of Contents
5 Heat Gun Safety Tips
Avoid Combustible and Flammable Materials
Make sure there are no combustible or flammable materials close by before using a heat gun. Combustible and flammable materials can catch fire when heated. For instance, if you accidentally put a heat gun onto cleaning products, they can catch fire. As a result, you must keep the heat gun far from any explosive or flammable objects.
Use in a Well-Ventilated Area
Heat guns should only be used in well-ventilated areas. They’re frequently gas-powered. A focused beam of hot air will be released by heat guns when the gas heats up. But this process also produces gases, some of which might be dangerous. You should only use heat guns in a well-ventilated area if you want to be safe. They can be utilized outside. Make sure the area is adequately ventilated before using a heat gun inside.
Check the Housing
Examine the housing of the heat gun as well. The frame is the housing. It serves as the heat gun’s shell and encloses all of its internal components. Use the heat gun with caution if the housing has cracks or other damage. Hot air might leak from a housing that is fractured or damaged. And coming into contact with this hot air could cause a severe burn.
Avoid Blocking the Nozzle
Avoid ever blocking a heat gun’s nozzle. Every heat gun features a nozzle. It is the portion of a heat gun’s tip that emits heat. If the nozzle is blocked, heat from the heat gun won’t be able to escape. The heat gun’s interior could become so hot that it bursts. If you plan to use a heat gun, make sure the nozzle is always open and unblocked.
Allow It to Cool
Wait for the heat gun to cool completely before putting it away. Heat guns will continue to be hot for several hours. A fire could start if a heat gun is not put away right away after use. You can stop this from happening by allowing it to cool.
Recognize situations in which a heat gun may not be appropriate.
You are well aware of the versatility of heat guns. There are not, however, built for everything. Larger guns are better suited for industrial applications including removing many layers of paint and rust, putting vinyl wraps on a wide scale, and bending PVC pipes.
Smaller guns can be used for common household, automobile interiors, and boat repairs. Similarly, lead-containing surfaces shouldn’t be heated using heat guns since the fumes they produce can produce toxins.
