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Subject:Re: How Hot Behind Dometic Fridge On 100+F Day? (insulation clearances)
From:David Beierl
Date:Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:20:55 -0400

At 04:01 PM 8/22/2010, neil n wrote:
>http://www.icc-es.org/reports/pdf_files/ICC-ES/ESR-2142.pdf
>
>reading section 4.2 specifically 4.2.3. , it seems that one can use
>this on "any or all surfaces" of detached garage, etc. But....
>
>My concern is section 4.2.1.2 Not sure if requirements noted regarding
>ventilation are so that other areas of the home are not exposed to
>potential off gassing, or, that in the event of a fire, the smoke from
>the rigid board doesn't reach other areas as quickly.
>
>Any takers on whether or not I should be concernced about off gassing
>from the DOW Styrospan I just installed in my Westy?

The report appears to be primarily about fire resistance.  The attic
and garage specs are an exception to the normal requirement that the
board be at least 1 1/2 inches outside a fifteen-minute fire barrier
in the wall -- instead they're allowing inside installation under
special circumstances, including that combustion air for water
heaters etc be supplied presumably in a way that doesn't allow the
board to have access to it.

I think you're ok.  The stuff gradually outgasses
dichlorodifluoromethane which is flammable and which if exposed to
flame has toxic breakdown products.  In your quantities this should
be no issue unless there's a fire.  Incidentally it has an ozone
depletion rating of 0.065, taking R-12 as 1.0, so it's a remarkable
improvement on same.

The 70C use ratings appear to be functional rather than safety
related, judging by the MSDS which you can find here:
<http://www.dow.com/PublishedLiterature/dh_0067/0901b8038006758b.pdf?filepath=/PublishToInternet/InternetDOWCOM/msds/SDS_00006738_UNITEDSTATES_ENGLISH&fromPage=MSDS
 >

Yours,
David