It’s a question that baffles many. It’s also the most common question when training: Why is it that that I’m getting a combustible gas reading on my instrument now, when I didn’t earlier today? The answer is not as complicated as you might think. First of all, a there is a common misunderstanding about when combustible gasses can be detected.

It is important to understand that flammable and combustible liquids are two different things. As defined by the NFPA, a flammable liquid is defined as a liquid whose flashpoint does not exceed 100 degrees fareheit when tested by closed-cup test methods, while a combustible liquid is one whose flashpoint is 100 degrees farenheit or higher. These two differences can actually be further classified into six groups: Continue Reading…