So I have a dehumidifier that may be leaking refrigerant (either Freon or r410a.) Apparently that stuff turns into phosgene or hydrofluoric acid, respectively, if heated by an open flame - should I avoid cooking or baking in the kitchen until the place is all ventilated? (The dehumidifier is next to the kitchen.)
The refrigerant is heavier than air, and the kitchen stovetops are waist-high, so that ought to mitigate the issue somewhat?
If you think you have a leak*, the concentration of refrigerant in the air will be almost unmeasurable. The potential toxic by-products would be even less.
Worry about something else.
*If you can’t be sure if there is a leak or not, then the leak rate has to be in sub-ounce range per day, otherwise it would be obvious.
1st my nitpick. There is no such thing as Freon. There are Freon brand gasses. R12, R22, R410a and so forth.
If you have enough refrigerant gases in your kitchen to produce dangerous levels of phosgene gas, you will know it! If you have high levels of refrigerant gases in a closed area you will have the oxygen displaced in the space and that will be the greater danger before lighting off any stove or oven. Plus the systems would have to be really large containing hundreds of pounds of gas for a major leak to be a danger. Most systems in a kitchen area qould have pounds of gas in them.
I would say you have no problem except loss of dehumidification