Solar Cooking FAQ

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General FAQs about Solar Cooking

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Materials

What items are NOT safe to use to construct the interior of a homemade oven?

• Light-weight urethane insulation.
• Rubber cement.
• Spray adhesives.
• Mylar
• Reflectix (tm) duct insulation
• Duct tape.
• Anything that might melt or outgas.
• Some people say to even avoid wood that might have been treated with formaldehyde or pesticides, though its likely many cookers have been made with standard commercial lumber.
• Avoid acrylic or most plastics for the inner glazing as they will sag and/or outgas.

What items ARE safe? (note: these materials are believed to be safe but no scientific proof is offered. Use this advice at your own risk.)

• oven cooking bags
• aluminum foil
• white glue
• tempera paint
• high-temperature BBQ paint (although some believe this is not safe. Some commentary: High Temp paint)
• other paints labeled "non-toxic"
• cardboard
• glass (if handled safely), tempered glass (if handled safely)
• non-treated wood
• food-grade polycarbonate (if used below melting temperature ~250F).

Some ovens use isocyanurate based foam insulation. Trade names of R-Max and Thermax. This is not the light, inexpensive foamboard but instead heavy-weight, yellow-colored insulation. There may be some concern here, as some types of this insulation were manufactured with formaldehyde.