How to Fireproof Your Garage

One of the things that homeowners don’t want to happen to their house is that it gets destroyed by fire. It’s dangerous and can kill lives, primarily if it occurs at an inopportune time. It also destroys the home that the family has built. It gets rid of all your precious belongings, and after the fire, you might think that you have lost everything. You would need to start from a blank slate. So it’s just normal that homeowners are extra cautious so as not to start a fire in their houses. It’s not exaggerating any situation; it’s called being prepared for the worst that can happen and making sure everyone in the household is safe. Homeowners would install smoke detectors so that they’ll be quickly notified if smoke is building up in an area of their house. They are also wary of where they place certain equipment, such as the stove, to be sure that it won’t get caught up on fire. In America, fireplaces are common, and these are thoroughly inspected and cleaned every year to ensure everyone’s safety. There’s another kind of fire that homeowners should be cautious about. You don’t want to start a massive fire in your garage. The garage is a storage space, so many of your belongings will be caught on fire. It can also destroy your car that not only is it expensive, but it is also something that your family uses every day. Plus, extreme garage fires can wreak havoc in your garage and escalate to other areas of your house. Most garages nowadays are attached to the main house. But one of the problems lies with the attention homeowners give to the garage. Since they don’t focus too much on the garage, it becomes much more dangerous for people in the household. It’s also dangerous to have a garage fire because these spaces usually store substances that are flammable and keep them close to items that easily get caught in a fire. You’ll be surprised to know that garage fires occur more in cold months of the year, such as January and February, instead of the summer season. In the United States, the US Fire Administration says there are about 6,600 garage fires that happen every year. It is low compared to other figures, but it’s dangerous and has caused significant losses in property. To avoid garage fires, it’s essential to know what causes them in the first place. According to Danleys.com, the primary cause of fires in the garage is an electrical malfunction. When wires get damaged, and the outlets in the garage are overloaded, a flame starts in a short circuit. Garage fires are also caused by flammable materials that should have not been kept in the garage in the first place. Homeowners don’t notice right away when a fire is already starting in the garage. They don’t really think of installing smoke detectors in an area of the house that people hardly spend time in. This became a big problem because fires in the garage grew much more quickly. Note that nothing is really wholly fireproof, but there are ways on how you can lower the possibility of your garage getting caught in a house fire. Here are some steps that homeowners can follow to ensure the safety of their home.

1. Install a heat alarm in your garage.

You can rely more on a heat alarm than a smoke alarm, especially for the garage. Extremely hot temperatures cloud the readings of smoke alarms, so you might be getting false alarms when you use this type. When false alarms get annoying, you will have a tendency to uninstall them, which defeats their very purpose in the first place.

2. Thoroughly clean and declutter your garage.

If you need another reason to clean your garage, then let this be it. You need to keep your things tidy and organized in smart storage solutions, as the more clutter you collect, the more chances a fire can start or spread much faster in your garage on its way to the main house. You should store your items properly in a way that the flammable items are not close to materials that easily ignite.

3. Have an annual inspection of your garage structure.

You should always check the safety of your garage at least once a year.

4. Have a functional garage door.

It’s the exit point, so make sure that it is working and that you have access to open it wherever you are.

5. Gasoline, oil, paint, bottles of varnish, and propane should not be stored in an area that’s connected to the house.

These flammable items must be kept in a non-attached structure such as a shed.

6. Do not store anything on top of your washer, dryer, or other appliances.

On top of your appliances is not the right place to store items. This can lead to a fire. Be organized and use your wall shelves or overhead storage racks for storing your items and not having them placed on top of your appliances.

7. Do not overload an outlet.

Do not plug in too many items in one single outlet. This is one of the leading causes of fires in the garage. You want to be safe and spread electricity more strategically without causing a fire to start. Do not even think of using an extension cord as an alternative power source. This causes the wires to be short. Your power outlets in the garage must all have a safe connection.

8. Do not install a device that’s solid-fuel burning in the garage.

One, because you would be disobeying the building code. And two, because it’s an extremely serious fire hazard. Enough said.

Final Word

The garage is a functional storage space. A smart homeowner often uses the garage for multiple things. This is where the car is parked and essential belongings are stored. Some household appliances are left here when the space in the main house is not enough. People also do repairs, woodworks, metal works, or electricity jobs in the garage. Harmful substances are also kept in this space. This is why it’s dangerous, and homeowners must be extra wary of preventing a fire that may start from their garage spaces. Be cautious and fireproof your garage now.