The garage is one of the areas in your home with the highest potential for fire. It is easy to understand why when you think about the things we normally keep in there. Gas canisters, cleaning supplies, painting and decorating supplies, not to mention garden equipment and machinery, are all combustible if they are not stored correctly. So, let’s look at some ways you can reduce the risk of a fire breaking out in your garage.
Very often, we use the garage to take care of messy jobs we don’t want to do inside the home. It is also the place we will fix our cars or other machinery and equipment. To ensure that toxic fumes do not build up in the garage it is very important to keep the garage door open. Never start your car or other machinery with the door closed. You should also clean up any oil spills or other flammable liquids immediately and never leave rags soaked in these liquids lying around on the garage floor for any length of time.
Another important step towards fire safety is making sure you have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors installed in the garage as well as the house. Test these devices every month to make sure they are working properly and not in need of new batteries.
If your garage is attached to the house, you will need to exercise even more caution when it comes to fire. Check for cracks and gaps in the connecting door and frame that would allow dangerous fumes from the garage to enter the home’s living space. If you do find any, be sure to fix them immediately.