7 Tips to Prevent Fire in the Garage

Posted on July 28th, 2023

Precautions to Take to Keep Your Garage Safe from Fire

While garage fires are not necessarily an everyday occurrence, they are possibly more common than you might think. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there are approximately 6,600 garage fires in this country annually. And since garages are either attached to the house or very close to it, a fire that starts in the garage can quickly spread to other parts of your home inflicting considerable damage and, potentially, bodily harm.

Steps to Prevent Garage Fires

To keep your home, family, and your possessions safe, here are a number of things every homeowner can and should do to try to prevent a garage fire.

1) Make sure your garage electrical system is in good working order.

Electrical malfunctions are the main cause of garage fires, and the sources include outlets, lighting, garage door openers, and overloaded circuits, among others. If you suspect any kind of electrical problem, bring in a professional electrician to deal with your issues. And if your garage door opener is overheating or otherwise not working right, call in a garage door repair specialist.

2) Take proper precautions with all flammable liquids.

Make sure the lids on the containers holding these liquids are tightly sealed, and rather than leaving them scattered around your garage, store them in a metal cabinet.

3) Install a smoke or heat detector.

Yes, that detector may occasionally set off a false alarm, but the safety factor is worth that slight inconvenience.

On the other hand, to reduce the likelihood of worrisome false alarms, you might install a heat detector rather than a smoke detector. Just be sure to have one or the other for safety’s sake.

4) Clean up and/or dispose of flammable materials.

As an example, don’t leave sawdust lying on the floor or on work surfaces. Rags with flammable liquids in them should be placed in a metal container with a lid. If you’re going to use them again, wash them out as best you can and let them dry outside.

5) Don’t use your garage as a kitchen.

You should never use fryers, grills, or any other cooking equipment that generates significant heat in your garage.

6) Use the electrical outlets carefully.

As we said, electrical malfunctions are the main cause of garage fires, so make sure you don’t overload any outlets with multiple plug-ins. Garages are notorious for having overload outlets, greatly increasing the likelihood of a garage fire.

7) Have a fully-charged fire extinguisher in the garage.

Should the worst happen, you want to have a working fire extinguisher to put out any flames before they can spread beyond your garage.

Absolute Garage Builders – The First Name in Chicago Garage Construction

Hopefully, these tips will keep your garage free of fire, and when it comes to garage construction in Chicagoland, Absolute Garage Builders is the only name you need to remember. Garage construction is our specialty, we have multiple floor plans to choose from, and we’re always glad to provide you with an on-site, no-obligation construction estimate.

For the very best garage construction in Chicago and its suburbs, contact Abolut Garage Builders today!