Is Your Garage a Fire Hazard?

You have your home security system in place, and you feel like you can relax a little bit. Cameras are watching out for you inside and out. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide sensors are on alert. Door and window sensors let you know when anything opens or closes. Finally, your virtual assistant is standing by to carry out your every voice command. Are you missing anything? 

An Overlooked Area of Home Security

There is one room that gets overlooked, the garage. What was originally purposed as a place to store our cars, now has become either a storage center or a workshop. The U.S. Fire Administration reported that there is an average of 6,600 garage fires in homes that result in 30 deaths, 400 injuries, and $457 million in property loss. They also report that 93% happened in one and two-family houses. So, why not just put a home security smoke detector in the garage? There are numerous differing opinions on this matter. Some say do not put a smoke detector in the garage due to false alarms set off from the car exhaust or other factors. Due to this fact, a heat detector lists as preferred instead. Smoke detectors serve best in the rooms connected to the garage. 

Flammable Materials 

What can you do to avoid a possible fire? No one wants toxic chemicals or gasoline in the house, so where does it go? The popular spot for hazardous chemicals in our garage. Be sure to keep them far from any source that could provide a spark. The threat increases with water boilers or heaters located in the garage area. The worst part of a garage fire is how fast it spreads, mainly due to the items that are stored in there, such as gasoline, cleaners, and oil. Make sure any spills get cleaned up right away.

Electrical Fires

Keep an eye on your electrical wires. Don’t let your outlets get overloaded. Unplug the tools you are not using at the moment. Having the convenience of things always plugged in is not worth a fire risk due to an electrical short. If you have an older home and suspect faulty wiring, get an expert to take a look to be safe. Extension cords are also a big culprit in the garage. Look over these cords to make sure there are no frays. 

Final Cautions for Home Security

Since most of the garage fires start with an electrical source or flammable materials stored there, the odds can go lower with some effort. We never take for granted that it won’t happen to us. Avoid putting off cleaning that oil spill until the weekend could cost you your home. Be proactive when it comes to following through on possible hazards. Home security is something we have to create. 

In summary, here are the quick tips:

• Consider an unattached shed for storage of flammables and propane tanks
• Keep the garage clutter-free
• Make sure an up-to-date fire extinguisher is available
• Look for frayed wires or cords and replace
• Unplug unused tools
• Clean spills right away
• Good ventilation

Allied Home Security helps you to stay safe with 24/7 alarm monitoring. When your indoor smoke detectors sense danger, it will alert you and your monitoring company. They will then send immediate first responders to your aid. You do your part and keep that garage area safe, and we’ll back you up with our top-of-the-line home security equipment. Give us a call for any concerns and see what we have to secure your home.