How to prevent a garage fire?

Going by statistics issued by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), there are 6,600 garage fires each year leading to an average of 30 deaths and 400 injuries not to mention loss of property amounting to $457 million.

We use garage for many purposes, for example, to park cars and store items like tools and appliances. It is also not uncommon to find stuff like motor oil, propane tanks and greasy rags in garages. Unfortunately, this comes with a high risk of setting your garage on fire, which is one of the most severe forms of home fires one can experience. A garage fire tends to spread far more quickly than other fires and even causes more destruction in its trail both in terms of serious injuries and property loss.

However, you can take steps that can not only help lower the risk of a garage fire but also contain the fire and associated damage.

Electrical safety in garage

According to USFA, the number one source of a garage fire is: electrical malfunctions. And the main reasons for this is old and defective circuits, overloaded electrical outlets and garage door opening system.

1. Don’t plug in many appliances in one electrical outlet as this can overload it, causing it to short-circuit.
2. Inspect the conditions of cords from time to time and replace frayed, broken, or bent cords immediately.
3. If you store appliances like water heaters and dryers in the garage, make sure they are not kept near items that can catch fire easily. Also make sure the air vents are not clogged.
4. Don’t use an extension cord in the garage. If at all you need to use it, make sure you unplug it and store it away immediately after it has been used.

Things to consider through garage construction

Your garage constriction plays a crucial role in preventing a garage fire and even stop spreading it. The US Fire Administration recommends installing:

• A fire-rated garage door, especially if it is attached to your house. It should be equipped with self-latching and self-closing mechanisms so that the door remains closed.
• Ceiling equipped with ‘5/8-inch Type X gypsum board’, if you have a room above the garage.
• A fire-rated attic hatch cover, if your garage has a ceiling with an attic that you can access from the garage.

Safe storage for inflammable materials

1. Store highly inflammable products like gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, WD 4, paint, thinner, varnish, aerosol spray cans and propane gas away from your house as well as garage. Shed or outhouse is a better place to store such items. A small spark or heat is enough to ignite them and cause a fire.
2. Remember other items like paper, magazines, oily rags, saw dust, tiny wood chips are also prone to catching fire. So, make sure you are careful about clearing those (like saw dust and wood chips) or storing these items (such as newspaper and magazines) away from tools and appliances. It pays to know that small pieces of wood catch fire much easier than larger pieces of woods.
3. Make sure you don’t let oily rags or wash cloth lying on the garage floor. Either dispose once you are done using them in a steel bucket with a lid on or wash the rags thoroughly and hang them on a line to dry out.

Safety equipment to prevent and contain garage fires

1. Install a fire extinguisher. Don’t keep it in the garage but somewhere nearby as it can also catch fire.
2. Install a heat alarm, which works better than a smoke detector in this context. Smoke detectors can be sensitive to fumes from your car, but a heat alarm is a better at detecting rising temperatures, which is something you are looking at when trying to prevent a fire.

Using old garage door that you haven’t changed in years? It may be the right time to replace your garage door with one having fire-proof features. last but not the least, fire extinguishers are good at containing small scale fires. If you have a threatening, smouldering fire, it is better to get out of there as fast as you can. Help your family members and pets to vacate the place and immediately call 911.