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Attached Garage Fire Hazards ~part 3~

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Education & Training

If there is a door that connects the garage to the living area, consider the following:

  • Do not install a pet door in the door! Flames can more easily spread into the living area through a pet door, especially if it's made of plastic.
  • Does the door have a window? At Der Hous Inspector we can inspect the window to tell if it's fire-rated.
  • The door should be self-closing. While it may be inconvenient, especially while carrying groceries into the house from the car, doors should be self-closing. You never know when a fire will happen, and it would be unfortunate to accidentally leave the door open while a fire is starting in the garage.
  • We will check the joints and open spaces around the door, to see if they tightly sealed? Any openings at all can allow dangerous fumes, such as carbon monoxide or gasoline vapor, to enter the living area. We can recommend ways to seal the door so that fumes cannot enter the living area.

Comments (3)

Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

All good stuff Eragorn!  Here you pay a huge fine if found to have a doggie door in your garage door to the house.

May 17, 2010 12:28 PM
Mike Jones
SUNSTREET MORTGAGE, LLC (BK-0907366, NMLS 145171) - Tucson, AZ
Mike Jones NMLS 223495

Eragorn,

I'd like to see a post about how you came to be "Der Hous Inspector."  Photos, too!

Mike in Tucson

Aug 12, 2010 11:06 PM
Kathy Clulow
Uxbridge, ON
Trusted For Experience - Respected For Results

Eragorn - an informative series of posts ..... it is amazing the type of things we store and do in our garages with out a second thought to the fire hazards they present

Aug 23, 2010 01:51 AM