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Fire Safety: Preventing Garage Fires

By
Home Inspector with Diadem Property Inspections - Serving Southeast Michigan
Attached garages are wonderful, but they do present certain risks... like an increased risk of a fire spreading from the garage to the rest of the house.

There are plenty of things that we can do to prevent garage fires from spreading to the rest of the house, or better yet, to keep them from starting in the first place.

Why do many garages pose a fire hazard?
  • Where are you most likely to do any welding, or any work on your car? These activities require working with all sorts of flammable materials.
  • Water heaters and boilers are sometimes stored in garages, and they can create sparks that may ignite fumes or fluids. Car batteries, too, will spark under certain conditions.
  • Oil and gasoline can drip from cars. Given the proper conditions, these fluids may collect unnoticed and eventually ignite.
  • Flammable liquids, such as gasoline, motor oil and paint are commonly stored in garages. Some other examples are brake fluid, varnish, paint thinner and lighter fluid.

The following tips can help prevent garage fires and their spread:

  • If the garage allows access to the attic, make sure a hatch covers this access.
  • The walls and ceiling should be fire-rated. Unfortunately, if you haven’t had any training, it will be difficult to tell if your walls are Type X fire-rated gypsum.
  • The floor should be clear of clutter. Loose papers, matches, oily rags, and other potentially  flammable items are extremely dangerous if they are strewn about the garage floor.
  • Use light bulbs with the proper wattage, and do not overload electrical outlets.
  • Tape down all cords and wires so they are not twisted or accidentally yanked.

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? Make sure 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.
  • Check the joints and open spaces around the door. Are they tightly sealed? Any openings at all can allow dangerous fumes, such as carbon monoxide or gasoline vapor, to enter the living area.

Concerning items placed on the floor, you should check for the following:

  • Store your flammable liquids in clearly labeled, self-closing containers, and only in small amounts. Keep them away from heaters, appliances, pilot lights and other sources of heat or flame.
  • Never store propane tanks indoors. It is an explosion hazard. Propane tanks are sturdy enough to be stored outdoors.
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Jason Channell     Twitter - Home Inspection LinkedIn Twitter - Home Inspection

Diadem Property Inspections
(888) 699-8710

Learn more: michigan-indoor-air-quality.com

Learn more: HouseSleuth.com

Michigan Builder's License 2101198700
Environmental Solutions Association 3818 -- Certified Mold Inspector & Assessor, Certified Allergen Inspector
International Indoor Air Quality Commission CC1983 --  Indoor Environmental Certified Consultant

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Comments (3)

Ralph Gorgoglione
Metro Life Homes - Palm Springs, CA
California and Hawaii Real Estate (310) 497-9407

Hey Jason,

These are some really good tips.

I actually never thought about the subject too much.

thanks for putting this blog post together.

Sep 07, 2010 05:03 AM
Lori Bowers
La Quinta, CA
The Lori Bowers Group

That is a very useful blog. Out here in California we do not really think about garage fires, but we do see them on the news periodically. I think awareness is key.

Sep 07, 2010 05:05 AM
Not a real person
San Diego, CA

And please, please, please, don't carpet your garage floor with carpet, especially the cheapest carpet available. I can guarantee you that it will catch fire or you'll have other significant problems.

Sep 08, 2010 02:23 AM