We are all aware of the destruction a fire can wreak on a home and many of us go to great lengths to ensure our homes are equipped with fire safety measures.  One area of the home that we might not be so conscious of however, is the garage, particularly one that is attached to the home.  It merits concern as it’s generally the area with the most potential for a fire to start.  Why do we say this?
 
The garage is the place we usually store things that we don’t like to have in the home such as old paint cans, gasoline cannisters, gardening equipment, car parts and cleaning items.  Its also the area we work on the gardening equipment and car etc.  Yes, its clear that this is one of the most important areas to take fire safety measures.
 
Here are some fire safety precautions to take for your garage:
 

• Its important that the garage is fitted with carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and that the batteries are checked regularly.

 

• Store any flammable items correctly and make sure they are well labeled.

 

• Take a look at the door connecting the garage to the house and make sure there are no broken seals or gaps which would allow toxic fumes to enter the home.

 

• When working in the garage, keep the garage door open and make sure any garbage or oily rags and containers are not left lying on the floor.  Clean up any oil spills etc.

 

• Last but not least, have the garage inspected by a certified home inspector.  This is an important step in making sure the garage is in good working order as the home inspector will be able to point out any unsafe areas.

 
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding garage inspections.
 

​We are constantly given reminders about the need to regularly check the batteries in our carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, but what else should we know about these life saving devices? For example, where should we put them so that they perform best? And should we have more than just one in the home?
 
Roughly 3,000 people in the United States die every year from the effects of a house fire, that’s a lot of people.  Sadly, many of these deaths could’ve been prevented if they had sufficient smoke detectors in their homes or, if the ones they had were working properly.   
 
So, lets look at a few important points to consider regarding smoke detectors:  There should be smoke detectors on every, inhabited floor of the home, this should especially include the basement and garage which is where many flammable items are usually stored.
Another point to consider is that we are most at risk of being harmed in a fire at night, when the household is asleep, so a good thing to do is have smoke detectors in each bedroom or at least very close to them so that they could be heard easily.  When fitting them in a basement, ideally fit them to the ceiling by the basement stairs.
 
Keep the family well educated as to what they should do in the event of a fire.  Test the smoke alarm at night, occasionally, while the household is sleeping to see whether the alarms would effectively wake them, especially children.  Also, if possible, try to make sure the smoke detector sound is different from any other sounds in the home.  NEVER disconnect the alarm just because it’s annoying you by going off when you’re cooking etc.  Its much too easy to forget that you disconnected it.   One last thing, do a monthly check of all smoke or carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are all working well.