Most people are concerned about whether or not their garage is safe from would-be robbers and vandals. After all, garages often house expensive tools, bikes, and more. You should be concerned about whether or not your garage is secure.

But it’s equally important to make sure your garage is safe for other people to be around. Garage safety is often overlooked due to it being more “out of sight, out of mind” than the rest of your house. That’s no excuse to leave it unchecked, though.

Here are a few things to consider when it comes to maintaining garage safety.

Messiness is More Dangerous Than You Think

There are a lot of reasons why you should keep your garage clean and organized. It forces you to get rid of clutter and unnecessary items. It looks nice and makes it easier to find what you’re looking for. It also keeps things safer.

Messiness can be a safety hazard. Whether it’s tripping on something that’s lying on the floor or having something fall from an overfilled shelf, people are regularly injured in their garage. With a clean garage, this is much less likely to happen.

You should also be mindful of what you do with hazardous materials and chemicals. Keep them off the floor and put them away in cabinets. If you have children, you should consider locking these cabinets.

Lastly, garage floors can get wet and slippery. It’s not a bad idea to add a non-slip coating to your garage floor.

Let There Be Light

Garages are often dark and dingy. Much like clutter, this presents a danger to people passing through the garage. You should be able to see all the edges and corners of your garage. If there are dark spots, put up another light or two.

Garage Fire Safety Matters

Garages typically house a lot of flammable material, including fertilizers, gasoline for lawnmowers, cardboard boxes, and more. If you have a small shed on your property, it’s not a bad idea to store these items in there instead.

Either way, you should have a fire extinguisher nearby. It’s important to note that there are different classes of extinguishers. Make sure you have one capable of putting out grease/gasoline fires.

You shouldn’t place a smoke alarm in your garage, as your car can set it off. Instead, if you have a connected garage, make sure to have a smoke alarm in the adjacent room of your home. As for the garage itself, consider adding a heat detector.

Don’t Leave Your Car Running in the Garage

When the cold winter comes, most people want to run their car for a few minutes so it’s nice and toasty when they get in it. We don’t blame them. However, you shouldn’t be running your car inside your garage. Even if the garage door is open, the toxic fumes can still pose a safety hazard, especially for attached garages.

As with the smoke alarm, for attached garages, keep a carbon monoxide detector in the neighboring room.

Update Your Garage Door and Opener

A broken or malfunctioning garage door can be a serious safety hazard. If your garage door springs break, the full weight of the garage door is unleashed. If your garage’s sensors are broken, a garage door may not stop when someone is in the way of it.

You should periodically check your garage’s sensors to make sure they’re operating properly.

As for your garage door opener, if you notice any change in performance, you should contact a professional to have it inspected. Fixing a garage door isn’t something a regular homeowner should do. At Springfield Overhead Door, we can handle all of your garage door needs. Whether you need a garage door opener or an overhead door in Ohio, we have you covered.

We’ll help make sure your garage door is safe and secure.