#home garage security

Garages can often be used for many different purposes besides just storing a car. Below are some helpful tips that can be used to make a residential garage safer.

Be Careful Storing Dangerous Chemicals

An important safety tip for keeping a garage safe is to store all the dangerous chemicals away from children and animals. Remember to hide or elevate any potentially hazardous liquids and materials such as gasoline, pesticides, fertilizers, paint thinners, bleaches, oils, etc.

Keep any propane tanks locked up and disconnected when not in use and make sure to store any flammable liquids away from open flames and hot spots.

Consider investing in some garage organizer bins to prevent tripping hazard and utilize garage ceiling space to keep things off the floor.

Keep Storage Areas Organized To Avoid Accidents

A great way to passively keep yourself and others safe in your garage is to install shelving and other adequate storage containers. By keeping your garage and storage areas neat and organized you can help to reduce clutter and prevent accidents or tripping hazards. Keep your garage floor clear of objects that could be slipped on and potentially harmful.

Watch Out For Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Garages are common places for carbon monoxide buildups, which can be hazardous to human health and potentially fatal if left unchecked. Carbon monoxide gas is completely odorless and invisible to the naked eye.

While in a closed garage, never leave a vehicle running or use power equipment with an internal combustion engine like portable generators or pressure washers. Carbon monoxide can leech from your garage into your home and cause other health and safety concerns. Consider installing a carbon monoxide alarm in your garage for peace of mind.

Be Aware Of Flammable Materials And Liquids

While this still might fall under the category of storing dangerous chemicals, it's still important to mention the hazards of flammable materials.

Don't store any items such as gasoline, paint thinner, or anything flammable near an ignition source such as a hot water heater or air conditioning unit.

Always make sure that your garage is properly ventilated so no harmful toxins can build up, and keep a class B or C fire extinguisher somewhere it can be easily accessed.

Make Sure Your Garage Is Well Lit

Another safety tip for your garage is to always ensure that it is well lit— both inside and outside. Keeping your garage bright outside will help to scare off burglars, and keeping an inside light on will help prevent tripping hazards and can confuse potential criminals if the lights are bright enough.

Make sure all light switches are easy to find, not covered or blocked, and in an easy to access location. Put switches for outside lights inside your garage so that no one can interfere them. Consider investing in a utility shop light with a pull string to hang from your garage ceiling.

Keep Your Garage Door Well Maintained

Since the sliding garage door itself is such a big entrance, it's important to make sure it closes securely and is in good condition.

A good practice is to walk around the interior and exterior of the garage door and make sure all the bolts and screws are tightened. Make sure to test any electric garage door openers if possible and regularly check the trip sensor to double check the door will stop closing if an obstruction is detected.

Consider investing in a garage door sensor that alerts you when the garage door is left open.

Be Aware Of Whats In Your Driveway

Did you know an estimated 267 deaths per year are caused when a vehicle backs up onto a person and 31 percent of these deaths are children under 5 years of age? Safekids.org also reports that motor vehicle fatalities among children cost the U.S. more than 5.5 billion dollars in medical and worker costs.

Keep items like toys, bikes, chalk, and anything else that could attract children or thieves locked in your garage or a storage area instead of in the driveway.

Consider investing in a driveway motion alarm to receive notifications when movement is detected on a driveway.

Make Sure All Garage Entryways Are Secure

An important part of keeping every garage safe is to always ensure that the doors and windows leading into the garage are sturdy enough to keep out burglars.

Install high security locks on all entrance doors and keep every window covered as to prevent potential burglars from peering inside.

Use keyless deadbolts to keep doors locked from the inside only at night and keep all overhead garage doors locked securely when at home.

Child And Pet Proof Your Garage

According to the ASPCA there are many items commonly stored in garages that are hazardous and potentially fatal for young children and pets. Some of these garage dangers for children and pets include insecticides, veterinary products, household items, prescriptions, rodenticides, and garden products like herbicides and fungicides.

Keep garages safe by being aware of where items are stored, even for those that don't have a pet or a child, life can sometimes be unexpected. Be prepared for visitors and the worst case scenario, always try to keep garage interiors kid and animal friendly.

Protect Your Vehicles From Theft Or Burglary

Keeping your vehicles securely locked in a garage is a good way to keep burglars and other criminals away from your home. Vehicles that are left parked in the driveway, on the street, or in a parking lot are much more likely to be vandalized, broken into, or even stolen than those in a garage. The safest thing that can be done for a vehicle is to keep it secure in a garage with the keys tightly locked away in a separate room.

Those with a keyless entry system can keep their keys locked in a metal box overnight so thieves can't exploit the radio signals in a key fob to gain access to remote start vehicles, allowing them to start the engine.

Keep Your Garage Safe With These Important Garage Safety Tips

Every garage door is an important part of a homes perimeter, so keep it well maintained and it will function properly for a long time. Keep in mind the dangers that all items may pose to your security in a garage and act accordingly.