Five Ways to Improve the Safety of Your Garage

Your garage is one of your favorite places and it often holds some of your favorite toys as well. However, between the vehicles, dangerous chemicals, dim lighting and potentially deadly tools, there are a number of ways in which your personal haven can be dangerous to your family. The following five tips will help you make sure your garage is as safe as possible so everyone can enjoy the space.

Consider a Lighting Upgrade

Garage lights are notoriously dim, especially if you are relying on the light from an opener or a single bulb. While that might be plenty of light for a quick trip to the car, that all changes if you need to find something at night. Take the time to install more lights throughout the space to ensure there is plenty of visibility to prevent trips and falls. You should also make sure you install protective cages or guards to protect the bulbs from accidental bumps with tall items such as ladders or long handles.

Store Chemicals Properly

If you’re like most homeowners, you likely store dangerous chemicals in the garage to make sure they aren’t accessible in the home. However, you really aren’t increasing the safety of storing them if you aren’t doing it properly. Install a cabinet with a lock or shelves that are well out of reach of younger children so that you can make sure toxic chemicals are stored safely. You should also check the containers periodically to make sure there are no signs of corrosion or leaking. If you notice any, dispose of the container properly and purchase a new one. Don’t forget to keep flammable liquids away from all sources of heat or flame as well to make sure an accidental blaze doesn’t break out due to improperly stored chemicals.

Keep Things Neat

Garages are notoriously cluttered, and this can pose a significant safety risk for you and your family. Take the time to go through all of the boxes and piles that have built up over time. Install shelving, pegboards and other storage options so you can keep things off the floor so no one trips over them. If there are any items you haven’t used over an extended period of time, pack them up and donate or sell them to free up valuable space. Once you’ve taken the time to declutter, make sure you don’t fall back in the habit of simply putting things anywhere – keeping things cleaned up saves time and increases safety at the same time.

Store Ladders Properly

If you walk into most garages, you’ll likely see a ladder leaned against the wall. Superstitions and all the bad luck that can be crammed into seven years aside, this is a dangerous way to store ladders. The best option is to keep them horizontally on the ground along the wall. This will make sure that they don’t fall on top of anyone if they are bumped. If a horizontal ladder does fall over, consider the fact that a few inches of falling will be considerably less painful than one that is falling from its full height. If you want to protect everyone from a falling ladder, you can also secure it to the wall in the horizontal position to further increase the safety factor.

Test Your Garage Door

Nearly every automatic garage door includes a reversing feature that is designed to protect against it closing on someone or something. However, as with any electronic device, there is always the potential for something to stop functioning properly – especially the sensors. Take the time to test this feature periodically to make sure it is working as it should. All you have to do is find a large piece of wood or other object. Simply place the item under the garage door and try to shut it. If the sensors are working properly, the door will only travel down a short distance before reversing directions. If this doesn’t happen, you need to contact a professional to see about replacing the sensor or installing a new garage door opener.

While trying to do everything on this list at the same time might seem overwhelming, keep in mind that you can improve the safety over time. Carefully devise a plan of attack over the period of a few weekends, and your garage will be a safer place for the entire family rather quickly. Just make it a habit to keep everything neat once you’ve completed the process and you won’t have to worry about going through the entire checklist again in the future.