AMERICAN PATRIOT INSPECTION SERVICES PLLC
  • Home
  • Schedule Now
  • Commercial Inspections
  • Home Inspections
  • Services & Fees
  • Qualifications
  • Watch me Inspect
  • Phase Inspections
  • Warranty Inspections
  • Home Energy Score
  • $10,000 Honor Guarantee
  • Buy Your Home Guarantee
  • Patriot Inspector Blog
  • Contact
  • Sample Report

The patriot inspector blog
​Call Now (210) 870-7214

Attached Garage Fire Hazards

7/3/2018

3 Comments

 
The purpose of this article is twofold. First, at InterNACHI, we’d like you to take measures to keep your garage free from fire. Fortunately, there are ways this can be done, some of which are described below. Secondly, garage fires do happen, and we’d like you to make sure that a fire cannot not easily spread to the rest of your house. While you can perform many of the recommendations in this article yourself, it is a good idea to hire an InterNACHI inspector to make sure your home is safe from a garage fire.
 
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 usually 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. These fluids may collect unnoticed and eventually ignite, given the proper conditions.
  • 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, it will be difficult for untrained homeowners to tell if their walls are Type X fire-rated gypsum. An InterNACHI inspector can examine the walls and ceiling to make sure they are adequate fire barriers. 
  • 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? An InterNACHI inspector can inspect the window to tell if 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. An InterNACHI inspector can recommend ways to seal the door so that fumes cannot 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. If they catch fire, they can explode. Propane tanks are sturdy enough to be stored outdoors.
In summary, there are plenty of things that you can do to prevent garage fires from spreading to the rest of the house, or to keep them from starting in the first place. However, it is highly recommended that you have your garage periodically examined by an InterNACHI inspector.



​
by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard
3 Comments
https://www.superiorpaperrs.com/ link
9/3/2018 11:00:59 am

Now I am worried about our own garage because I know we have been keeping a lot of easily combustible materials. There's a lot of wooden boxes and a truckload of old clothes that can easily spread flame. I am glad to be reminded of this. Now I really have to squeeze cleaning in our schedule. The only problem is I now live in the other street. I don't really visit our garage regularly anymore. It had been really stressful and it has been going on for months now.

Reply
7dollaressay.com review link
10/8/2018 07:13:41 am

A home should be safe from fire. Every home should have their own fire extinguishers in case of fire. Flammable liquids should be kept in a cool and dry place to avoid contact with fire. Electricity of a house must be planned according to standards to avoid short circuit that can cause fire. It is also essential to have a smoke detector that alarms a fire bell inside the house because early detection of smoke can lessen the fire to spread out easily. In addition, smoke detector can also activate water sprinkler to put out the fire.

Reply
mumbai beautygirls link
9/12/2019 06:55:32 am

mumbaibeautygirls.com offers female escort service with high class vip escorts College escorts girls, model escorts Services with Andheri East escorts Services in Mumbai, Hotel Escorts In Mumbai, high class Mumbai escorts, Mumbai sexy escorts, teen age Mumbai escorts, high profile Mumbai escort girl, russian escorts in Mumbai, cheap Mumbai escorts, Andheri Escorts, Juhu Escorts, Goregaon Escorts, Bandra Escorts, Colaba Escorts, Kandivali Escorts, Malad Escorts

http://www.escortservicesmumbai.com/

http://www.escortgirlinmumbai.com/

http://www.mumbaibeautygirls.com/

http://www.mumbaimassageservices.com/

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    My Names Keith Provencher, your friendly Texas Home Inspector.  I am putting this blog together to give home owners past, present, or future some advice on keeping your home in top shape.  Some maintenance here and there and that investment you made will last for generations

    Archives

    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Schedule Now
  • Commercial Inspections
  • Home Inspections
  • Services & Fees
  • Qualifications
  • Watch me Inspect
  • Phase Inspections
  • Warranty Inspections
  • Home Energy Score
  • $10,000 Honor Guarantee
  • Buy Your Home Guarantee
  • Patriot Inspector Blog
  • Contact
  • Sample Report