Are There Fire Risks In Your Garage?

Open your garage and look around. There may be tools here and there and perhaps the kids' bikes are lying around. But is anything in your garage putting you and your family at risk? If you have not taken the time to safeguard your garage from risks, you could face significant problems should an incident occur.

You don't want to make a home insurance claim for something that can be prevented, especially when the risks are high. So, your first step in protecting your safety should be to secure any chemicals and dangerous items that could put your home or your family at risk.

Look for Chemicals

Many garages have dangerous chemicals in them. This may include gasoline, oil, paints, cleaning chemicals, auto chemicals and much more. If you have these types of items in your garage, take action to remove or secure them whenever possible. If they need to be kept, follow these tips:

Store them according to the manufacturers' directions, especially based on heat or cold.
Keep these items stored in a locked cabinet or otherwise out of the reach of children.
Do not place them in an area where they can be knocked over. This is common with items for lawn mowers, for example, that are often placed on the ground when not in use.

Any chemicals you have in your garage can catch on fire if not properly protected. Luckily, it does not take much work to protect them adequately.

Look for Dangerous Items

Your garage may be home to other dangerous items. For example, small electric or gas-powered hand tools, lawn mowers and other power equipment are at a risk for fires and other breakdowns. It's important to keep items stored the way the manufacturer recommends. Also, be sure to conduct any required maintenance and upkeep on these items to ensure they remain in good condition and safe. Whenever possible, remove cords or ignitions from items that you will not use frequently to reduce risks. Keep items out of the way of children.

By taking these steps, you can keep your family protected. And, it may be mean fewer home insurance claims as well. Talk to your insurance agent about your coverage.

Keep your house safe. Call Buschbach Insurance Agency at (708) 423-2350 for more information on Chicago IL home insurance.

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