Your garage offers a convenient place to keep your vehicle safe, store tools and gardening supplies and work on a wide range of projects. The following tips can help you improve the safety of your garage to lower the risk of injuries or other harm to you and your household.
Keep hazardous materials locked up
Pesticide products, fertilizers and similar gardening supplies can be harmful to people and pets. Other supplies, such as cleaning products, fluids for your car, paint, cans of gasoline and similar items, are also hazardous.
Keep any hazardous items or materials locked up in a storage area or cabinet in your garage, which helps prevent other household members from being able to access them. Make sure you're storing these items safely, such as providing ventilation if needed.
Store sharp tools and power tools safely
Sharp intruments and power tools can lead to severe injuries if younger house members get hold of them. Store these objects in a storage cabinet or on shelving far from curious hands. Consider locking power tools and sharp instruments in a cabinet for added safety. For larger or longer tools, you can hang them in your garage in an area where they won't be disturbed.
Check your garage door opener
Your garage door opener should be in good working condition at all times to lower the risk of accidents and injuries. Check your garage door opener to make sure there's no damage to springs or other components.
The sensors for your garage door opener should be kept clean and unobstructed as well to ensure safe and proper usage. Keep garage door opener remotes in a safe spot where younger home members cannot reach them.
Improve garage lighting
If you only have one dim bulb in your garage for lighting, replace it with a better lighting system with more illumination. Having better lighting in your garage is important for safety purposes, since it ensures you're able to see well and avoid hazards.
Having good lighting is also a safety concern if you have a workshop in your garage. Consider switching to LED or similar light fixtures for more even and efficient lighting in your garage.
About the Author
Kyung Kim
Hi, I'm Kyung Kim. I immigrated from South Korea to the United States in 1968 when I was 7 years old. I have seen my mom struggle with the English language and work hard to raise her four kids by herself. Still to this day, I don't know how she pulled it off, but she bought her first home in 1979 for $70,000 and because of that decision, she was able to live without worrying about her financial future. I want that for everyone, to feel the pride of home ownership and to build their financial wealth using real estate as part of their financial portfolio. I feel so blessed to play a small role in helping others reach this goal.
I live in Beaverton with my husband, Richard. My mom, who lived with us for several years, passed away in our home in February 2022. Her first home purchase in 1979 made it possible for her to live to the very end, without worrying about her finances. As of August 2022 with a little downpayment assistance, our four children own their own homes. Being in real estate, I quickly realized that if they didn't buy now, they may be priced out of the market in the future. Whether that would have been the case, we will never know, but what we do know is that they are all realizing some good, healthy appreciation in their home values.
As passionate as I am about people owning their homes, I'm also passionate about giving back to our community. I support Compassion First, a non-profit organization that provides aftercare for sex trafficked girls in Indonesia. My husband and I also feel called to financially support social injustice organizations.
I'd love to assist you. Whether you're in the research phase at the beginning of your real estate search or you know exactly what you're looking for, you'll benefit from having a real estate professional by your side. I'd be honored to put my real estate experience to work for you.
