Garages

Garages are complicated and dangerous environments. Think about what you commonly see in the garage:

1. automobiles and other vehicles (motorcycles, off road vehicles, and riding lawnmowers);
2. the gas-fired furnace, which many times has a very poorly attached front cover that can fall off or easily be removed, thereby exposing pretty flames but very hot metals;
3. the gas-fired water heater, which is an appliance that can explode under adverse conditions;
4. dangerous chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, laundry and dishwashing detergents, paint, etc.);
5. the laundry area, with dangerous chemicals (detergents, fabric softeners, etc.) close by;
6. dangerous equipment (hammers, saws, screwdrivers, etc.); and
7. everything that we haven’t used in weeks, months, or years (see pictures at bottom of page).

Because the garage is an inherently dangerous environment, it should never be used as a playground for children. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard parents tell their child, “Go play in the garage.” Please, don’t. Even for adults, the garage is a dangerous environment, so you should also be very cautious when in the garage. Almost anything in the pictures could fall and knock you unconscious. If you find your garage like that shown in the pictures, do what my wise ol’ grandmother always did: “If I haven’t used it in six months, it’s time to have a garage sale.” Get rid of it or get yourself an off-site storage facility.

Garage vehicle doors
Virtually anything that moves is dangerous, particularly for pets and small children. The force exerted by a closing vehicle door can approach 200 pounds per square inch, enough force to seriously injure or kill a child or pet within minutes. Children should never be allowed to play “beat the garage door,” a too-common game where the children push the door opener/closer button and run to try to get outside before the vehicle door closes. And if children are playing hide and seek and “beat the garage door” at the same time, well, all you’ve done is make dangerous conditions worse. Such “games” send many children each year to the emergency room at the local hospital and, in some cases, to the city morgue. Why would someone want to do that a child?

Safety considerations, therefore, make it desirable to have both a photoelectric eye reverse and a force reverse on all vehicle door openers. Photoelectric eyes, when working properly, will help prevent property damage to vehicles that may be partially under the vehicle door because the vehicle breaks the photoelectric beam, preventing the door from closing. They are also the first line of defense if a child or pet is lying on the ground unconscious or injured. In those instances, his little body will break the photoelectric beam, once again

preventing the door from closing. Unfortunately, photoelectric eyes are often out of alignment because they are played with by children or they are accidentally kicked by someone when walking by, a particularly common problem in San Diego when so many garages look like that shown in the pictures on the previous page. That’s why both a photoelectric eye reverse and a force reverse are not only desired, but required in order to protect your family. If the photoelectric eyes are out of alignment, a force reverse, when working properly, will help prevent a child or pet from being crushed by a closing vehicle door. The force reverse should be set so that it reverses upon contact with anything impeding its downward travel.

Safety reverses should be tested and inspected monthly. The force reverse typically is a user operable control. A review of the vehicle door opener instructions may show how to adjust the sensitivity setting properly. If no instructions are available, contact the manufacturer for instructions. If you are not comfortable making this important safety feature adjustment yourself, you should have the adjustment made by a qualified garage door professional. Click here for helpful information on garage door openers and safety information.

Fire protection
Because of the inherently dangerous nature of the garage, if there is a door from the garage into the living area of the house, that door should be a fire door assembly (door, frame, and associated hardware). The door should be a solid door, not hollow, or other approved fire-rated door. A fire-rated door assembly will help prevent or delay the spread of a fire from the garage into the house. I cannot verify a door assembly as fire rated unless a rating plate is attached to the door, even if the door sounds solid by knocking on it. Unfortunately, the rating plate quite often is removed or painted over. The only way to have a door given a rating when the rating plate is missing is to have the manufacturer provide a new one. However, the manufacturer’s plate also happens to be where the manufacturer’s contact information is located. If the plate is missing, it is unlikely that a manufacturer will make a trip to the property to affix a new one because they don’t want to take the liability of not knowing anything about the door, and they can’t justify the expense of a trip to the property. Instead, they’d rather you just buy a new door made out of better fire-rated materials.
Fire door assemblies should have self-closers installed to fully close the door without any pulling or pushing, and a fire wall and/or fire ceiling (for multi-story structures) should be present between the garage and the living area of the house. Such a fire wall and fire ceiling must include the attic area between the garage and the house. There should not be any damage or holes in the fire wall or fire ceiling, and there should not be any gaps around pipes, wires, light switches, or electrical outlets—through fire-related event known as “drafting,” fires can spread extremely rapidly through small holes and gaps. Unfortunately, I quite often find such holes and gaps because home owners don’t understand the construction of their homes and how that construction is meant to keep them safe.

Recommendations

1. Do not let children play in the garage.
2. Exercise caution when in the garage.
3. Store chemicals and tools in upper cabinets, out of the reach of inquisitive young children.
4. Inspect and test the vehicle door each and every month.
5. Inspect the fire walls

If you have any questions about anything, simply contact me.

                      

                  Thank you for using The Upscale Home Inspections Service.

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