October 5, 2020, 12:08 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
A fire in the garage can quickly get out of control. Many items can serve as sources of ignition, and storing some of them is even prohibited. Find out which items these are and how to minimize fire hazards in your garage here.
Not every garage is perfectly tidy. A can of gasoline can easily be left lying around. Old cleaning rags are oil-stained. And the bucket with old paint residues was forgotten a long time ago. If an open flame–such as a cigarette–is added, it can become extremely dangerous. Fire is no joke, especially not in the garage, as hazards can quickly arise here.
No Open Flames in the Garage
Lighting a cigarette in the garage is something even the most hardened smokers should avoid. While there is no general smoking ban for small garages up to 100 square meters, a landlord can impose one in a rental situation. In many shared underground garages, it is also common for smoking to be prohibited. This is regulated by the respective house rules.
In garages larger than 100 square meters, smoking and using open flames are generally prohibited. This is regulated by the garage ordinances of the states.
Also of interest: Testing, turning off, replacing smoke detectors–what is allowed?
Flammable Materials Are Hazards in the Garage
Gasoline, diesel, and flammable solvents should never be left open in the garage. Not even if you have converted the garage into a workshop. The garage ordinances of individual municipalities also quickly put a stop to uncontrolled storage of clutter. In small garages in Bavaria, for example, no more than 20 liters of gasoline or 200 liters of diesel may be stored outside of vehicles. And only in shatterproof and tightly sealed containers.
Also of interest: How many devices can be plugged into a power strip?
Vehicle Accessories May Be Stored
Luggage racks, tires, child seats, or even a car jack are generally considered vehicle accessories. As a tenant, you are allowed to store these in the garage as long as they do not obstruct other vehicles.
According to garage regulations and German building law, storing old ski equipment, lawnmowers, old furniture, or personal belongings is not allowed. This can quickly lead to trouble with the landlord or the relevant authorities. Beverage crates are also not allowed to be stored in the garage.
So, you should keep things tidy, even if the garage belongs to you and no landlord can interfere. The less clutter, the less there is to catch fire. In any case, you should equip your garage with a fire extinguisher.
Tip: The extinguishing agent expires over time. Therefore, you must regularly check the expiration date of a fire extinguisher and have the devices serviced.
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Children Can Start Fires
That’s why you should always keep the garage locked, even if you only leave it briefly. This way, children are not tempted to play with fire where it is particularly dangerous.
Old and defective electrical appliances can also be a hazard in the garage and cause fires, just like overloaded power strips. To be on the safe side, you should only use devices that carry an official seal: TÜV, GS, CE, or VDE marks.