Homeowner’s Academy
This is your guide to interesting facts, tips and general homeowner information. We hope you find the information useful – and feel free to share with friends!

Garage Safety 101

Spring cleaning often comes with a fresh coat of paint. Painting can be a great way to change the feel of a room or give your home some great curb appeal. Painting also plays a role in home repair by protecting the wood of your home against the elements, essential here in Florida.

If you decide to try your hand at painting this spring, People’s Trust has some tips that can keep the experience enjoyable and safe for everyone in your family.

Try Some Eco-friendly Paint

Spring conjures up the sniffles for many people in the great outdoors, but paint may do the same thing inside of your home. Household paints have previously contained up to 300 toxic chemicals, including the hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that release particles into the air for years after you paint.

Try a low-VOC paint, which tends to be water-based, for any home interior painting. These have taken off in recent years and come in every shade and finish imaginable. Some brands also create no-VOC paints by replacing chemicals with more natural ingredients. These no-VOC paints are often pet-safe, but always check the label and never leave your pet unattended in a room where paint cans are open.

Home Repair Supervision

If you have children, never let them be in a room with open paint cans by themselves. If children are under the age of 10, they should never be in a room with any open painting materials. Even eco-friendly paints are extremely dangerous if ingested. If you believe your child has ingested any paint, immediately call poison control at 1-800-222-1222.

Try Cloth Catchers for Indoor and Outdoor Painting

You can pick up plastic sheets to protect your floors and lawn, but these often move and tear as you walk around painting. Turn to cloth or canvas drop cloths that will stay in place easier and can be weighed down with objects without the risk of tearing.

For painting the outside of your home, try a tarp with tie-holes. These can be staked into the ground to provide a steadier surface for a ladder.

Ventilate: Make Room to Breathe

If you’re painting inside, open the doors and windows. If your room has a fan, turn it on. You want proper ventilation for any space you’re painting to help air out the room and not breathe in paint fumes. If you can’t ventilate where you’re working, get a respirator and only paint in short stints.

Ventilation is essential to most common home repair improvements.

Stick to the Shade

If painting outside, you know that you need to take a break in the shade, but what about your materials? Paint, paint thinner and lacquer all need to stay in the shade as much as possible when painting outdoors.

Not only can heat and sun alter some of these items when they’re sitting in the can, but heat can also be a big problem for these flammable items. The city of Las Vegas actually warns its citizens to be careful when painting their homes or canvases outside because paint thinner has been ignited by the sun and started home fires.

Clean Up after Home Repairs

When you finish painting for the day, clean up the entire space. This will prevent spills and any accidental exposure.

Latex paints can typically be cleaned from surfaces and your skin with soap and water. Oil-based paints will have specific cleaning instructions located on the paint can itself. Take a look at your can before you start painting and write down what it says, because paint often spills on the outside of the can during the painting process.

Gasoline was once used to clean paint off of brushes, but this should never be used. Gasoline is extremely dangerous and should never be used as a cleaner for any object.

It’s always a smart practice to clean up and watch your space clearly when doing any home repair project.

by PTI Marketing | Mar 19, 2014

The American garage has evolved from a place where we store and work on cars to the central hub of kid’s projects, lawn equipment and a cool place to sit on a hot day. We’re a big fan of using the garage for more than just parking, but this area of your home has some dangers that you need to be aware of.  People’s Trust recommends to follow these tips to keep your family and home safe.

A Home’s Only Door that Opens Up

The first significant danger is your garage door. Garage doors and their remotes are not toys. Discuss how to properly open and close the door with your children and never let them play with the door. Today, the typical garage door will stop descending if it comes into contact with something, from a car to a person. However, these safety mechanisms can fail. To ensure your garage door is as safe as possible, you can:

  • Install door controls out of the reach of small children.
  • Restrict access to door remotes.
  • Test your door’s stopping mechanism each month by placing a 2×4 in its path. If the door does not stop and go back up after contacting the beam, have it serviced immediately.
  • Visually check your door for damaged springs and cables. Look for wear and tear or bent metal. Most doors will need to be repaired professionally because of the tension systems they use.
  • Always have a professional look at your door if someone hits it with their car.

Be Smart with Electricity

Another common concern in a garage is the risk of a fire.

According to FEMA, there are roughly 6,600 garage fires each year and they cause more than $457 million in property damage. Some 16% of these fires (more than 1,000 fires) are caused by “electrical malfunctions” often associated with overloading electrical outlets.

Garage electrical outlets are usually designed for a low to moderate amount of use. Using multiple power strips or outlet converters on garage wall outlets can quickly overload them and lead to a fire. Unfortunately, the news is full of events where a “small number” of extra plugs created a disaster. Last year, a family in Tulsa had $25,000 worth of damage after one power strip and one extension cord caused an overload and started a fire.

If you have to use an extension cord, unplug other items from your outlet and make sure to unplug the cord when you’re done. These should only be temporary uses, not a permanent fix.

We strongly discourage any use of power strips in your garage.

Avoid Being Criminal Eye Candy

Is your garage overflowing with so many projects, bikes, tools, fridges and other goodies that you can’t fit your car inside?

Unfortunately, parking in front of your garage can make you an appealing target for thieves. Garages often hold big-ticket items, from classic cars to refrigerators and specialized tools, making them a prime target when they seem easy to access. Since openers are often kept inside cars, thieves peek in car windows to try and find an easy way in to your home.

Here are some tips to help keep your family safe and prevent intruders from entering through an attached garage:

  • Never leave garage door openers in cars parked on the street or in your driveway.
  • Always lock any doors that lead from the garage to the outside or from the garage to the inside of your home.  Don’t leave your doors unlocked.
  • Check the garage door before you go to bed.
  • When on vacation, unplug or lock your garage door’s opener unit to prevent unwanted access.

Garage doors are a great convenience, but it takes dedication to prevent them from becoming a great liability.

This Blog is sponsored by:
People’s Trust Insurance Company