The Garage Plan Shop Blog

Weather you have an attached or detached garage, there are many things you can do to be safe inside and around the garage. From ensuring your own personal health and safety and that of others to protecting what is stored inside the garage, these tips from The Garage Plan Shop will help you practice garage safety:

1. If it isn’t necessary to have your garage door open, keep it closed. An open garage door is an invitation for any passer-by/burglar to have a street view of everything you have inside. If they see something appealing, they might just decide to help themselves when you’re not looking stealing tools, bikes and other valuables. Or, they may watch and wait for you to leave before they strike. And remember, often the things in our garage will provide an indication about what is inside the house turning your garage burglar into a house burglar too.
2. Keep all windows and doors locked and secured when you’re not inside the garage. An unlocked window or door leaves opportunity for someone to break-in your garage. Lock windows and screens when you don’t need them open and keep the overhead door and any service entries locked when not in use.
3. Install motion lights outside the perimeter of your garage. If you need to head to the garage late at night or you are coming home late, the motion lights will light your way from the garage to the house or vice-versa. They will also deter burglars. And you’ll appreciate an outside light turning on when you pull in the driveway late at night. Motion lights have an added bonus, the save energy by only coming on where there is motion rather than keeping a light on all night. 
4. Organize the inside of the garage and keep everything in its place. Not only will this make it easy to find something you are looking for, but it will keep the floor and pathways clear making it easy to walk around in the garage and pull the car inside without risk of tripping over something or driving over something such as a sharp tool or rake that could potentially damage your tires.
5. Store items such as power tools out of reach or out of sight of children. It is best to keep them locked in a storage closet or cabinet inside the garage, but it you don’t have a place to lock them up, install sturdy shelving units or cabinets and store dangerous power tools and other items that may have your children up and out of reach.
6. Do not store flammable materials such as paint cans, gasoline containers and lawn fertilizer in your garage, especially if your garage is attached or situated near your home. If your garage catches fire, there is a good chance your house might too. Not only are these items at risk for catching fire, but they also give off hazardous fumes of not sealed and stored properly. These fumes can make their way into your home putting everyone at risk. It is best to store flammable items and other harmful chemicals in a backyard storage shed as far away from the home and garage as possible.
7. Never let your car run inside the garage with the garage door closed. The build-up of gases and emissions from a running car can cause serious illness and even death. If you need to warm your car up in the winter, back it out of the garage or at least open the garage door all the way to let the harmful gases escape.

Following these safety tips will help protect the items you store inside your garage and prevent unnecessary health risks to you and your family.

Tags: garage organization, garage plans, garage safety, garage safety tips, garage storage, Safety, safety tips

When building a detached garage plan, shed, outbuilding, barn or carport, The Garage Plan Shop recommends planning ahead when it comes to electrical wiring. All of the above mentioned structures are flexible and can be used for of a variety of purposes, so the first thing you need to think about is how you will use the structure. Will you use your garage or carport just for parking cars? Will you need lighting in your garden shed? Do you plan to use power tools in your outbuilding? Knowing how you plan to use your new addition will help you plan for electricity.

Begin by hiring a licensed electrician to help you. Let this professional review your garage blueprints to get a better understanding of the completed structure. With your electrician, come up with an electrical plan to accommodate your needs. This will keep you from over-wiring your structure and spending more than you need or electrical outlets, switches and fixtures. Your pre-determined electrical plan will also ensure that you have everything you need to use your new garage, carport or outbuilding the way you wish. Furthermore, it is better and less expensive to install electrical wiring during construction than it is to go back and retrofit the building for additional electrical needs at a later date.

When it comes to using power in your barn, outbuilding, shed, garage or carport, there are six main categories to consider:

1. Lighting
2. Heating and cooling
3. Tools
4. Garage doors and garage door openers
5. Special accessories (refrigerator, TV, radio)
6. Charging station for an electric vehicle

Talk with your electrician and determine what types of outlets and fixtures you’ll need to accommodate your specific needs. Consider amps and voltage. Read packaging and labels to determine what each of the above items will require. Have the electrician install outlets, fixtures, switches, circuit breakers and the electrical panel accordingly to accommodate all of your needs.

Anticipating your electrical needs for your new utilitarian structure will ensure you new outbuilding, garage or shed plan will accommodate all of your needs while paying the best price by installing wiring during the construction phase instead of after the building is finished.

Tags: Barn Plans, electrical planning, electrical wiring, garage plans, Outbuilding Plans, Shed plans

Summer is finally here! Changes are you just might be taking a road trip this summer. Whether you are heading to the beach the mountains or Grandma’s house somewhere in between it is important to practice safe driving and travel habits. The Garage Plan Shop recommends following this helpful tips from a traffic safety researcher.

1.    Get your car in shape – Before you set out on your road trip, make sure your car is in tip-top shape. Have your oil changed, check your tire pressure and make sure your radiator is working.

2.    Map your route – Map your route before you leave. Know which highways and roads you’ll be taking. Check traffic websites and other sites like Google Maps to help you plan your route and navigate construction zones. If your road trip is going to take more than a day’s travel time, check travel websites and book hotel rooms along your route. Don’t forget to pack your maps and any hotel confirmation numbers.

3.    Know the safe times to travel – Studies show roadways are most dangerous late and night and early in the morning when drivers are more likely to be intoxicated or tired. Plan to depart around 7:00 AM and arrive at your hotel or destination no later than 10:00 PM.

4.    Plan for kids and pets – If you’ll be brining your kids or your pets on your road trip, it takes a little extra planning. Pack a cooler with snack and drinks for the little ones. Also bring card games, books, handheld games, favorite music CDs, books on CD or a few small toys to entertain the kids. Plan on playing travel games in the car to pass the time. Do not for get to bring food and water for your pets.

5.    Plan to take breaks – Plan to pull over every 2-3 hours to stretch your legs, give your eyes a quick break and recharge. Take a restroom break. Let the kids run around for a couple minutes and walk the dog. Everyone will feel better about getting back in the car again. If you are traveling with another driver, take turns driving in shifts so no one experiences fatigue.

6.    Do not drink – It is illegal and it is not safe to drink and drive. Research indicates just one alcoholic drink may cause important changes in cognition affecting your ability to drive and make good judgments. Avoid any alcoholic drinks while your road trip is in progress. Wait until you get to the beach or the mountains and enjoy your favorite adult drink with dinner.

7.    Wake up or catch up on sleep – According to statistics, in 2009 over 100,000 car crashes resulted due to drowsy driving. If you are driving in shifts with another driver, take a nap while the other person is behind the wheel. If not, pull over in a safe well-lit place and take a quick power nap. Better yet, plan to check into your hotel early in the evening so you can go to bed early and be refreshed for the next day’s drive.

We all look forward to summer vacations and perhaps road trips make for the best memories. Take these precautions to make sure this summer’s road trip is safe and memorable.

Tags: car safety tips, road trips, summer vacation, travel, travel safety, travel tips, vacation travel

It is no secret that people use their garage for more than just parking the family cars. Whether attached or detached, garage plans can have a wide range of functions ranging from parking and storage of the lawn mower to a storage space for toys, workshop, office, or rainy day play space for the kids. It is also a great place to load and unload the kids and groceries. As much as we use our garages, it is necessary that we do as much as we can to make our garages green and pollutant free giving the whole family a healthier garage space to use. The Garage Plan Shop, recommends the following tips for greening your garage and making it more healthy:

1. Get rid of hazardous substances: Removing hazardous substances from your garage is the most immediate thing you can do to make it more green and healthy for everyone. Often, the garage is a storage space for gas cans, oil containers, weed killers, fertilizers, paints and stains and cleaning supplies, not to mention chlorine and other pool chemicals for homeowners with a backyard pool. Go through your garage carefully reading labels on all of these items. Determine which of these items you need or want to keep and choose another storage space for them away from the home such as a backyard garden shed. Keep it locked so it is inaccessible to children. Responsibly get rid of anything you do not need to keep. Contact your local hazardous waste facility to find out about proper disposal.
2. Seal your garage walls and insulate: If you have an attached garage, it is necessary to seal off cracks between the garage and adjacent rooms. This will stop the passage of contaminated air into the living areas. Seal up cracks where the drywall meets the floor or framing with caulk or expanding foam. Don’t forget to seal around duct work, electrical boxes, vents and lighting. If you don’t already have insulation in the walls where living spaces are attached to your garage, add it. Insulation acts as an extra barrier against air filtration.  
3. Install and exhaust fan: In most cases, the garage is the primary space to store your cars. Unless you drive an electric vehicle, your car exhausts pollutants, fumes and odors every time you start it. If you garage is attached to your home, these pollutants and fumes can seep into your home. Not only does your car exhaust carbon monoxide, but it also emits sulfur dioxide, dust and other particulates that are not healthy to breathe. Install an exhaust fan to remove these harmful gases and particles from your garage. The size and positioning of your exhaust fan will depend on the size of your garage, so consult a professional before you make a purchase.

Whether you have an attached or detached garage, these tips will help protect you and your family from contaminated air and pollutants making your garage green, healthy and safe for everyone.

Tags: garage, garage plans, garage safety, green garage, safety tips

Spring is right around the corner and with those first warm days comes the urge to get outside and do something fun. Now you can bike more safely and easily with your baby. Most of are used to constantly turning our heads to check on our babies behind us as we ride, but with WeeRide you can keep your eyes on the road. The child carrier attaches in front of your bike so you can focus on the road and keep an eye on your little one.

Tags: bike baby seat, bike safety, bike safety seat, biking with baby, biking with kids, safe biking