Is Your Garage Emergency Ready? What You Need for The Worst-Case Scenario

No one wants to imagine the worst-case scenario happening to them, but it can be helpful to think about what could happen so you can be ready in the event of a real emergency. As garage door experts, Wayne Dalton™ has compiled this guide that will demonstrate how you can enhance emergency preparedness in your garage, aiming to provide you with added peace of mind.

Yearly maintenance:
The first step to making sure your garage is ready for an emergency is to schedule and conduct yearly maintenance of your garage door. Have all the safety features checked and in good working order in the event something happens. Talk to a Wayne Dalton dealer and have them explain the functionality of your garage door so you’ll be ready to operate it safely in different situations.

Storms:
From tornadoes to hurricanes and everything in between, it can be good to think about what you would need in extreme weather.

When you know a storm is coming, take time to secure your garage. Cover any windows in your garage with plywood to protect against flying debris. Move your power outage kit to a designated safe place inside the house for easy access if needed. Additionally, consider using Wayne Dalton’s Fabric-Shield^®, a flexible and lightweight alternative to plywood, to cover and protect your garage door and windows from storm damage.

Secure your garage door. Often, the garage door is the weakest point in your home when it comes to extreme wind damage due to its large size. f you live in an area prone to such weather, it’s essential that your garage door is properly wind loaded. Ensure your garage door has an appropriate wind load rating for severe storms. A wind load-rated garage door features specially designed reinforced hardware to enhance its strength and stability. This system is rigorously tested and approved according to National, State, and local building-code standards. Wayne Dalton offers a wide range of wind load doors, so make sure you have the right protection if your area experiences major weather events.

If you typically only use your garage for storage, make sure you have enough space to park your cars in the event of a storm.

Before a storm hits, stay on top of tree maintenance around your home and trim back any large branches that could fall on your home or garage.

Think about things in your yard. If you have any lawn furniture or things of that nature that could become a projectile in storm strength winds, see if you can secure items in your garage.

Don’t forget to pack an emergency kit in the event you need to evacuate your home. Keep it in a secure, easy to reach place. Look to FEMA recommendations for what to put in your kit. You can keep this kit with your power outage equipment for easy storage.

No Power:
The next emergency scenario involves a power outage, which can range from a minor inconvenience to a major problem depending on the weather and how long it lasts. To prepare, you can start by setting up your garage as an offline backup today.

First things first—light! Keep a stash of flashlights and candles in an easy-to-find spot. Remember, you may be searching for them in the dark. Be sure to include batteries and matches in your kit. Keep the batteries outside the flashlight to preserve their power and avoid corrosion.

Another good resource to have on hand is clean water. It’s always a good idea to keep some clean drinking water on hand to have in a pinch. Keep a few unopened gallons of water in a cool dark place. According to the CDC, if you package the water yourself, you should replace this water every six months. If the water is commercially packaged, it can last up to a few years.

Don’t forget the snacks! In a power emergency, your refrigerator items will begin to spoil in about four hours. Keep some shelf-stable foods in your garage just in case. Remember that nothing lasts forever, so you will need to refresh every so often, but having some food on hand could help in a tough time.

Finally, keep a battery or solar powered radio in your power outage kit so you can get real time updates from the news. Some even have flashlights and phone chargers built in!

Flood:
Flooding and high water often follow dangerous storms. There are a few things you can do in your garage to help minimize damage.

Store any valuable items or important documents off the floor. Sealed containers are also very helpful if your items fit inside. Consider storing your most important things as high as you can get them inside your garage.

Water supplies may be disrupted due to flood waters. Keep some water-purifying supplies on hand in case you need to purify water to drink.

Within your emergency preparedness kit, make sure you have hygiene and sanitation supplies as well as first aid and medicine you may need until the water levels go down. Keep this in an elevated place to keep dry at all costs.

If you have any floor drains in your garage, keep them clean and well maintained.

Earthquake:
An earthquake does not give the same lead time to prepare as a hurricane or tornado but there are still steps you can take now to be ready if an earthquake does strike.

In addition to the previous mentioned items for power outage, storms and floods, you should have a gas shut-off tool in an easy to access place. Earthquakes can damage gas lines. If you smell any gas in your home, shut off your gas to stay safe.

Duct tape can be handy to patching up broken, leaking, or punctured things in the aftermath of an earthquake.

In addition to flashlights and candles, a headlamp can be very important to have on hand after an earthquake as things may have fallen and you may need both hands free to maintain safety.

A fire extinguisher is another critical element as fires are a common problem in the aftermath of an earthquake. On that note, keep any flammable or potentially explosive objects on the lowest possible shelf or directly on the ground.

Emergency Ready with Wayne Dalton
Preparing your garage for emergencies is a crucial step in safeguarding your home and loved ones. By following these tips and utilizing Wayne Dalton's products, you can ensure that your garage is as ready as possible for a variety of worst-case scenarios. Regular maintenance, proper storage, and having essential supplies on hand can make a significant difference in your ability to weather storms, power outages, floods, and earthquakes. Stay proactive and take the necessary steps today to ensure your peace of mind tomorrow.