Garage Door Safety – Do Not Run Your Car in the Garage, Even with the Door Open

To ensure garage door safety, do not run your car in the garage, even with the door open. At Madden Door & Sons, we know this practice can be dangerous and potentially deadly. Many people don’t realize carbon monoxide (CO) buildup can occur in garages even when the garage door is open. Fifty-seven percent of unintentional CO deaths are associated with automobile exhaust. Because CO is colorless and odorless, people often remain ignorant of poisoning until it’s too late. 

Your Open Garage Door Does Not Offer Sufficient Ventilation for Exhaust

The passive ventilation of open garage doors is not enough to clear the extremely high concentrations of CO produced by your car. Most unintentional automobile-related CO deaths occur in these circumstances. CO fumes build exceptionally quickly within your garage, taking a long time to dissipate without an adequate exhaust fan setup.

An Iowa State University study showed that warming your automobile for just two minutes with your garage door open raises CO concentrations within it to 500 ppm. Ten hours after removing your car, a measurable level of CO remains. If your home has an attached garage, CO fumes could also drift into the living space. Recent news exposed that inside the closed confines of a home, levels can build so quickly your family could collapse before they realize there’s a problem. 

CO Exposure is More Common in Cold Weather

Though CO exposure occurs year-round, it’s more common in cold weather, when internal combustion engines produce higher levels of CO over a longer time period. During the first 1-2 minutes of operation, levels can reach over 80,000 ppm. After warming up 5 or more minutes, levels drop significantly to 1,000 ppm. Could a CO detector help? Within the home, they can alert you to dangerous CO levels. They do not work reliably in the garage climate, however. 

Best Practices for Warming Up Your Car

If you must let your car run to warm your vehicle or for some other reason, the following practices will ensure your safety:

• Move your car to a wide-open space.
• Ensure toys, pets, and children are nowhere in the area.
• Lock your doors after leaving your car.
• Remain present, in view of your car, until leaving.

Practice garage door safety – do not run your car in the garage, even with the door open. Stay safe in your Livermore, Pleasanton, Walnut Creek, Vallejo, Richmond, Moraga, Lafayette, or Berkeley home with the help of Madden Doors & Sons today.