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Hazardous Items: What not to store in your garage

Your home's garage is probably filled with all types of things, but did you know some of the most common items found in garages should not be in there?

SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) – Your home's garage is probably filled with all types of things, but did you know some of the most common items found in garages should not be in there?

“We need to be careful because we are putting things in the garage that expose us to higher risk when things happen,” said State Farm agent Kristin Francy.

According to Francy, "red flag" items include: extra fuel, paint, home improvement chemicals, furniture, clothing, artwork, pictures, electronics and food.

“You have dog food, bird food, human food – you are subject to those things going bad and potentially attract rodents,” said Francy.

She says rodents can even ruin cars. “I see a lot of people that get rats in the car that chew wires that now cause you to have auto loss,” said Francy.

As for paint, Francy said “you don’t know how the chemical components are going to change. They could also potentially cause a fire.”

Items such as clothing, furniture, artwork, pictures and electronics – the heat, humidity and fumes inside a garage could ruin the quality unless they are wrapped well or covered.

Francy said homeowners should use plastic bins instead of cardboard boxes. Also, to avoid water damage, she recommends keeping boxes off the ground.

As with anything inside a home, Francy encourages homeowners to keep inventory of what they have by writing things down and taking pictures.

State Farm’s complete list of garage do’s and don’ts can be found online.

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