Is Your Shed a Fire Hazard?

When it comes to shed safety, everybody is aware of the danger of fire, and almost everybody takes reasonable precautions to see that fires do not break out in their homes.  Matches are not left within the reach of children, for example, and hazardous chemicals will not be stored anywhere near open flames.  Most of it is good Irish common sense, but a worryingly high number of people do not take the same care when it comes to what is stored in a garden shed.  Cans of paint, half a jerry can of petrol for the mower, a gas canister for the barbecue, all pushed onto a slightly unstable shelf at the back of a wooden shed that has, to put it frankly, seen better days.

It really doesn’t take much for a fire to break out.  Mischievous youngsters looking for a bit of excitement have been known to set fire to old sheds, not meaning any serious harm, and certainly not knowing what can happen when petrol catches fire.  The cable you tacked to the wall for a lamp, and the staple crushed the insulation, did you notice that? And is that power socket adequate for a four way adaptor anyway?

You can protect yourself against shed, garage or garden room fires.  Your first line of defence is the building itself.  Is it in good condition? If it is made of wood, is that wood sound and strong, and has it been treated against mould and rot? If you are using it to store any hazardous substances, is that storage adequate for the purpose? Is the shelf or the cupboard fixed firmly to the wall, or is it a bit on the shaky side? Can that wall support the weight?

Take a good look, and be honest.  Is it time to replace that shed? Is it honestly worth risking the garden equipment, the barbecue, the family bicycles, whatever else is kept in there for the sake of making an old shed last another year?

C & S Sheds will have the best replacement possible, one that will give you peace of mind for many years to come, and will save you the work and the expense of regular maintenance.  Constructed of PVC coated steel panels by Irish craftsmen, and erected by experienced professionals on a galvanised steel frame, your C & S shed will be sturdy, durable and secure.  Your shelves and cupboards have a firm base to hold them steady.  You can plan your storage with confidence.  If you need electricity, find a qualified electrician, and discuss exactly what is needed, and where it should be sited.

Before you put anything into your new shed, check it.  Those chemicals; well, if they are for treating your old wooden shed, dispose of them in accordance with your local regulations, or offer them to your (slightly jealous) neighbours for their sheds.  Any other garden chemicals, look at the storage instructions and the dates.  Those cans of paint, will you ever use them? Really? And petrol, if you have to store it at all, is the container in good condition, and where, in your shed, would be the safest place for it? Always think shed safety.

Make a few rules, while you’re about it.  You don’t have to be a little dictator, you just have to explain why you don’t put the barbecue back in the shed as soon as you’ve finished eating the burgers.  Why smoking in the shed alongside the fuel that you used to light it is not a good idea.  Why you don’t plug the electric lawn mower and the hedge trimmer and the wood chipper into the same socket no matter how many of you want to join in the fun of getting the garden into shape.

After that, relax.  You’ve got the best shed money can buy, and you’ve done your bit to make for shed safety.  The rest of it was up to C & S Sheds, and they were great.  They were just great.