(NAPSA)—There could be good news for many households: The garage can be so much more than a storage room where you hide your kid’s soccer cleats, lawn mower and old yearbooks. With these five tips, you can makeit as organized, functional and aesthetically pleasing as any room in your house. 1.For many, the garage is the primary entry and exit point to the homebutit can also serve as a terrific storage space for emergency supplies. Check to make z - oa os For more than 70 percent of homeowners, the garage dooris sure your home emergency kit is the main access to the home. LiftMaster offers a 3-Step Safety Check to ensure that the garage door opener operates properly. flashlights and replenish your com. up to code—replace batteries in canned food and medical supplies. You may not need them every day of the year, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Also, ensure that you have backup power sources available in the event of an outage—a home generator and backup battery for your garage door opener are proven solutions that will help maintain accessibility and functionality for your family, no matter the circumstance. 2.While reorganizing, take some time to check your garage door. Test the alignment by disconnecting the door from the opener; once it’s disconnected, you should be able to lift the door easily with one hand. If the door is stuck or difficult to lift, you should call an authorized dealer for an inspection. Also, be mindful—if your garage door opener was installed prior to 1993, it’s probably time to have it replaced, as it may not be equipped with the latest safety features, such as photo eyes. 3.When cleaning the garage, homeownerstend to think of horizontal space—clearing out boxes on the floor, moving gardening equipment and powertools over to the side—but freeing up vertical space can be just as important. Insteadof piling containers on the floor, think about installing wall shelves to maximize space. If you want to clear up additional overheadfor a larger car, a hanger for bikes or other large pieces of sporting equipment, consider replacing your overhead garage door opener with a wall-mount unit such as the LiftMaster 8500. 4.You’ve organized and upgraded your garage, but you’re not done yet—you need to be sure your garage is a safe place Learn more at www.LiftMaster. for friends, family and pets. Store flammable propane tanks outdoors and invest in a 5- or 10pound fire extinguisher in case of emergencies. Lock up any other dangerous chemicals and perform a 3-Step Safety Check. The 3-Step Safety Check is a simple 45-second test you can perform on your garage door that checks the performance of key industry-standard safety features such as the photo eyes and autoreverse. 5.A good cleaning ultimately helps increase convenience and peace of mind, and that premise can extend beyond organizational tips. This year, take a look at your home technology and consider upgrading your garage door opener. With MyQ technology from LiftMaster—the No. 1 brand of professionally installed residential garage door openers—you can monitor, open or close your garage door from any smartphone, tablet or computer. “It doesn’t matter if you're at the office, on vacation in Paris or if you just drove down the road,” says Paul Accardo from LiftMaster. “With MyQ, you can be sure your garage dooris closed and the main entry point to your homeis secure.” Creating a clean, functional space will provide the peace of mind you want and deserve. You can turn your homeinto an orga- nized retreat and your garage into a functional space-saving area you can enjoy year after year. Learn More For further information on garage door openers and safety in and around the garage, visit www.LiftMaster.com.
