My Garage Smells Like Gasoline. What Should I Do?

Garages aren't known for smelling like roses, but they also shouldn't smell of strong fumes, like gasoline. The average garage can have multiple sources of gasoline smells, including vehicles, lawn equipment, and gas cans. If you're smelling gasoline in the garage, one of those things is likely leaking or improperly sealed. Determining the cause of the gasoline fumes and fixing it helps keep your family safe.

A faint smell of gas could be a remnant of a gas spill that you already cleaned, but major gas fumes are potentially dangerous. Fumes pose a risk for explosions and fires inside your garage, which can cause structural damage if no one is home or severe injury or death if someone is in the immediate area.

Inhaling gasoline fumes can cause health issues, including headache, dizziness, and respiratory irritation. If your garage is attached to your home, the gasoline fumes can enter your living space through poorly sealed doors or gaps. Never wait to deal with a gasoline smell in the garage because of the potential risks.

If you park one or more vehicles in the garage, the gasoline smell could be coming from one of them. A car can develop leaks in different parts of its fuel system, which might allow gas to leak out of the vehicle and onto your garage floor. Parts that can leak include the fuel line, fuel injector, fuel tank vent, and fuel filler neck.

Look for a puddle of fuel under the car if you suspect a gas leak. If you smell a gasoline odor near the vehicle but don't see gas on the floor, the gas cap could be damaged and could allow fumes to escape without a gas leak. Take your vehicle to a mechanic to get it checked if you see fuel, notice that your check engine light is on, or suspect the gas smell is coming from your car.

If you handle your own lawn care, you likely have an assortment of tools stored in your garage, such as lawn mowers and trimmers. While these landscaping tools are available in electric power options, many use gasoline to operate. These tools can leak gasoline and cause the smell to take over your garage.

Inspect your gas-powered lawn tools to look for signs of a leak. Storing your equipment on its side or in an uneven position could cause the gas to leak from the machine. Cracks and other damage within the equipment can also cause a gas leak. Clean up the machine and remove it from the garage to see if it's the source of the smell. If you leave it outside the garage for a day and no longer smell the gasoline, you likely need to have the equipment serviced to deal with the gasoline issue.

Gas cans stored in the garage can leak or let out gasoline fumes. Older cans might have cracks or weak seals that allow the gas to escape. Even newer cans can fill your garage with gasoline smells if you don't get the lid on correctly.

Only store gas in approved containers. Replace old cans with newer gas cans to prevent leaks. If your gas can is fairly new, check the cap to ensure you put it on correctly and tightly.