A car lift is an excellent way to keep your cars off the road and out of harm's way when parked at home. When you use the lift correctly, it's a simple process to park or retrieve your car without damage. If you forget some basic issues, however, you could find that you can't get your car out or can't park it safely. Luckily, these issues are so basic that, while it's easy to forget about them initially, if you prepare ahead of time, you should have no problem remembering how to deal with them.

Treat Dependent Lifts Like Tandem Parking and Plan Ahead

Dependent lifts are those car lifts where retrieving cars on upper levels is dependent on the lower levels being empty. For example, if you install a dependent lift in your garage where one car sits on an elevated platform that lowers to ground level when you want to drive that car, the spot at ground level needs to be empty. Otherwise, you can't get your car. Treat dependent lifts like tandem spaces, where one car parks right behind another and has to be moved in order for that other car to leave the spot. You must coordinate with whoever drives the car that will be in the ground spot. Place signs by the door, for example, that say whoever is leaving on a walk or with friends (in other words, they're leaving without taking a car) needs to double-check that no one needs them to move the car that's at ground level.

Remember the Maximum Height Clearances if Getting New Cars

Lifts for residential garages have height limits. They can be very tall limits; for example, if you're installing a car lift as part of a massive remodel, you can build your new garage so that it holds some tall cars no matter the lift level. But once you have those height limits set, they are set. If you buy new cars, you have to ensure that they will fit within those height limits. Otherwise, the too-tall car could suffer damage and prevent the lift from working. Also, keep in mind that items like amateur radio antennae on cars need to be removed before parking them in a car-lift spot.

Set the Parking Brake, Always!

Are you the type that sees a level parking spot and just puts the car into park using the gearshift? Don't do that with a car lift. No matter the level, always use the parking brake! Remember that homes, including garages, have a very slight grade leading away from the structure. It may look flat to you, but it's not. You don't want that car rolling off the top of the lift. If you have an independent lift that tilts down in front as it's lowering the platforms, your car could roll forward and damage its front if you don't have the parking brake set.

Meet with a representative from the car lift company to see what heights are available and to check out whether independent or dependent lifts are more your style. When you know how to use these lifts properly, you'll find parking multiple cars becomes so much easier.