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Make your home safer and burglar-proof your garage.
It only takes a couple of minutes for a burglar to break into your home and make off with your personal property. Your garage may be the most vulnerable place to enter your home. And the prime target for theft.
There are many ways to make your garage more secure.
Never Leave the Garage Door Open
How many times have you been working in your yard for a while and noticed a neighbor’s garage doors open, with no sign of them for long periods?
Leaving your garage doors open carelessly is an open invitation for anyone to enter your home. Very least, you’re allowing anyone passing by on the street to view the contents of your garage.
Even if you’re working in your yard, it takes little effort to keep the garage doors closed. And even if you think you live in a safe neighborhood, take nothing for granted.
If you forget to close the garage door, consider installing a timer that will close the door automatically after a set amount of time, even if you drive away or go to bed and forget to close it.
Many modern home security systems are compatible with garage door openers that you can activate to manage your garage door when you’re not nearby.
Install Garage Door Sensor
The sensor sends a signal to the monitor, telling you whether the door is open or closed.
Lots of times, garage security is ruined because someone forgot to close the door. A garage door monitor is a good reminder. Install the sensor to the door and set the monitor in a good spot where you notice it.
To buy a monitor, search online or shop for “garage door monitor(paid link).” The brand of your door or opener doesn’t matter; any monitor will work.
An automatic door closer provides even more security since it closes the door whether you’re home or not. Installation requires some low-voltage wiring and takes less than an hour. To find one, search online for “automatic garage door closer.”
Read how to make your old garage door opener smart here.
Don’t Leave the Garage Door Opener Remote in Car
Many homeowners leave their remote openers attached to their car’s sun visor or in their glove compartment. Remember, it is essentially a key to your home.
Cut this potential home security risk by using a remote opener that’s attached to a keychain. They’re widely available, cheap, very convenient, and go with you when you exit your car.
Home centers stock some selection of remotes, but you’ll find more online.
Check Universal Garage Door Remotes at Amazon
Install Motion-Detecting Lights
A house with inadequate or no exterior lighting becomes a more juicy target for housebreakers. Ensuring all entry points into your home are well-lit will go a long way towards keeping your house a lot more secure.
Bright lighting makes burglars think twice and might make them go away. Motion detector lighting is better than on-all-night lighting because it saves energy when it’s off and draws attention when it’s on.
Ensure the lighting is strategically placed around your home and garage perimeter so a burglar can’t deactivate it. Installing any lighting approximately 10-15 feet above the ground is ideal.
Solar-powered floodlights are the easiest type to install because no electrical wiring is necessary.
If you’re interested in the best motion sensor outdoor lights you can find them on Amazon
Cover Your Garage Windows
- Adhesive windows covering
- Curtains
- Blinds
- Frost the windows
Cover windows. If crooks can’t see the tools and stuff in your garage, they won’t be so motivated to get in. Curtains or translucent window film let in light but keeps valuables out of sight.
Windows with a frosted glass design also allow sunlight while obscuring the contents inside the garage.
See the most popular windows privacy films at Amazon
Install Garage Door Lock
Install lockable latch in tracks.
If your door doesn’t have a lockable latch, drill a hole in the track above one of the rollers and put a padlock(paid link) in that when you are away a long time.
Some people “lock” the door when they go on vacation by unplugging the opener. That’s a good idea, but actually locking the door is even better. An unplugged opener won’t prevent fishing(see below).
If you have an attached garage—it won’t stop a burglar who has entered through the house from opening the garage door from inside, backing in a van, and using the garage as a loading space for his loot. Make a burglar’s job more burdensome and time-consuming by locking the door itself.
Compare different types of garage door locks in this article
Replacing the Garage Door Lock
You may not have enough money to replace your garage door, in which case you might want to look at just replacing the original lock. While this is not ideal if you have other security issues, it’s better than not doing anything at all. A qualified expert will work with you to find a lock that meets the latest security standards.
Lock the Door Between Garage And House
Lock the entry door. If you have an attached garage, lock the entry door that leads into the house. Too many homeowners rely on the service door and leave the entry door unlocked.
As you’re beefing up your garage security, don’t forget about the door that leads from your attached garage into your home. Losing tools and equipment is terrible enough, but once a burglar gets access to the rest of your house, you run even more significant risks.
Protect Garage Service Door
Burglars love a good side door where they can do their breaking and enter away from the prying eyes of neighbors.
Beef up the service door. The walk-through entry door (called the “service door”) is the No. 1 security weak spot in most garages. It should be equipped with a deadbolt and a heavy-duty strike plate, just like any other exterior door in your house.
Read more about side doors in this article and how to beef them up.
Emergency Door Release
All automatic door openers have an emergency release lever that has a cord attached to it. Its primary function is to allow you to open or close your garage doors when there’s a power outage.
Prevent Fishing
But some clever thieves have turned this essential feature into a security risk. By pushing in on the top of the garage door and creating enough of a gap, they could access the cord or lever by fishing for them with a wire hook and then pulling, which will open the door. Watch the video below.
Secure the release lever or cord with a small zip tie to keep them safe from tampering. If there is a power outage and you need to use the emergency lever, just cut off the zip tie and replace it when the power comes back on. If there is a car inside. Cutting the zip tie can be a problem.
If you think you can’t pull enough force to zip tie to break. Use plastic or wooden shield. Similar to the video above.
High-Security High-tech opener
Modern garage door openers have innovative technology, which lets you monitor and operate your garage doors remotely.
You can sync to your home automation systems and voice assistants. For example, you could organize the systems so that an “away” mode turns off lights, puts your thermostat on energy-saving mode, and makes sure your garage door is closed.
If someone is trying to break into your garage, you’ll get an alert message on your phone.
This technology is also convenient when you forget to close your garage door after leaving the house. A simple tap on your phone’s screen allows you to open or close the doors, even when you’re far from home.
One way to protect your garage is to choose an opener with built-in security features like these.
Monitor
No more getting out of bed to make sure the door is closed. A monitor placed anywhere in your home tells you whether the door is open or closed. Unlike the add-on monitor system shown earlier, monitors for openers with built-in sensors can come equipped with a button that closes the door remotely.
Self-closing system
When you forget to close the door, this opener does it for you. You can adjust the open time or override the self-closing feature.
Lighting controls
Switch on lamps or fixtures, inside your home or out. The lights can switch on when the opener operates, or you can use the remote to flip them on separately from the opener.
Smartphone connection
You can make sure the door is closed or open to let in the plumber from anywhere on earth. Better yet, the opener can send a notification when the door opens.
Read all about smart garage door openers in this article. They have many security features.
Garage Security Cameras
Security cameras are a huge deterrent to burglars.
A motion-activated camera starts recording as soon as a car pulls into the driveway or someone approaches on foot—even at night.
Check out wireless security cameras for outdoors at Amazon
Check Your Landscaping
Don’t let burglars take advantage of the cover of trees or bush.
Make sure neighbors and passersby can see everything going on near your garage by clearing away large trees and shrubs and keeping entry points visible from the street.
