Your garage door is the largest entry point to your home, and burglars know it. According to security experts, an unsecured garage is one of the most common ways intruders gain access to a home. Here's how to lock it down.
Secure the emergency release. The red emergency release cord inside your garage can be triggered from outside using a coat hanger through the top of the door. A simple zip tie or emergency release shield ($15-$20) prevents this. If your garage doesn't have an interior door to the house, this is especially critical.
Don't leave the remote in your car. A garage door remote clipped to your visor is convenient but risky if your car is broken into. Use a keychain remote instead, or better yet, use a smart opener app on your phone. There's no remote to steal if access is on your phone.
Use a smart opener for monitoring. Smart openers send you alerts when the door opens or closes. You'll know immediately if someone accesses your garage when you're not home. Auto-close timers ensure the door closes even if you forget.
Keep the interior door locked. If your garage connects to your house through an interior door, keep that door locked with a deadbolt. Many homeowners leave this door unlocked, which means anyone who gets into the garage has a direct path into your home.
Add lighting and cameras. Motion-activated lights outside the garage deter intruders. A simple security camera covering the garage area adds another layer of protection. Many smart openers include built-in cameras.
Upgrade old openers. Openers manufactured before 2000 may use fixed codes that can be captured and replayed by code grabbers. Modern openers use rolling code technology that changes the access code after every use, making code grabbing impossible.
Lock the door when traveling. If you're away for an extended period, lock the garage door track with a C-clamp or padlock through the track above a roller. This prevents the door from being forced open even if someone has a remote.
We offer security assessments as part of our maintenance service. We'll check your emergency release, opener security features, and overall door integrity. Call us to schedule an inspection.
