So you’ve closed your garage door. It’s considered secure now, right? Wrong! Burglars or other intruders could still get in even if you have an automatic garage door. It’s possible to infringe on your garage door security. Even if you’re on top of garage door maintenance, unfortunately, they could act fast and move through the side doors or even have disengaging tools that can gain entry through your code-protected door.
Boost Garage Door Security
The good thing is that there are several steps to beef up your garage door security. You don’t necessarily need to get a new garage door; you just have to make some changes here and there as to how your current unit is set up. We’ve got seven recommendations here to keep your garage area failsafe. Let’s discuss each one:
- Get the right garage door type
Do you know how most burglars and intruders become successful? They prowl the area and look for homes that are potentially easier to break into than others. And part of the scheme is to pay attention to the type of residential garage door.
Since most homeowners tend to neglect to upgrade the garage door if the home has an existing unit, intruders can plan for easy prey.
If you’re considering upgrading your residential garage door, think about the door type. A roll-up garage door trumps other designs because it is sturdy, compact, and fast-moving. No visible points are in a roll-up garage door, plus it’s usually made of steel or aluminum that’s tough to break.
A sectional type of residential garage door also leaves little access points for burglars. The panels are made of solid materials like steel or wood. And it moves up and down swiftly, giving little time for anyone to enter the garage unlawfully. However, if you decide to have windows on your design, a top-row placement will be better because any outsider won’t be able to see the inside of the garage at eye level.
As for the canopy garage door style, today’s models are much more secure than older versions. But because of how it’s designed, it can leave room for burglars to slide inside your garage area when the door tilts upwards. It’s best to add other security features to your garage area if this is what you have.
- Time the closing motion of the garage door
Who else tends to forget to shut the garage door with all the busyness? We’ve all been guilty of this one time. But if you feel like you’re always forgetting to close the door after parking the car inside, you can get a timer. A tool like the one from Liftmaster lets you set a specific time when the garage door should close down automatically.
If you are scheduled for an overhead garage door repair, upgrading with innovative features can let you manage the opening and closing motion of the garage door through your smartphone or tablet.
- Secure the garage door opener
This is an easy way to maintain garage door security, but many neglect it. Don’t leave your garage door opener somewhere visible! If it’s just clipped inside your car visor, you’re practically inviting intruders to get your garage door opener. Keep the garage door opener somewhere accessible only to you, for instance, in your keychain or a designated spot in your bag.
As for the mechanism, you’d also want an opener that enables a rolling code technology. Having one set code means anyone who gets a hold of that code can open your garage door. If you have a rolling code opener, it changes the code every time you open the garage door. This makes it harder for burglars to retrieve the code. If you feel like your current garage door may not be up to par, it may be time to invest in a new garage door.
- Install a monitoring system
Again, there are lots of benefits from having a new garage door system linked to your smartphone. Not only can you time the opening and closing motion of the door, but a smart garage door can also alert you when someone has entered the garage area!
It’s a great way to monitor your property, especially for high-traffic areas or for homeowners who have valuables stored in their garage room. There’s also a motion sensor upgrade to track any movements near the garage door for those ready to invest fully in a garage door security system.
- Fortify the locks
Another simple technique to add an extra layer of security to your residential garage door is simply installing another lock or a deadbolt on your garage’s interior.
It’s one more hurdle that could discourage those who’ll try to attempt a break-in to your main house. If the thieves can get inside your garage door, then make it tougher for them to make it into your home.
Of course, you’ll have a harder time as well opening and closing the door daily. But it is an easy way to add extra protection.
- Light up the garage area
Investing in quality lighting for your garage area can act as a huge deterrent for intruders. These guys almost always operate in the dark; a well-lit garage door and vicinity can make sure burglars will think twice about choosing your home.
If you want to take it a step further, install motion-activated lights that don’t need to be on all night. Not only will you save on power costs, but you’ll also surprise the potential intruder with a sudden flash of light as they approach the garage door.
- Protect your emergency release
A few years ago, a video showed just how burglars could use the door’s emergency release to their advantage. Using a coat hanger slipped through a small opening at the top of the garage door, they reached and were able to pull on the garage door’s emergency release. Just like that, intruders could enter your garage!
It’s unnerving, but it also means you have to be prepared for such cases. A tool like the one from Garage Shield can address this problem. It’s a shield to protect the release bar of the garage door. It’s a one-time expense, and you can install it easily on your emergency lever.
Make Your Garage Door Security a Priority
There’s no warning when an intruder attack may occur, so you want your garage door security to be as failsafe as possible. Remember that most thieves are opportunistic, which means if they sense that your garage door is easy enough to breach, that’s what they’ll pick. Follow our tips to make sure that your garage door is robust against potential intruders. And make sure to have an emergency garage door repair contact ready just in case you need it.
We at Alpine Garage Door Repair Co. can provide the best garage door repair company in the area. We’ll make sure your unit is in tip-top shape and give you peace of mind. Our 24/7 emergency service is available to assist you. Call us today to learn more about security upgrades!