When it comes to home security, garage doors are a common weak point and are an easy target for burglars. One reason is that many homeowners have the habit of leaving their garage doors and windows open or unlocked, therefore making an easy entry point. Another reason is that garages host vehicles, vehicle repair tools, farm tools, and other valuable items.
The problem is that many homeowners pay less attention to their garage security, not knowing that these rooms give easy access to their houses. Even in a safe and secure neighborhood, burglars are often unable to avoid the temptation of breaking into an unsecured garage. Fortunately, there are various crucial measures you can take to protect your garage and the rest of your home. Check out these 5 tips on securing your garage from intruders.
Sources:
www.azgaragepros.com
adt.com
homedepot.com
1. Don’t Forget to Close the Door and Window
This is probably the worst mistake you can make regarding your garage security. Leaving your garage door and window open compromises your garage security as intruders get easy access without even applying any efforts. It’s important to ensure that the door and window are completely closed before leaving. You can also use a “garage door monitor”, which acts as a perfect reminder. As for the window, never leave it uncovered to prevent prying eyes from seeing what’s stored in the garage.
An automatic door closer also provides greats security as it allows you to close the garage door, even when you are not at home. You can search online for the best “automatic garage door closer”.
2. Don’t Keep Your Garage Door Opener in the Car
Never leave your garage door opener in your car. If a thief breaks into your car and steals the remote opener, he not only gets access to your garage, but to your home as well. Therefore, it’s advisable that you take your garage door opener with you to keep the bad guys out of your garage. You can acquire a small keychain remote to replace your big remote as it’s easy to carry around.
3. Install a Security System
A security system which connects your garage and your home is your best line of defense against garage intrusion. If an intruder tries to access your garage when the system is on, the alarm system will sound. Another great security option is installing a remote door sensor which triggers the alarm by sending out a signal to the remote monitor or the receiver when the garage door is opened.
You can contact a reputable security system provider for guaranteed security on your garage.
4. Secure the Garage Door
The doors that give entry to the rest of your home should be made as secure as the outer doors. This is to prevent the intruders from further accessing your home. Because your garage is the main entry point to these doors, it’s important to enhance security on the garage door.
First, lock the garage door securely by use of a deadbolt or putting in padlocks with programmed entry codes- you can also have more than one lock install on the door. Also, the garage door should be made of quality material- a material that won’t break easily when force is applied during a break-in. Metal, solid wood, fiberglass, and solid wood are the best materials for garage doors.
5. Install Motion Detector Lights
Outdoor lighting keeps the outside of your home, including the garage area bright, which freaks out burglars. In fact, not many thieves would enter your garage door in the bright light- most break-ins happen in the evening or overnight since the darkness provides excellent cover. But not all are deterred by the lights. Some are courageous enough to break into your garage even with the bright light shining on them. One way to prevent garage break-in is by installing motion detector lights.
Upgrading your current light fixtures to motion detectors in and around the garage is one way to discourage intruders. Motion detectors are generally infrared waves that detect body temperature and moving objects during the night. When motion is detected, the lights turn on and stay that way until motion is no longer detected. Of course, any intruder will run for his life once the lights are turned off.
A few improvements on your garage security can prevent intruders from gaining access to your home. Securing your garage with these 5 crucial tips will definitely keep your home safe from intruders.
Kids are fond of playing with garage doors and in most cases end up damaging one or two important components of the garage door. To prevent this from happening, ensure you chat with your kids and enlighten them on the dangers of playing with garage doors before they get hurt. Tell them never to play with the garage door particularly when it’s in motion.
You never know when your garage door will break down. That’s why it’s is advisable to be looking for a qualified locksmith like us to conduct regular maintenance on your garage door at least monthly and identify potential problems before bad goes to worse. Ensure that the different components of your garage door are visually inspected for signs of wear and tear, and tested regularly for safety reasons. It’s only through high quality maintenance that your garage door will always remain functional without costing you an arm and a leg.