How to Avoid Garage Door Break-Ins
There is no time like the present to make your home more protected. These are uncertain times. Beyond taking care of your health and the health of your loved ones, making sure your home is safe and secure is definitely at the top of the priority list. It never hurts to take extra precautions. The garage is one of the first-lines of defense for your home. Admit it — isn’t it satisfying to see that garage door come down like the iron gate of a fortress? Yet few homeowners go the distance to ensure their garage doors are secure and well maintained. Aside from the front and back doors, and first-floor windows, the garage is a popular point of entry for most burglars. Not only do robbers get to pilfer all of the valuables and goodies that are in the garage, but they can easily gain access to the main home if further security measures aren’t already in place. So how can you secure your garage so that you can rest easy at night knowing your home is safe from intruders? Here are some tips to keep the thieves out, your belongings safe, and your family secure inside your home. How to Avoid Garage Door Break-Ins When thieves are looking to break into your home, they look for vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, the garage is often an access point for thieves. But by using some common sense and security measures, you can help thwart burglars’ efforts to get into your home. Don’t Leave Your Garage Door Remote in Your Car When It’s Parked Outside – Probably the most obvious no-no, don’t leave the garage door remote in your car when it is parked outside of your home or in the driveway. It seems like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many homeowners make this mistake. We are creatures of habit and tend to think that we are safe in our neighborhoods, especially in and around our homes. While you are almost always safe, it doesn’t mean that you should leave yourself open to being burglarized. By not leaving your garage door remote on full display on the dash or middle console of your car, you take that vulnerability off the table and could prevent a possible break-in. Key Chain Garage Door Remote – It’s all too easy for a thief to break into your car to get into your home. Invest in a key chain remote garage door opener if you don’t have one already and keep it on your person at all times. Getting in the habit of treating your garage door remote like any other key to your home, will decrease your odds of having your garage broken into or losing the remote. Don’t Leave Your Garage Door Remote Clipped to the Car Visor – We’ve all seen garage door remotes clipped to car visors. This is just inviting potential thieves to break into your car. And not only that, but it gives them access to your garage and possibly your home too. So take the garage remote off of your visor and store it somewhere out of sight. Sturdy Garage Door – There is no doubt that a high-quality, sturdy garage door is a deterrent for robbers. Lightweight garage doors aren’t necessarily bad, but it all depends on the quality of material being used. Make sure to purchase a garage door that is strong, sturdy and can hold up under blunt force. This isn’t just helpful in a burglary scenario, but also in severe weather. You want your garage door to be able to stand up to a little abuse. Don’t Leave Garage Door Open – Don’t leave your garage door open, even when you’re home either. It just makes it too easy for someone to grab your property and run. This is an all too common mistake. Thankfully there are solutions. Newer garage door openers have the ability to be closed remotely from your smartphone if you somehow forget to close it when you leave for work. Utilize the Lock Button Feature – This is a simple concept. Just like you lock your doors at night, you’ll want to lock your garage door so it cannot be opened manually in the middle of the night. All too often thieves use a crowbar to jimmy a garage door open. This puts an end to that. The lock button feature is designed to prevent both manual and remote access to your garage. Upgrade Your Garage Door Opener – Thieves are constantly scheming to find new ways into a victim’s home. On the flip side, homeowners and garage door manufacturers are also stepping up their efforts to make the family home more secure. If your garage door opener is dated, it could make you vulnerable. Burglars have gotten in the habit of trying to control automatic garage door openers by using the code. Older garage door openers typically use the same code. Modern garage door openers now offer a rolling code that offers a different combination of numbers every time you open it with your garage door remote. Another option is to get a smart garage door opener that is equipped with MyQ technology. This allows you to open and close your garage door from anywhere via your smartphone. Cover & Protect Your Garage Windows – Garages with glass windows are a favorite of thieves. They will often break the glass and trip the emergency release with a coat hanger. You can fortify your emergency release with zip ties making it hard to release with a coat hanger but can still be pulled in case of an emergency. If your garage has glass windows, make sure they are frosted or tinted so it’s not easy to see in. Clear windows allow anyone to see if there is a car in the garage or not. For added protection, consider installing iron bars on either side of your garage’s windows. This will provide you with additional security. Secure Your Interior