The Importance of Securing Your Garage Door

You’ve invested a lot of money in a brand-new garage door, and it’s crucial to ensure your garage and home are secured. Even though it’s true that only 9 percent of burglaries occur through the garage door, however, 225,000 burglaries happen per year. One of these may be in your home. We’ve compiled garage door security tips and guidelines to help you feel secure and safe inside your home.

Investing in Garage Door Security

Recent FBI statistics show that a burglary occurs in the U.S. every 26 seconds. This is an alarming rate. We all want to think the world is secure and we live in a peaceful neighborhood, but the reality is that the threat of a home invasion exists everywhere.

You should be aware of these additional statistics on crime before engaging in garage door security guidelines.

The majority of burglaries occur between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. when homeowners are at work.
74% of burglaries are targeted at homes.
In the year 2019, the FBI announced 290,909 break-ins during the daytime in comparison to 195,884 nighttime burglaries.
Around 28 percent of burglaries occur when the homeowner is home.

Garage Door Security Tips

There are four kinds of security equipment for your garage that you can put to secure the exterior or inside of the garage door, which are cameras, lights as well as home alarms. We’ll go over each one in-depth and the best ways to use these devices in your favor.

Garage Door Openers

One of the best methods to improve the security of your garage door is to install a keypad controlled by a remote or a key code to open the garage door. If you’re able to manually shut and open your garage door, it implies that an intruder could also.

When it comes to your garage door opener here are a few suggestions we would recommend you follow.

Regularly change your garage door opener code. For example, if you go on a vacation, you should change the code to a different code.
Don’t keep your garage door opener in your car. It is sensible to take your garage door opener along with you, but be sure that it’s stored in a secure location when you’re not making use of it.
Switch off your power. If you’re planning to be away for a long period, switch off the power, so the garage door opener won’t operate.

How often should you change the garage code?

If you can, it’s recommended to assign each individual living in your house a unique lock code. This will allow you to keep track of who’s coming and going through your garage. It is also helpful if you’re looking for a guest such as a pet or house caregiver, to take care of your house while you’re away.

Similar to computer passwords, it is important to update your password regularly. It is recommended to change the code every six months unless you notice many failed attempts to open the garage. Be sure to not make use of a code that’s been used before.

Lights

Motion sensors and outside lighting can deter a burglar from entering your home. Motion sensors for light fixtures in the garage will be turned on when they detect movement within the garage. The automatic lights will mean that the criminal has a tougher time hiding in the dark and being found.

Interior lighting can also be beneficial. Anything that could light up an intruder and possibly draw attention to them could make them stay away from your home. To make use of lights to the fullest extent you can put them in the vicinity of the garage’s door and around windows.

It is also possible to purchase the spotlight which is linked to your phone, so you are in control of whether the light is turned either on or off. We suggest setting it up to be on at any time the garage door opens, so you are alert to any suspicious activity.

Camera

Installing a security camera in your garage could assist in reducing the risk of crime by 50 percent. Studies have proven that installing security signs placed in your yard can discourage intruders. Similar to lights, cameras can prove useful both inside and outside your garage door.

Some cameras are connected to your smartphone to give you instant access to what’s happening in your home. This means that you’ll receive alerts or notifications when there’s activity within the camera’s view.

Home Alarm

Set up a home alarm to aid in alerting you and your neighbors when someone is trying to enter your home. This alarm is particularly helpful during times when you’re not home or during the dark times of night when everybody is asleep.

There’s a large selection of security gadgets for garages that have different features to satisfy your requirements for surveillance. The majority of these systems can be synced easily with your smartphone, allowing you to be safe even when away.

Improve the Security of Your Garage Door

We’ve now covered a few security measures for garages and methods, let’s look at other options you can take to secure your home. While the garage door isn’t the most common point of entry, safe and secured garages can stop the possibility of more than 110,000 burglaries per year. One of them might be in your home.

Think like a burglar. Spend some time looking over your garage and surrounding area to identify the access points that would be easily accessed by burglars. This will allow you to determine the areas where you should add some security measures for your garage.
Utilize a timer. If you frequently forget to close the garage door amid the bustle and chaos of the morning rush it is possible to install an alarm clock that will ensure your garage door is closed at a specific time every day.
Secure your doors. Check that all windows and doors are locked and also the entry points that connect your garage and your home. This is essential should an intruder gain access to your garage, the locked doors would prevent access to the rest of your house.
Don’t leave your garage door unlocked. Be aware of the time when the garage doors are opened and left unattended. Even in bright sunlight, it could allow someone to identify weaknesses in your security, and plan their attack.
Make sure that tools are secured in an area. Tools like hammers, ladders, and hedge cutters could be useful to a criminal. Tools that can damage locks and windows should be secured within your garage or outside shed equipped with locks.
Install the shield. The garage door security suggestions are designed to prevent roadblocks from an attack plan. Installing a small shield that blocks the emergency release on your door, may deter a burglar from carrying out their strategy.
Utilize special windows. Windows are a stunning accessory to your garage door, however, they also allow those walking by to peer at your garage. They might be able to identify valuable items and begin making plans for an intrusion. An option to maintain an attractive appearance and also be more secure is by installing special windows that block out the interior of the garage.

If the garage is a primary point of entry for an attack on your home it’s a quick procedure. In less than ten seconds an intruder can create an opening in the very top of your garage doors between the weather seal and the door. Then, employ a long wire or hanger to access the door’s emergency release.

Maintaining Your Insurance

Even though all these steps can help protect your home, it isn’t 100% assurance that an attack will not occur. As a safety precaution, make sure that other structures are covered under the homeowner’s insurance. This could include the garage or shed that is unconnected from other parts of the house.

Equipment or tools that could have been taken from your garage after a break-in must be covered under your personal property insurance and not the homeowner’s insurance. In addition, if your vehicle was damaged by the break-in, it will fall under the insurance of your vehicle.

The Importance of Securing Your Garage Door