According to the FBI, about 1.1 million burglaries took place across the US in 2019. In 34% of the break-ins, the perpetrators gained access to the victims’ homes via the front door. Where it was impossible to access via the front door, the garage door was their next best option. Up to 9% of the burglars entered through the garage door. 

 

The garage entrance is one of the most vulnerable spots for burglars to break into your home. But you can prevent that and keep your family and assets safe. Here are tips on simple security measures to secure your garage door and prevent break-ins. 

Never leave your garage door open

This is a no-brainer. But in a country where nearly 85% of homeowners rely on garage entrances to access and exit their homes, it is not a surprise that most leave the door open. 

 

It is easy to forget to close the garage door. Perhaps you left the house thinking someone else would close it after you. Or maybe you are busy working in the yard, and your attention is away from the garage door. Whatever the case, you should be diligent about closing your garage door as soon as you enter or leave the house. 

 

When you leave the garage door open, prying eyes have the opportunity to see the valuables (like your priced toolkit) stored inside, advice property experts Bin There Dump That Plus, unwelcome visitors get a free pass into your home. 

If it is hard to remember to close the garage door, consider installing a timer that automatically closes the door after a few minutes. 

 

Tint or cover your garage door windows

Thieves seldom break in blind. Most have a target or clues to what they can grab from your home or garage. You may wonder, “how do burglars get all this intel on your home?” They have prying eyes, and uncovered windows allow burglars to feast their prying eyes on your high-value goodies. 

 

By removing the motivator, you can keep burglars away from your home. Use interior curtains or blinds. If you want to keep the place well-lit without bothering about the blinds, consider using tinted security film on the windows. Not only does it obstruct prying eyes, but it also makes the glass harder to break.

 

If you want to go a step further, perhaps if you use your garage for commercial work or you have an expensive car, you may want to consider installing scissor gates. These types of gates have open webbing that allows you to manage access to the garage without compromising on visibility or ventilation. 

Be careful with your remote and security keypad code

Gone are days when people could leave house keys under a potted plant on the porch. Fortunately, technology has come to our rescue. We use remotes and security keypads to open and shut garage doors.  

But if you are not careful about who has the code or if you do not keep the remote discreetly, thieves could get the information and break into your home or commercial property. 

 

Keep your garage-door remote discreetly. Avoid keeping it in easy to guess places where burglars can spot it and press the button. Also, share the security keypad code. If you must share it, change it frequently (at least once in three months). 

Secure the emergency release lock

You may be diligent about locking your garage door. But thieves have discovered easy ways to open a locked garage door. This YouTube video shows how burglars can use a coat hanger to do it in less than a minute! They bend the coat hanger into a hook-like shape and use it to grab onto the emergency release cord opening the garage door.

 

How do you protect yourself and your stuff?

 

Some people recommend cutting the emergency release cord. It may eliminate the threat. But, it also significantly compromises your safety. Instead, you could use a device that shields the lock and blocks access to the lock’s cord without compromising safety.

Install automatic motion sensor lights

Suppose a thief manages to get through the lock and gains access to your garage. You still have simple options that can deter theft and scare them away. 

 

A simple and affordable option would be to install automatic motion sensor lights. We use them in our yards and dark areas like basements but seldom think about using them in the garage. 

What does it do?

 

Like an alarm, when the lights turn on, it could startle the intruder and could scare them away. 

Install a security system

Installing motion sensor lights could help you in deterring opportunistic, non-seasoned burglars. However, it may not be effective if you live in a crime-prone area. To keep safe in such a neighborhood, consider going the whole mile - install a comprehensive security system. 

 

The system could comprise an alarm and CCTV cameras. You could get help from our animal friends - a guard dog. Or use a combination. Convicted burglars have admitted that barking dogs and security systems like CCTV effectively prevent break-ins.

 

Once you have installed a security system, remember to maintain it frequently, and as you do, fix any issues on the garage door. 

Securing your garage door, a final word

Most burglars are opportunistic criminals. Many break-ins succeed because homeowners often provide the motivation and pay no attention to this vulnerable access point. But you can prevent that. Use these tips to discourage, deter, frighten and ward off potential burglars from the garage entrance.