Protect Your Home: Garage Door Security Tips

2024-01-01 7 min read

The garage is often the most vulnerable entry point into your home. A poorly secured garage door provides easy access not just to your vehicles and belongings, but potentially to your entire house through the interior door. Here's how to make your garage door a security asset rather than a liability.

Upgrade Your Garage Door Opener

If your opener is more than 10 years old, it's time to consider an upgrade. Older openers use fixed codes that can be easily copied by tech-savvy burglars with radio-frequency grabbers.

Modern openers use rolling code technology, which generates a new code every time you use the remote. This makes it virtually impossible for thieves to capture and duplicate your signal. Smart openers add another layer of security by letting you monitor and control your door from anywhere via smartphone.

Don't Leave the Remote in Your Car

This is one of the most common security mistakes homeowners make. A garage door remote left in your car, especially if the car is parked in the driveway, gives thieves an easy way into your garage and home.

Instead, use a keychain remote that stays with you, or install a smartphone app to control your door. If your vehicle has a built-in HomeLink system, disable it when parked at home or in public.

Cover Your Windows

Garage door windows add natural light, but they also let potential burglars see inside. If they spot expensive tools, bicycles, or an empty garage indicating you're not home, your garage becomes a target.

Consider frosting the windows or adding curtains or shades. If you're installing a new door, choose decorative glass that obscures the view while still letting in light.

Secure the Emergency Release

Most garage doors have an emergency release that allows manual operation during power outages. Unfortunately, burglars can access this release by fishing a wire through the top of the door.

Several products are available to prevent this, from simple zip ties that secure the release lever to aftermarket locks. Ask us about adding emergency release protection to your door.

Don't Forget the Interior Door

The door between your garage and home is your last line of defense if someone gains access to the garage. This door should be treated like any exterior door:

Use a solid-core door, not a hollow interior door
Install a quality deadbolt lock
Consider a keypad lock so you can lock it remotely
Keep it locked at all times, even when you're home

Add Motion-Sensor Lighting

Burglars prefer to work in darkness. Motion-activated lights around your garage are an inexpensive deterrent that make it harder for thieves to approach undetected.

Install lights at both the front of the garage and inside. An interior light that turns on when the door opens can startle intruders and alert you to unexpected access.

Use Vacation Mode

When you're away, disable the remote control function on your opener. Most openers have a vacation switch or button that prevents the door from being opened by remote, requiring manual operation from inside.

Smart openers can send alerts to your phone whenever the door opens, so you'll know immediately if someone accesses your garage while you're away.

Maintain Your Door

A well-maintained garage door is also a more secure one. A door in poor condition might not close completely or could be easily forced open. Regular maintenance ensures:

The door closes flush with the ground
The locking mechanism works properly
The door can't be easily pried open
All sensors and safety features function correctly

Consider Additional Security Features

For maximum security, consider adding:

A garage door monitor that shows door status from inside your home
A security camera pointed at the garage
An alarm system sensor on the door
A deadbolt lock for the garage door itself
A timer that automatically closes the door after a set period