Attached garages tend to be attractive to thieves: all they need to do is get into the garage and they could easily get into your home. We’ve rounded up 5 garage security tips to help protect your attached garage and your home.
1. Make Sure the Door is Always Closed
You’d be surprised how often a garage door is left open unintentionally. Perhaps a child opened the door to get their bike and forgot to close it, or perhaps you had a last-minute errand to run and dropped everything, forgetting about the open garage door in the process.
Purchase a garage door sensor, which will tell you when the door has been left open. Or for total peace of mind, install an automatic garage door closer.
2. Add Exterior Lighting
If the approach to your garage is well lit, thieves will tend to stay away. Motion sensing lights, which turn on when they sense movement, are popular. Timed lights are another strategy: these go on at a schedule you set, such as overnight.
3. Lock the Door When You Travel
Thieves tend to take notice of a home that appears empty. If you’re gone, they may try to break into the garage door. Reinforce your security by locking the garage door on the inside, using a padlock. Alternately, unplug the garage door opener so it can’t be forced to open.
4. Prevent Fishing
“Fishing” is a popular strategy for opening garage doors from outside. If your Oklahoma City garage door has an emergency release that is near the top of the door, a thief can insert a coat hanger or a piece of wire through the opening at the top and try to trigger the emergency release. A garage door with windows tends to be easier to fish because a thief can see a part of the garage interior.
To deter fishing, lock the emergency release lever with a zip tie, or install a block of wood in front of the release. This way, a criminal won’t be able to grab the release and open the door.
5. Get a New Garage Door
Inexpensive garage doors are easier to compromise than state-of-the-art garage doors, such as steel garage doors. If you’ve inherited a house with a budget garage door, the number-one security tip may be to replace it with a higher-quality garage door. Not only will this boost the value of your home, since garage doors are a top home improvement, but it will also bolster your home’s security.
Get a New Garage Door in Oklahoma City
If you need a new garage door, or garage door accessories, look to Overhead Door of Oklahoma City. Stop by our showroom to see products or browse online to find a garage door that will protect your home.
