Home Security

Securing Your Garage Door

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securing your garage door

Garages often house valuable items, from vehicles to tools, and sometimes serve as an entry point to the rest of the house, making garage door security paramount. This article will guide you through enhancing your garage door security, types of garage door locks, the use of garage door defenders, and implementing additional security measures. If you need help, contact our local garage door installers for advice.

How Can I Make My Garage Door More Secure?

Securing your garage door can be achieved through various methods:

  1. Use a good quality, secure garage door: Invest in a sturdy garage door made from durable material. The more robust your door, the harder it is to break in.
  2. Install a lock: A good quality lock can deter burglars and make break-ins difficult.
  3. Use a garage door defender: This acts as an extra layer of security.
  4. Install a security system: This includes alarms, security lights, and possibly CCTV cameras.

What is the Most Secure Garage Door?

Sectional garage doors are often considered the most secure due to their construction and operation mechanism. They have no penetration points when closed due to the construction of the panels and the way they are fitted to the garage opening.

What Parts of the Garage Door Do Burglars Target?

Burglars typically target the weakest parts of a garage door:

  1. The lock: This is often the primary target.
  2. Door edges: These can be manipulated to pry the door open.
  3. Windows: If your garage door has windows, they can be a target as they are typically easier to break.

How Do Burglars Break Into a Garage?

Burglars can break into garages by forcing the door open, picking locks, breaking windows, exploiting weak door edges, or using technology to crack electronic openers.

Types of Garage Door Locks

  1. Deadbolts: Provide strong security but can be inconvenient as they require a key.
  2. Slide locks: Often installed on the inside of the garage door, they are secure but can only be locked and unlocked from the inside.
  3. Keyless digital locks: Require a code to open and offer good security. They're convenient but can be vulnerable to code cracking.
  4. Electronic locks: These are similar to keyless digital locks but can be synced with home automation systems. They offer convenience and strong security but can be expensive.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Types of Locks

While deadbolts and slide locks offer high security, they lack the convenience of keyless and electronic locks. Keyless and electronic locks provide both security and convenience but can be more expensive and potentially vulnerable to savvy burglars who can crack codes or hack electronic systems.

Garage Door Defenders

Garage door defenders are devices installed in front of up-and-over garage doors to prevent them from being opened. They act as a highly visible deterrent to burglars.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Garage Door Defenders

Advantages include a strong physical and visual deterrent to burglars and additional security layer. The main disadvantage is that they require manual operation, and some models can be vulnerable to determined attacks.

Can Garage Doors Be Forced Open?

Yes, garage doors can be forced open, especially if they're older or lack additional security measures.

How Can You Stop Garage Doors Being Forcefully Opened?

Several measures can stop garage doors from being forcefully opened:

  1. Use a good quality door: Strong materials are harder to force open.
  2. Install a lock or defender: These provide physical barriers to forceful opening.
  3. Maintain your door and its components: A well-maintained door is harder to break into.

Garage Door Security Features

Some garage doors come with enhanced security features such as:

  1. Rolling code technology: This changes your garage door opener’s code each time it's used, preventing code grabbing.
  2. Lock mode: This prevents the door from being opened with the remote.
  3. Vacation settings: These make your home appear occupied even when you're away.

How to Secure Your Garage

In addition to the measures above, you can secure your garage by:

  1. Keeping it tidy: A disorganised garage can provide hiding places for burglars.
  2. Covering windows: This prevents burglars from seeing inside.
  3. Regularly maintaining the door and its components: This ensures everything is in working order.

Outdoor Security Light

An outdoor security light acts as a deterrent by illuminating any movement in the vicinity of your garage. Ensure it's installed in a place where it can't be easily tampered with.

Installing an Alarm

A garage alarm can alert you to any attempted break-ins. Some alarms can be linked to your home security system, while others are standalone units designed specifically for garages.

Conclusion

Securing your garage door is a critical step in protecting your home and possessions from burglaries. By understanding potential vulnerabilities and implementing appropriate countermeasures, such as quality locks, defenders, and security systems, you can significantly enhance the security of your garage and enjoy greater peace of mind.

Which Garage Door Is The Most Secure?

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When you are choosing a new door for your home, security is one of the most important considerations. The level of security the door would offer and how it would prevent break-ins are very important in this regard.

Do Your Research

That is why you should be doing extensive research when shopping for the most secure garage door on the market.

With the different types of garage doors available in the market, choosing the right product may not be an easy task. This article provides information on the most secure garage door for your home.

In fact, the latest doors offer an improvement in all levels of security compared to old garage doors. But different door styles have their own security benefits. Here are the different types of garage doors and the security levels offered by them.

Side-Hinged Doors

The side-hinged door is a secure garage door that is practical and aesthetically pleasing at the same time. This type of door is ideal for a garage that receives pedestrian access. But you should make sure to install sufficient security features to keep the door secure.

Opt for doors with steel frames or double-skinned steel panels and more than one locking mechanism for better security. This will make sure that the side-hinged door is quite secure for your home.

Up and Over Doors

Up and over doors are another type of garage door that provides better security for your home. But you should make sure to get the appropriate security features in order to ensure the highest security to your property. Opt for an up and over door with a euro cylinder anti-snap lock and a multi-point locking system.

Your door will be secure even if a burglar tries to drill the lock. On the other hand, a sectional garage door is quite popular for the level of security it provides.

This type of door doesn’t have an obvious point of entry – which makes your property safe from intruders. It isn’t space-consuming similar to most of the other types of garage doors on the market today.

Roller Doors

Roller garage doors are another secure option on the market today. Automated roller doors are the most secure for your property. Make sure that you opt for a door with high-quality side rails and a steadfast locking system. The door should be made from quality double-skinned metal.

The aforementioned article provides information on some of the most secure garage doors on the market.

Making Sure Your Garage Door Is Secure

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It’s likely that a number of valuable items are stored in your garage. If your garage is attached to your house, it may also provide access to your home. This is why you’ll want to make sure that your garage door is secure at all times.

Have A Reliable Locking System

Does your garage door lock automatically when it’s closed? If you don’t have an automatic locking system in place, you may want to fix that.

Getting out of your vehicle to lock your garage can be a hassle, and it’s something that you can easily forget on a busy day.

If your current locking system isn’t satisfactory, you may want to contact a company and have them install a new garage door opening system. If you take this route, you’ll want to consider a number of options. For example, you may want to opt for a system that can be integrated with smart devices.

Keep Your Garage Door In Good Working Order

If your garage door is malfunctioning in some way, it’s possible that you could have security problems. That’s why you’ll want to make sure your garage remains in excellent condition.

It’s smart to visually inspect your garage from time to time. If you notice any issues, you’ll want to address them as soon as you can.

If you do find that your garage door is damaged, you’ll want to have it repaired as swiftly as possible. You can try to handle the repairs yourself, or you can hire professionals that will be able to repair your garage for you.

Consider Additional Security Measures

If you’ve had issues with people breaking into your garage in the past, you might want to take extra steps to make sure that it’s as well-guarded as it can be. Extra security measures, such as an extra lock, could be a big asset. You could even consider using chains to keep your garage shut tight.

Although these measures can make it difficult for you to access your garage, they can also make it hard for anyone to access your garage without your permission. If you have doubts that your garage is safe, you shouldn’t be afraid to take some extra precautions.

It’s worth the extra effort to make sure that your garage door is secure. If you’re confident that your garage and everything in it is safe, you’ll be able to rest easy. You’ll be able to store more in your garage without any concern.