How to Secure Your Garage Door

There are many unique ways to utilize your garage, from setting up a home gym to building a workshop for creative projects. As a homeowner, you want to do everything you can to ensure the safety of your belongings inside your garage and your home. Burglars have found creative ways to get your home through your garage door that you may not have considered.

Below, we’ll go through ten garage door security tips and how to lock a garage door to prevent burglars from breaking in, protecting your belongings and your family’s safety.

1. Remember to Close the Door

It may seem like a no-brainer, but forgetting to close the garage door is more common than you think. Just take a drive through any residential community, and you’re bound to see an open garage with no one in sight. Many people forget to close their garage door after they arrive home or finish work inside their garage.

If this sounds like something you might do, you can always consider using a garage door monitor. The monitor will come with a sensor that will alert you when your door is open.

2. Keep the Clicker Inside

An automatic garage door opener is convenient, and many people clip them to the visor in their car to easily open the garage door once they return home. However, thieves know that these devices are a simple way inside your home. If they can find the clicker inside your car, they’ll use it to gain access.

Instead of leaving the garage door opener inside your car, use a keyring that you can attach to your car keys. You’ll still be able to use the clicker to open your door when you come and go, but the device will stay inside with you where burglars can’t get to it.

3. Use Motion-Activated Lights

Burglars tend to prey on homes cast in the shadows so they can sneak around. If you turn your outdoor lights off at night to save on energy bills or you have a detached garage, you may be vulnerable to a break-in. Consider installing motion-activated lights by the door and garage door windows, dissuading burglars from choosing your home as a target.

Choose lights that can detect movement from a significant distance so a person can’t even make it up your driveway before being bathed in light.

4. Shield Your Lock

Thanks to tutorials posted online, a person can unlock your garage door in minutes using a coat hanger. While some people recommend using a zip tie to secure the garage door lock or cutting the emergency release cord, these methods can reduce your garage door’s safety.

Instead, consider using a garage door shield to cover the emergency release cord. The shield will make it impossible for burglars to use the cord to open your garage door and break into your home. A garage door shield is an inexpensive method of protecting your home and leaves the emergency cord available to you if you need to use it.

5. Use a Smart Garage Door Opener

A regular garage door opener has some safety measures, including automatically locking the door when it’s closed. However, a thief can force the door open with pure force or hack the code.

A smart garage door opener has many built-in security features, such as a monitor, self-closing and locking system, lighting controls and smartphone connection. Even if someone can force your garage door open, you’ll get an alert on your phone, allowing you to contact the authorities immediately.

6. Consider Using Security Cameras

Many homeowners are starting to use doorbell cameras to monitor their front door and receive notifications each time someone approaches the door. Some of these cameras even allow you to use your smartphone to speak with the person outside. You can use similar security cameras with motion sensors for your garage door.

These cameras will allow you to spot a burglar when they approach your property, giving you a notification on your smartphone. You’ll be able to monitor their activity, call the police if necessary and check in on your property when you’re away from home. You can use the footage from your security camera as evidence to give to law enforcement if a burglar attempts to break in or trespasses.

7. Lock the Track

While you can unplug the garage door opener, a determined thief can force the door open if they want inside. You can prevent this from happening by locking the track from the inside. All garage doors run on a track, which you can lock using an existing latch or drilling one yourself.

You’ll secure a padlock just above the roller, preventing the garage door from opening. It will be impossible for a burglar to open the door without unlocking the padlock, which they could only do if they were already inside. Even if they were to gain access to your attached garage from inside your home, locking the track will make their job more time-consuming and challenging, giving you time to react and call the police if you’ve spotted the theft on your security cameras.

8. Block the View of Your Stuff

Thieves will often scope out a place before choosing to break in, deciding whether or not they’ll find any valuables inside your home or garage. If they don’t think you have anything worthwhile, they’ll move on somewhere else. You can shield the view inside your garage by using blinds or curtains.

If you think you might forget to close the blinds or curtains at the end of each day but still want to maintain natural light inside your garage, you can use a translucent window film. The film will allow light to come through but will heavily distort the view of your belongings, making it impossible for thieves to make out what’s inside your garage.

9. Consider Your Landscaping

Whether it’s the middle of the day or late a night, a burglar will take advantage of your landscaping by hiding behind a tree or hedge. Consider getting rid of large shrubs or trees that might block the view of entry points from the street. Burglars might not try to break in if your neighbors can see each entry point into your garage from the road or their homes.

Additionally, you can plant thorny bushes or shrubs in front of windows, making thieves think twice about using them as a way to break into your garage.

10. Secure the Door Into Your Home

If your garage door is attached to your home, there will be a door leading inside, and you’ll want to ensure that it’s locked when you’re not using it. On the off chance someone can break into your garage after applying multiple safety measures, you’ll want that extra layer of protection to keep you and your family safe. Consider installing a deadbolt as an added method of protection.

Some garages will have an additional service or side door that leads outside. You’ll want to secure this door the same way you’d secure a door leading into your home. Protecting this door ensures burglars can’t break it down or pick the lock to access your garage.

Keep Your Garage Door Secure With Door Pros

Many people store valuable items inside their garage or use it as a space to get creative with home renovation projects. The right garage door and appropriate security measures can reduce the risk of potential break-ins and keep your belongings and your family safe.

Door Pros is here to help, offering some of the industry’s best garage door brands. Our customer service can’t be beaten, with around-the-clock availability and same-day service, giving you peace of mind that your garage door is secure. We can assist with installation and repairs, ensuring your garage door operates at peak performance and keeps your home safe. Request an estimate from Door Pros today to get started.