Garage Doors & Home Security

The garage is an easy entry for unwanted people in our homes making garage security essential to protect yourself and your belongings. They are a popular target for criminals to get into your home and for obvious reasons. Some of our most expensive belongings are placed in there besides your car including bikes, lawnmower and power tools.

There are a few tips that you can use to ensure the safety of your family and home. Make sure that you invest in a good garage door and door opener. Some new openers, like the Liftmaster brand, have automatic locking feature on some models that make it much more difficult for any stranger to open. On a side note, when you have a new garage door opener installed, make sure the combination is reset, as the factory set combination is a familiar one to criminals.

It is important to understand the different security features that garage doors have. Most people aren’t aware how easy it is to simply open up a garage door. If you don’t have a proper garage door lock in place, for example, you will find that most doors are very easy to open.

Always try and look for a good system that will help to give you the best results possible. Finding the right door lock for you is important because it will help you secure your garage. Having a garage door that isn’t properly secured can be an easy opportunity for potential thieves.

Criminals already know that many of us overlook securing the garage door in the same way we bolt our front door. As the door that leads to the house from your garage is an interior door this misleads to thinking that it is secure. This is not the case. If the garage door can be broken into easily then it is equally easy for burglars to get into the house.

A common mistake made by people is to leave the garage door open during the day especially if they think that they will be back in a few minutes. This leaves everything in the garage to be seen by intruders who now know what they can get from there. In some cases, they can even attempt to hide in the normal clutter of a garage and wait for the right moment to run away with your valuables.

Home security is a comprehensive thing that you should take time to analyze. Securing your garage door should be a big part of that.

Don’t Forget About Garage Security

When you think about home security you may not think about garage security because you don’t actually live it in.

But a garage is often one of the best ways for the bad guy to break into your home, especially if it’s an attached garage.

Criminals scope out the exterior and seek the path of least resistance. If the garage has an entrance door and a garage door they will determine which is easiest to compromise.

An entrance door that has small windows is easily compromised when a little window near a door lock is smashed and the burglar reaches their hand through and opens the door.

Once they are in the garage they have access to the interior door which is often unlocked. I’ve seen footage of burglars breaking into a garage and using the homeowners own chainsaw to cut through a door or wall to gain access to the home. This method won’t trigger any interior door alarm sensors because the door is never opened.

Garage doors are easy to break into with a coat hanger as demonstrated in this video on YouTube. Another way would simply be to drill a hole thru the door and slide a coat hanger in pulling down on the emergency pull cord.

Both of these tactics can be remedied by installing a zip tie as demonstrated in this YouTube video.

Installing a Garage Door Lock

Most homes built in or after the 1980s have garages attached to them. Before then, the garage was often a freestanding building. With the arrival of the attached garage, many new conveniences were introduced. The homeowner could park his car close the door and not have to step foot into the sweltering heat of a summer day or the frigid cold of a winter evening. In addition, a connected garage door was mildly climate controlled receiving some of the heat or air conditioning that escaped through the house walls. In return, it provided better insulation for much of the house. However, these garages also introduced a few new problems, the greatest being the security risk.

Because most people viewed a closed garage door as a barrier between their home and the outside world, few worried about locking the interior door that led to the garage. Unfortunately, burglars took advantage of this oversight by breaking and entering through the exterior garage door. Few people understand the ease of breaking into a garage door that does not have a protective locking mechanism. For anyone who has had his home broken into through the garage, the need for a lock is apparent. Luckily, it is an easy do it yourself project, at a minimum cost.

There are two styles of garage door lock that can be installed. The first is a manual system with key and latch prevention. This style of garage door locking requires a manual entry garage door and will not be effective with mechanical garage door openers. It is also the simpler of the two styles to install.

Most hardware stores will carry a manual lock. The most popular style is the Plain T Handle set. To install this a person will need a screwdriver, measuring tape, drill and drill bit of the appropriate diameter. The instructions for the kit will be in the packaging. The first step is to measure out where to drill the holes in the garage door. You will need to find the center of the door and mark it with an “x”. Place the handle over the “x” and pilot two holes through the screw settings where the screws will fasten the handle in place. At this point make sure the lock handle is open parallel to the ground.

Set the screws on the outside and put the washers in place. Two metal arms should be included in the packaging. Place the arms on the screws after the washers, being sure to set the smaller diameter holes facing away from the handle. Place a second washer over those arms and place a nut tightly over the assembly, then place the locking rollers in the garage track and screw the arms into the rollers.

At this point lock the garage handle by twisting it perpendicular to the ground. The rollers should set and be unable to slide. Many door locks have different set ups, so be sure to read the instructions carefully. Still, most garages today incorporate a mechanical garage door security lock. These garage door locks take more time to install but have a few additional benefits.

A full garage door lock kit for mechanical systems will be significantly more work to install, however they can also provide a significantly higher level of security. It is not uncommon to have alarm systems in place with a garage door lock of this style as well as a secondary lockdown mechanism. Some are included in the mechanical opener itself and have manual release systems for when you go on longer vacations, making the door as impregnable as a brick wall.

Thieves Use Garage Door Openers to Enter Homes

Police agencies throughout the country are saying that there is an increase in burglaries where a thief or thieves broke into cars, found garage door openers, and used those openers to steal items from inside homes.

Recently a suspect broke into a car outside a residence and stole the garage door opener out of the car. When the victim left for work, the suspect or suspects entered her house and stole several thousand dollars worth of jewelry.

The crimes sometimes begin as car burglaries. The thieves find the remote controls and then enter the victims’ homes while they are asleep.

Police say that homeowners should remember to lock the doors to their homes and not leave valuables in plain view. Also, they recommend that people either lock their garage door openers in their glove boxes or take them inside with them when they leave. They also recommend that garage doors be secured at night so that they cannot be opened from the outside.

Garage Door Opener Security

Automatic garage doors can leave you susceptible to intruders. The technology does exist for someone to obtain your garage door opener code. Reduce your risk of break-ins by using different types of garage door opener security.

Rolling Code Systems for Garage Door Opener Security

A rolling code system changes your garage door opener code every time you use it. Billions of code combinations are randomly chosen by your rolling code system. This makes it impossible to capture your code into any kind of code grabber system used by a thief.

Code Encrypting Systems

Use a code encrypting system with your remotes when you don’t want to buy new remotes with a rolling code system. The encrypting system attaches to your existing remotes and works by sending a signal to the garage door opener to change the code each time the door operates.

Garage Door Opener Security When You Are Away

A full proof method to discourage intruders while you are away from home is to unplug the garage door opener when you don’t have a rolling code system.

Change Your Garage Door Security Codes

Intruders are known to trigger garage door openers by using a factory code. It is a good idea to change the codes on both your garage opener and remotes after purchasing them.

Also, change the garage door opener security code when moving to a new home.

Big vs. Small Remotes

Garage door remotes are usually big and clip on a car visor. They can invite the attention of a thief to gain access to your garage. Newer remotes are smaller and often fit on your key chain making it a more secure alternative.

Garage Door Opener Security Receiver

The receiver is an added security measure. It can be placed inside your home so you can easily see a flashing light that indicates your garage door is open.

Garage door Opener Security Light

Most garage door openers have a light that automatically comes on whenever the door is operating. This allows you to safely enter and exit your garage at night. 

Automatic garage doors can leave you susceptible to intruders. The technology does exist for someone to obtain your garage door opener code. Reduce your risk of break-ins by using different types of garage door opener security.

Rolling Code Systems for Garage Door Opener Security

A rolling code system changes your garage door opener code every time you use it. Billions of code combinations are randomly chosen by your rolling code system. This makes it impossible to capture your code into any kind of code grabber system used by a thief.

Code Encrypting Systems

Use a code encrypting system with your remotes when you don’t want to buy new remotes with a rolling code system. The encrypting system attaches to your existing remotes and works by sending a signal to the garage door opener to change the code each time the door operates.

Garage Door Opener Security When You Are Away

A full proof method to discourage intruders while you are away from home is to unplug the garage door opener when you don’t have a rolling code system.

Change Your Garage Door Security Codes

Intruders are known to trigger garage door openers by using a factory code. It is a good idea to change the codes on both your garage opener and remotes after purchasing them.

Also, change the garage door opener security code when moving to a new home.

Big vs. Small Remotes

Garage door remotes are usually big and clip on a car visor. They can invite the attention of a thief to gain access to your garage. Newer remotes are smaller and often fit on your key chain making it a more secure alternative.

Garage Door Opener Security Receiver

The receiver is an added security measure. It can be placed inside your home so you can easily see a flashing light that indicates your garage door is open.

Garage door Opener Security Light

Most garage door openers have a light that automatically comes on whenever the door is operating. This allows you to safely enter and exit your garage at night.

Tips for buying a New Garage Door

One of the easiest ways to enhance the curb appeal of your home is a new garage door. When it comes time to figure out just which style, material and options to select, here are some tips that may prove helpful.

Tip #1 – Decide on a Look

Are you looking for a traditional garage door to match the rest of the home’s design? What about contemporary, ranch or other? You want to make certain that the garage door – a central point of your home – blends in nicely with the home’s architecture and style. Deciding on a look should be one of your first considerations.

Tip #2 – Choose Your Door Material

Types of garage door materials include wood (great for traditional styles), aluminum, steel and fiberglass. The material you choose may also depend on where you live (humidity, extremes of weather), maintenance and upkeep, and durability. The most popular, based on styles, maintenance and cost is a steel door.

Tip #3 – Select Door Type

Garage door types include a roll up or tilt-up design. Tilt-up doors rotate out and upward when opening. They have a disadvantage in that they may not open if objects are left too close to the door and they also tend to allow moisture, snow and other debris into the garage. Roll up or sectional overhead garage doors consist of several sections, usually 4 to 5, that roll over tracks and rest against the ceiling when open. Roll up models save on space and are considered stronger and safer.

Tip #4 – Pick Design and Options

Will you want insulation in your new garage door? This option will cost you a little more, which is well worth it if you live in a climate of weather extremes. Windows, special paints and decorative hardware are some considerations.

Tip #5 – Get the Best Warranty

Wherever you buy your new garage door, get the door with the best warranty you can – on both the product as well as the installation.

Garage Door Wins!

Now here’s a kid that must be heavily influenced by the likes of the Jackass crew that do really crazy stunts and pranks. Watch as Drew-o runs full speed into a garage door. While it’s incredibly FUNNY, especially in the end of the video when you hear his delayed reaction, we don’t recommend the you try it!

 

CHEAP GARAGE DOORS!?

What ever you do, forget about those el-cheap-o offers. They’re probably all over your local news paper too – “Brand new garage door installed for just $699”.

 

Does that include removal and haul away of the old door?

What about liability issues. What if the installer buggers up your house?

Or worse – what if he’s casing your house.

What if he gets hurt on the job?

What if your contractor supplies and installs the door and parts, but never pays the supplier – guess who gets to pay twice – that’s right – you do.

Just forget about those offers.

Oh baby it’s cold out there: insulate the garage door!

An insulated garage door can create a stable, dry, warm atmosphere all year round as well as vastly increasing the security, soundproofing and sealing properties of the garage door opening from dust, vermin, leaves and rain. It will also help to save you some money on your energy bills. This is why the demand for insulated garage doors is increasing year on year as so many garages are now used for many other purposes other than storing a vehicle.

Insulated garage doors offer various advantages over standard garage doors namely:

1. They allow the garage to be used for other uses – e.g. hobbies, gym, play room, office, damp proof secure storage etc. etc.
2. They keep adjoining rooms and bedrooms above the garage warmer.
3. They offer increased security due to thicker and stronger door construction.
4. Weather stripping prevents leaves and debris blowing into the garage.
5. Weather stripping stops heat loss and prevents cold air getting into the garage.
6. An insulated garage door will help save on your heating bills and help the environment.
7. Reduced condensation.

How secure is your home’s garage door?

There was a news segment that appeared last night on ABC-15 in Phoenix, Arizona, that is worth mentioning.

This past October, a Scottsdale man woke up early one morning to find three strangers in his bedroom only to be assulted. The men broke into his home through the garage. He had installed a new garage door and hadn’t reset the manufacturer’s code on the garage door opener.

Click for the video:

As the largest movable object in any home, the garage door is often overlooked in terms of safety and security. Here are a few other items that should be pointed out when speaking of garage door security.   

·         When you are on vacation or your home is unoccupied for an extended period of time, disconnected the overhead track-operated garage door from inside the garage. This will prevent the door from being opened with an electronic remote control device.

·         Do not leave the remote in your car, should a thief break in to your car and steal the remote he has a way into your home. Consider purchasing a key-chain remote you should be able to find one compatible with your system.

·         Your garage door is only as secure as its weakest link. It is of little benefit in having the best of locks if the door itself is flimsy. Likewise a strong and sturdy garage door will not give you the best security if it is fitted in a weak frame.

As Arizona’s only garage door manufacturer, First United Door Technologies recognizes that the security and safety of garage doors is paramount and provide education and materials with every door manufactured to our nationwide network of licensed installing dealers.