Last Updated on April 11, 2024
Securing a garage door from the inside is highly recommended for obvious reasons. Adding an extra layer of security inside can significantly lessen the risk of break ins.
With the increasing number of theft and break-ins reported in the recent years, it just makes sense to keep your garage doors secured. Garage doors are also the favorite entry point for intruders so make sure you read through this article to learn how to keep your doors secured.
For example, simple things like placing your keypad inside the garage rather than outside the door. This takes away the chance of intruders guessing your code while observing you from afar.
Adding an extra layer of security also does wonders for those who are always on the go. If you’re a busy bee, living alone, or a single mom, there’s a big chance that forgetting to lock your doors is a repetitive occurrence. While it happens to most of us, those who have a tight schedule or have a lot of responsibilities can easily forget about small things like locking doors.
It also benefits you to lock your doors from the inside, especially if you’re planning to go on vacation. If your house will be unattended for quite some time, these hacks will help you secure your door and your garage a lot better.
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4 Ways to Secure a Garage Door from the Inside
In the United States alone, garages are used to store valuable items like vehicles, equipment, and even collections. It is every homeowner’s primary storage unit no wonder it’s the favorite target of intruders.
No need to get fancy though. Some of these tips are very easy to do and only requires simple items you can find in your kitchen. Here are 4 ways to secure your garage doors from the inside.
Unplug your Garage Door Opener
Old garage doors are easy to unlock through code grabbers, which grabs the signal from your remote to garage door opener. So, if you’re leaving for long periods of time, it’s best to unplug the garage door opener as a precaution.
Another good investment to make is an opener with a rolling code. Most new doors have a rolling code lock built in to it. But if you have just replaced your door, you can simply change the opener with this feature.
Rolling code makes it almost impossible to crack your door. Once you’ve used a given code, it generates a new one which lessens the risk of intruders guessing what your door’s lock code is.
Zip-Tie Manual Release Latch
Most garage door openers have emergency release lever. Emergency levers allow homeowners to access their garage doors in case the power is out. By using a clothes hanger and pulling this emergency lever, thieves can manually open your door.
For safety reasons, put a zip tie on the door’s manual release latch. This prevents the opener from being opened and pulled.
Lock the Vertical Track
Locking your garage door vertical track means your door can’t be opened. Use a padlock to secure your vertical track thus preventing it to be opened manually. You should find holes in the vertical track wherein a simple padlock can be used. If there are no holes, use a hand drill.
Lock the Garage Door Slide
Side locks lets you lock it from the inside. This lock is attached inside the door. It slides the latch into the vertical track and locks the door.
Most doors have a removable square knockout. If your door has this, install the side lock with 4 bolts. For doors without doors, use a drill.
Don’t Skip on the Maintenance
A broken door is a door that’s unsecured. Make it a routine that your doors inspected by professional services. Your doors may appear physically okay on the outside but there are damages that affect your door’s internal workings.
Especially your garage door openers. Automatic garage door openers makes it convenient to access their garages. It helps open, close and lock the door with a button or through a smartphone app. It’s a great investment especially for those living with seniors or people with disability.
Automatic openers also make it easy to open the garage on a rainy day. No need to step out of the car and get soaking wet during a rainy day. Just click the button on your remote and drive right in your garage.
Garage door openers are simple mechanisms that may last a long time if you take care of it properly. Most openers have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years. However, you can’t avoid circumstances like typhoons and earthquakes that may damage your openers. And since you rely on these to open and close your doors, you need to ensure that it’s in good condition and functions all the time.
When your automatic garage door opener wears out, watch out for obvious signs. If your older model is still working, there may be underlying safety issues. Most common signs your door opener is about to break down include: unusual noises, garage door not closing all the way or reversing, vibrating, and doors getting stuck.
In a Nutshell
There are so many smart ways you can protect your family from break-ins through your garage doors. As the saying goes, prevention is always better than cure.
Investing in good garage door materials and accessories helps achieve a more secure home. More homeowners are investing in smart doors. If you can stretch your budget a little, invest in turning your garage door smart. Most smart garage doors have new security features like rolling codes, scheduling lock time, intruder alarm systems, etc.
The tips we’ve listed are just a few of the things you can do to keep a garage door safe and secured from robbers. Another cheap way to keep intruders out is to make sure your garage wouldn’t appear unattended. Turn on a small radio while you are away or open the light. If you have windows, frost it with paint so people outside won’t be able to see what’s inside your garage.
Keep your family and valuables safe with these worthy investments and hacks.
Author Bio
Mik Vil writes for Garage Door Repair Calgary – a company that provides repair and installation services in Calgary and nearby areas.