According to the FBI, there is a burglary every 22.6 seconds in the US. Nearly 80% of those burglaries occur during the day when you are at work or out running errands.
Your garage door is an often overlooked area of your home when it comes to security, but is a primary point of interest for a thief. Neglecting your garage door security can be a mistake that could put your family and property at risk. Here are some tips from The Door Company to help keep you safe.
Check Your Access Doors Regularly
Your local police will advise that you should check all your access doors before going to bed and before leaving your home for an extended period of time. Make sure that all your doors are locked, including the door that leads to your garage. Having a garage door can lull you to a false sense of security for that particular door, but it may be the most important door to assure home security.
In order to fortify the door that goes to your garage, place a deadbolt on it and install a peephole. A peephole can give you the ability to check on any strange noises coming from your garage without having to open the door.
If you don’t want to spend the money on a security system, you have some effective options to keep your home safe.
Get a Modern Garage Door Remote
Garage door remotes prior to 1993 were clunky and very easy to scan and copy by thieves due to the way it was coded. If I am describing your remote, it’s time for an upgrade. Modern remotes have more sophisticated coding, are small and can be clipped to your key ring. Some remotes can even operate your garage door with a push of a button from your smartphone.
If you HAVE a modern remote, there are still some simple things that can reduce your risk. Never leave your garage door remote in your car. Thieves are constantly perusing parking lots for such items. They might steal the remote, look up personal information in your glove box and easily get into your home. Bring the remote with you when you leave your vehicle or at least stow it away so that no one can see it.
Secure Your Home
Think about investing in a security system that has an alarm connected to your garage door. The loud noise of a security alarm can scare away a burglar quickly. Even a silent alarm should allow police to show up before the burglar has left.
If you don’t want to spend the money on a security system, you have some effective options to keep your home safe. Be sure to keep the outside of your home, particular in front of your garage door, well lit. You can also install small, affordable security cameras with motion detectors that send push notifications to your smartphone.
Another neat trick that won’t break the bank is to keep a radio on in the garage when you aren’t home. Set the tuner to talk radio so that a human voice is heard most of the time.
Don’t Neglect Maintenance
Taking care of your garage door is paramount if you want to keep your home fortified. The more mechanical parts that are broken or corroded, the more vulnerable your garage door. Learn how to identify repairs regularly with this maintenance checklist. If you uncover any needed repairs, contact your local garage door specialist.