With the holidays coming up, I’ve been thinking about hot cocoa, how to get into the spirit of the season, and . . . home security.
A 2022 study found that burglaries increase during the holidays due to more people being away from home because of travel and the presence of more high-value items in the home in the form of gifts to be given and gifts received.
One area in which I’m focusing on beefing up security is my garage. I tend to forget about it as a home access point, but criminals don’t. Every few years, our neighborhood gets hit with a string of garage burglaries. People get stuff stolen from their garages or thieves enter the home through the garage and burglarize the house.
Below, I outline some easy measures to take to make your garage more secure.
1. Don’t Leave Your Garage Door Opener in the Car (Duh!)
If you park your car in the driveway, don’t leave the garage door opener in it. This may seem like a no-brainer, but people sometimes forget. Burglars often break into a parked car in the driveway, grab the opener, use it, and clean out the garage.
2. Keep Your Garage Door Closed (Double Duh!)
Sure, this seems like a no-brainer as well, but people neglect to close their garage doors all the time. An open garage door with bikes, tools, and toys screams “Rob me!” A burglar can run into the garage, take what he wants, and get away, all while you’re unawares, sitting in the house watching Elf.
3. Upgrade Your Garage Door Opener to One With Rolling-Code Technology
Criminals can access garages by buying a universal garage door opener that works across different older units. They just pull up to houses and click the remote to see if the garage door opens.
Another way thieves can get into your house is by using a “code grabbing” device. Think of your garage door opener like a TV remote. When you press the button, it sends a signal to your garage door receiver saying, “Hey, it’s me! Open up!”
The problem? Bad guys can grab that signal from the air.
Here’s the criminal play-by-play:
- When you get home from work, you press your opener.
- A nearby thief uses a code grabber to catch your signal.
- Later that night, they replay your signal from their grabber.
- Your garage door opens, thinking it’s you.
- The thief cleans out your garage.
A garage door opener with rolling-code technology prevents both issues. It generates a new code every time you use it. It’s like a new password for every Gmail login, making it harder for intruders to crack.
4. Use Your Garage Door’s Deadbolt
When you’re gone for long periods, use your garage door’s deadbolt. It’s installed on the inside and slides a metal bar into the track, preventing the door from opening. Most deadbolts need to be engaged and disengaged manually. Some openers allow you to set up a system for automatic deadbolting when you close the door.
5. Secure Your Garage Door’s Emergency Release Cord
See that emergency release cord dangling from your opener? A bad guy can gain access to your garage by breaking a window or sticking a wire hanger through the top of your garage door and pulling it.
To prevent this break-in method, thread a zip tie through the release lever and secure it. This makes it much harder for a bad guy to release the latch because he doesn’t have adequate leverage from the position in which he’s reaching into the garage. If you need to release the latch in an emergency, pulling down hard on the cord will break the zip tie.
6. Secure Garage’s Side Door
If your garage has a side door, remember to keep it secured. Install and use deadbolt locks.
7. Secure the Garage-to-Home Door
If a criminal breaches your garage, ensure they can’t enter further into your home. Install a sturdy door from your garage into your home and deadbolt it at night. Make it part of your 9 PM Security Routine.
8. Tint Windows
If your garage door has windows, tint them so burglars can’t see inside.
9. Install Exterior Lights and Cameras
Most burglars are criminals of opportunity. They’re typically only going to hit homes they can access easily without being detected. The presence of lights and cameras is one of the factors that make your home a less enticing target.
Install motion-activated floodlights next to your garage door and other access points, and combine them with a wireless security camera. I’ve used these Ring floodlights/cameras for years. They work great.
10. Utilize Smart Tech Solutions
Garage door openers have evolved since the 1980s. Most integrate with your smartphone and offer features for home security, like issuing alerts when the door opens or allowing you to check if you left the door open after, say, leaving on a family road trip to Santa Fe (guilty, guilty).
11. Maintain Your Garage Door
Regularly inspect your garage door and its components for wear or damage. Keeping everything in good working order can prevent vulnerabilities that burglars could exploit. Make checking your garage door part of your yearly home maintenance list.
Follow these measures, and your garage will be a more secure and less attractive target for would-be burglars.
