Most garage doors are a weak point in your home security plan. This can make them a target for break and enters into the garage or the rest of the home.
Reasons for garage break and enters
- Garages are often not alarmed (added cost)
- Garages are often detached or insulated from the house so the homeowner/neighbour may not hear the sounds of a break and enter.
- Garages are often used to store valuables such as power equipment, and sporting goods
Prevention tips
- If you are going away for an extended period, unplug your overhead garage door opener, preventing something called a “phantom open”. This could happen during an electrical storm or power surge. (Maybe you have experienced coming home and finding your door open and not knowing why !?)
- Many home break-ins originate from your vehicle, so make sure you don’t leave your garage door remote inside it. A great solution is to buy a “key-chain” remote opener that you can take with you.
- Make sure to secure your door emergency release located on the track of the overhead door opener. Some designs find the red handle and rope too close to the garage door. Securing this with zip ties or removing the handle will prevent intruders from gaining access from the outside of the door and still allow release in an emergency.
- If you have a clear window above your overhead garage door, make sure you purchase frosted security film to apply on the inside of the window. This will prevent a potential thief from checking out the contents inside your garage.
- If you have an external keypad device, change the code every so often. This will provide more consistent wear on all your keypad numbers, making it harder for the would-be thief to guess your code.
- And remember with this nice weather don’t leave your overhead garage door open and the garage unattended. This presents an opportunity for a passing would-be thief.
- Always keep the door between the garage door and the rest of the house locked. This should restrict any loss to the garage if a break-in is successful.
By Roy Morgan
Regional District of Central Okanagan