Most homeowners probably don’t think too hard about their garage doors until something goes wrong. Unfortunately, garage doors can create something of a security risk for thieves and burglars, so you want to make sure your garage door security is up to par. With that in mind, the team at R&S Erection Vallejo created this post to talk about the incredible garage security door options homeowners can choose from.
Contact us today for professional garage door installation in Vallejo and the surrounding areas!
Are Garage Door Break-Ins Common?
Garage doors prove relatively easy to get inside with the right tools and a bit of patience. With older doors, burglars can often just force their way in due to poor locking or closing mechanisms. Sources estimate that over 200,000 home break-ins in the U.S. annually happen through the garage entry door—nearly 10% of all home break-ins.
Fortunately, you can significantly reduce the chances of a break-in occurring through your garage by investing in modern garage security door features. Features like the door material, type of door, and the presence of additional locking bolts can deter theft and keep your possessions and home safe.
Garage Door Security Features
Continue reading for some common types of garage door security features.
Multi-Point Locks
Garage doors that lock at one single point can become vulnerable because the thief can get in if they just overcome the lock at that one point. Multi-point garage door locks lock at various points, so bypassing one lock will not immediately grant access. Thieves usually give up if they get through one lock but find they still can’t open the door.
Keypad Locks
Keypads provide another kind of electronic security system that has become very popular in recent years. With a keypad, you can open, close, and lock the garage door using a numerical code on an indoor or outdoor keypad. Keypads prevent intruders from manually opening your door, and you can give the code to anyone allowed in your house.
Motion Sensing Lights
Although they don’t secure the door itself, motion sensor lights on a garage door can deter thieves. These types of lights turn on in reaction to movement, so if someone messs around with your garage door, they won’t be able to hide in the shadows. Even the simple presence of a flood light can cause criminals to get nervous and pass your home by.
Garage Door Type
The specific type and material of garage doors also matter for security purposes.
- Roller doors work particularly effectively because they have a smooth facade and no obvious leverage points the thief can use to force the door open. Roller doors also often consist of tough materials, like aluminum and steel, which are hard to break down without significant time and effort.
- Side-hinge doors not only give you access but also provide good security. The main reason stems from it being harder for thieves to get leverage side to side than from the ground like they would with a typical overhead garage door.
- Similarly, thieves often find it harder to get a grip on sectional garage doors to force them open. Sectional doors are also heavy and tough to lift by yourself.
Automated Garage Doors Provide More Security
If you want to update your garage security, many professionals recommend installing an automated garage door system. These systems work well because they limit how you and others can open the door. For example, with garage door opener key fobs, you can’t open the door manually, and the openers only operate using a handful of frequencies.
Automated doors also contain special features, like a vacation mode that lets you keep the door shut and locked while away from home. You can also choose a garage door with a keycode that frequently changes to keep security up to date.
Smart Technology
Smart garage doors include the newest advancements in the industry and allow you to integrate garage door operations with your cell phone or tablet. Smart versions of fridges, TVs, and lights already exist, so why not smart garage doors too? Smart garage doors connect to a cell phone app that can keep track of the door’s current state.
For example, a smart garage door can send you a notification every time it opens. It might keep a record of all the times it opened so you can review door usage. Most smart garage door openers let you program automatic opens/closes depending on the time, and you can also activate smart garage door openers remotely to let guests in when you are not home.
How To Keep Your Garage Door Safe
Aside from garage security door features, homeowners can do several small things to boost security and ensure their garage door’s integrity.
- Consider tinting garage door windows if you have them. Reducing visibility in your garage can deter theft. It also makes it harder for someone to break through glass windows.
- Change your keypad security code once every few months. That way, someone can’t find your code and use it to get in your garage without you knowing.
- Thieves can get into garages by slipping a coat hanger through the door and pulling the emergency release cord. Manufacturers sell devices to cover emergency pull cords so thieves can’t access them.
- If you have a programmable opener, program it to automatically close shortly before you leave for work each day. That way, it will shut the door if you accidentally forget to close it when you leave.
- Don’t keep valuables out in the open in your garage. Thieves will often do a quick visual inspection to see if anything is out and ready to take. If they can’t see anything out, they will more than likely move on.
Read our blog to learn about the benefits of an access control system. If you would like to discuss garage security door installation, contact R&S Erection of Vallejo online or call today at (707) 644-5537 to schedule an appointment!
