Tips to Make Your Garage Secure

More often than not, homeowners do not consider the security of the garage as important as that of home. This is one of the biggest mistake as garages are considered as one of the easiest way to gain access to your household. And with all the high-value items that it houses including your car, power tools, expensive equipment and hardware, garages are particularly appealing to burglars.

So, how can you be sure that your garage is as safe as possible from a potential break-in?  Here are a few tips for a secure garage door:

1. The most important and perhaps the simplest tip is to keep your garage door locked and closed all the time. Firstly, it will discourage a burglar to attempt any break-in. Secondly, it will help you to make your garage a safe place by avoiding any serious accidents that may happen with an open garage door. Install a high-security lock along with a deadbolt as an added security measure.
2. It is very important to perform periodic inspection and maintenance of your garage door systems. It is a good idea to keep an eye on any signs that may indicate that your garage door  or any of its part is out or order and not functioning as it should be. If you think there is a loud squeaking sound or a jarring movement when your garage door is in motion, it is mostly an indication that something is wrong with the springs, rollers, pulleys or hinges. Since garage door is very heavy and all its parts are under an enormous tension, it is highly recommended to call on a professional garage door services company to perform any kind of repair or maintenance.
3. Garage doors with automatic door openers are equipped with an emergency release device. It is usually very easily identified with a red cord and a red handle. Required by UL 325 and federal law, it is there to quickly disengage the opener in case of an emergency. 
4. Keep the area in and around your garage door well-lit. Either install a light fixture with a bright light or opt for motion sensor flooding lights. In the event of any unexpected presence or movement, these lights lit up the area in a very bright often blinding light. This alerts you and even your neighbours to take a timely action and alert the authorities. This is one of the most effective method to discourage the burglars to attempt a strike.  
5. If you have stored highly valuable items in your garage, any burglar can look at them by simply peeping through your garage window. If it is not possible to switch to a window-less garage, cover your windows or frost them to restrict the visibility into your garage.
6. Make sure that you never leave the remote control of your door operator in your vehicle. This is one of the most common mistake that has the potential to attract the burglars and make your garage and home a very easy target. You can also get a small keychain remote which can be easily carried in your pocket or a purse.
7. Invest in a sturdy and reliable garage door. Garage doors made from reinforced steel, slod wood and fibre glass are good options.
8. If you have not yet switched to a rolling code technology, it can be a big security risk. If you have a dip switch dip set at a unique combination, a burglar can still use an electronic device called code grabber device that records the signal from your remote to your openers. Burglars can re-transmit this signal and gain an access to your garage and ultimately your home. That is when rolling code technology come to rescue. It means your remote transmits a new security code or a signal for your opener every time you use your remote.  It renders the code grabber device absolutely useless.