If your garage is detached and a bit disconnected from your home, you’ve probably gotten a bit worried and security-conscious about it a couple of times. Your cars and other valuable items are usually kept in there, not to mention the fact that you can’t exactly sit in front of your garage all night to keep watch and prevent cases of theft and security issues.
You may even have taken some security measures for your home but you didn’t consider your garage because you didn’t see the need. You must be on the lookout for integrating pro-active measures to keep your garage safe and secure, whether it’s attached to your house or not.
Just how easy is it for a burglar to break into your home through your garage door?
It’s incredibly easy since most people don’t have their hearts go out to their garages. It’s the last place you’d think thieves would come through but that’s all the more why thieves come through the garage door to steal. They know that just like other people around, your garage door isn’t as secure as your house and they can hit.
I mean, even you could do it too! And that’s enough reason why you should pay more attention to your garage’s security. You could still read through this article and still think, “why all the fuss?” People worry about the valuable possessions in their houses than the leaf blowers in their garages getting stolen.
So how do you do it? How do you secure your detached garage and keep its surrounding environs safe?
Some security measures you could apply to your detached garage include:
- Securing your garage doors and windows.
- Shedding some light outside your home.
- Ensuring your garage doors are closed
- Secure automatic garage door openers and transmitters
- Install an alarm system in your garage
Thank the heavens you clicked on this article because we intend to guide you through these and more helpful steps and great tips that will ensure security remains less complicated for you.
How Do You Secure a Detached Garage?
You can achieve this with no stress by;
Securing Your Garage Doors and Windows
These are the easiest links for burglars to sweep and survey your valuable possessions and their exact locations. Don’t forget to shut your blinds/curtains or cover your windows with privacy films so nobody has access to your garage. You could also have your windows frosted with spray paints that are opaque so that they also look attractive. Installing iron bars over your windows does the job as well.
If you have side doors or a door that leads into your main house from the garage, placing deadbolt locks on them would also help in keeping your garage secure. Replacing standard hinge screws with good 3-inch screws would reinforce your door hinges and penetrate your door frame to better secure your door.
Since garages are usually built with another door that leads to the entry of the house from the front without having to open any doors, your garage door must have resistant locks
that will do the job of securing it from burglars. Small locks and weak screws may be looking like they’re doing an okay job with holding down the latches of your garage door, but they really aren’t. Reinforce them with competent, strong locks that have metal plate fittings around their doorknobs. They vary between the sizes of 1 3/4 inches to 2 1/4 inches. These kinds of locks make the door harder to kick down since the metal plate will help in distributing the force from kicks around the wood.
Also, paint the locks the same color as your garage door so they blend.
Shedding Some Light Outside Your Home
Placing bright lights, especially motion-activated lights outside your home does a lot for security. Burglars prefer shady, dark areas during nighttime to rob. That enables them to hide, be stealthy and quiet while making away with valuables right under your nose. It’s best to put these lights way up high and out of human reach, so they flood every nook and cranny of your surroundings at night to keep burglars away. They would give stealing a second thought when they know their movement can be easily tracked with lights around.
Don’t Leave Your Garage Doors Open
Keeping your garage door open may be sending an open invitation to thieves and burglars around your area. Make sure to close your garage doors to keep them secured and keep strangers out of your house.
Secure Automatic Garage Door Openers and Transmitters
If you use an automatic door opener, you’d probably want to be cautious with safety measures on there too. Automatic garage doors have this emergency cord that stops their automatic features from working and it’s not that hard to fine. Burglars would play smart by looking for that cord and pulling it just so they can access your garage door manually from outside. They’d do this by letting down a wire hanger from the top of your garage door, and boom! They’re in.
How do we prevent this from happening? Pretty simple. Get a good piece of wood or a strong metal plate and install it right in front of where the cord hangs.
Another problem is leaving the garage door opener in your car while it’s still out in the driveway. Seriously risky stuff you got going there. Burglars could easily break into your car, grab and the remote and gain access into your garage. Always make sure to take your car keys and your garage opener indoors with you, even when your car is parked in the garage and not in the driveway. Never forget to lock your car so burglars don’t have access to stealing it.
Install an Alarm System in Your Garage
This is one of the most effective security tips in this article. If you can afford to, we advise that you install an alarm system in your home. Connecting the security system to your garage serves as the ideal guard against burglars. If the sensors of the alarm system lose contact, it sounds an alarming sound that people can hear from very long distances. So once thieves plan to strike, the alarm will blare like a siren and alert you of their presence. It also startles them and scares them away because they fear they would get caught.
These alarm systems usually have three modes. The alert modes which makes a beep sound once the garage sensor being put on, the alarm mode that sets off a blast, and the Off mode that doesn’t emit any of these sounds. These alarm systems also possess sensors for a low battery mode.
They’re some characteristics you need to consider when getting an alarm system that would serve as good security for your garage. They include;
- Good connectivity features. It’s best to select an alarm system that contains smart connectivity features that make its regulation easier. Select one that gives you easy access and control through your Smartphone.
- Make sure they’re easy to install and operate.
- Make sure to get an alarm system that allows the control of your garage door lift. That way, when you’re away on a vacation, you can still control your garage door mechanism.
Make Sure You Safeguard Your Garage Door While You’re Out Of Town.
If you’re planning to leave your home on a vacation, you can ensure your garage door is secure by locking/bolting the door from inside and removing the automatic opener from its plug. If your garage door has a built-in lock located on its track that prevents it from opening, then there’s no need to. If you don’t, it’d be very wise to have one installed to save you stress.
Secure Your Home Main Door
After you’re done stepping up your garage security, keep your home entry door in mind. We don’t want thieves getting unwanted access into your home too. We’d advise that you secure the door by hanging a strong door with a deadbolt and further reinforcing the door’s strike plate. Also, never forget to lock your entry door.
12 Extra Helpful Tips for Securing Your Garage
These top 12 security tips will wire your brain to think in the stead of a burglar and make smart security decisions. These tips include;
Tip 1: Always Lock Your Door and Garage Windows
It’s not enough to have locks and bolts on your door, amigo. Keep those locks and bolts in constant use. Yeah, this seems like a really easy decision but take a drive through your residence and you’d be shocked at just how many residents leave their garage doors wide open 70% of the time with none of them anywhere close by. An open garage door says a lot to thieves and burglars around. It’s like placing meat in front of a carnivore and expecting it not to pounce.
Like we said earlier, many homeowners don’t think it’s important to lock their garage door and windows but we’ve reiterated why it’s very important.
If you’re guilty of this evil, start by installing an automatic door closer or a garage door sensor for your garage door. Installing a security code is also wise. Ensure to share it with your family and people who you trust. Avoid giving your garage passcode to neighbors or strangers and change the passcode regularly to further secure it.
Tip 2: Install Insulation Doors
Pay close attention to the interior garage door and not just the exterior one. Install strong and competent insulation on both doors to prevent thieves from breaking in. Also, consider having a small peephole in the door so you’re well informed of when someone is lurking around your entrance.
Tip 3: Survey Your Neighborhood
Survey your neighborhood landscape Just take out time to cautiously look around your residence and keep your eyes out for anything suspicious. Burglars and thieves are becoming more and more brazen these days that they can choose to move around your residence in daylight. Bushes or trees situated close to your garage door can serve them well in times like this.
We advise that you clean out weeds and shrugs and clear away tall trees to keep your entryway open and visible to your neighbors and passersby. Once they notice there aren’t any corners or shadows to take advantage of in your entryway, they’d keep away.
Also, consider substituting your trees and greenery with thorny shrubs and small plants. This would further discourage burglars from breaking into your garage.
Tip 4: Rethink Your Remote
If you have an automatic garage door opener/remote, don’t even think about clipping it to the visor in your car. Treat your garage door remote as important as it is. Getting a key chain to place it on comes very handy so it can be with you at all times. Attach the remote to your keychain and make it a habit to always bring your remote into the house with you. If you still end up leaving your garage remote in the car, then we’d advise you to leave it in the glove compartment just so thieves don’t see it.
You can also go for the Smartphone option that enables you to open or close your garage from any distance. The whole point is that the access is with you and you alone. Plus your phone will be with you wherever you go.
These burglars know that if they can get their hands on your garage door opener, they’ve practically gained access to your entire house. Keep your remote safe.
Tip 5: Leave Out An Extra Key
If you constantly think and worry about your or your family getting locked out of your own house, then you should most certainly put this tip to good use. Give an extra key to a very trusted neighbor or close friend just so you have another option open if that ever happens. The last thing you want is being locked out of the same house you’re trying to prevent thieves from getting into. Not such a great situation.
Tip 6: Use a Zip Tie
Another tip for securing your garage door is using a zip tie. Burglars could cook up smart ways to get through your automatic garage door by releasing the emergency handle. Avoid this by running a zip tie through the loop in the emergency handle latch, that way it prevents thieves from releasing it. You could also remove the emergency pull entirely so they don’t have a handle to pull off in the first place. Or if you’re against getting rid of it, get a garage shield to place over your garage door’s emergency handle to secure it. It’s easy to afford and involves speedy installation, so you get the best of both worlds.
Tip 7: Install A Door Devil
Installing a door devil is a great way to secure your garage doors. Most garages are built with side doors and this is most definitely where your door devil comes in handy. Make sure to wrap around the steel deadbolt reinforcement so the deadbolt itself doesn’t fail at the door. Drill in about 3 inches screws through the hinges to keep the hinges sturdy and you’re good to sail like a bird through peace and security.
Tip 8: Buff up Your Garage Doors with Strong Materials
Garage doors made from good metal or hardwood material are good features for securing your garage against burglars and thieves. Don’t wait for your doors to completely fall apart before replacing them with better, harder material. In fact for good security measures, all the doors in your home should be replaced with a harder, high-quality material such as solid wood, fiber, metal, or hardwood materials. These are very much worth investing in for safety and security since aluminum doors are pretty much easy to kick down. Adding lights to your doors will also do a good job of coverage.
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Tip 9: Keep Your Radio on
Weird tip right? It might not sound as high tech and hands-on as our other tips but it does a good job of keeping burglars away. If you were in the shoes of a burglar, you wouldn’t want to invade a garage you can hear the sound of a radio coming from. It shows someone is definitely in there and you wouldn’t want to get caught in the act of making away with their stuff.
Tip 10: Get a Single-sided Deadbolt
Consider getting a single-sided deadbolt too when you go around shopping for locks for your garage doors. They are good for have the thumb turn feature or a solid plate on the outside and keyhole on the other side. With these features, it’d be pretty hard to lock pick your garage door lock.
Tip 11: Consider a Rolling Door Mechanism
You might not know but there are loopholes in using lift mechanisms that can be controlled with remote controls. The fact that burglars could gain access to your garage by simply using a universal remote control is a bummer.
So we’d recommend that you use the rolling door mechanism for this. What this does is that whenever you use your remote to open your garage door, it automatically generates a new code. This is a major level up from your usual security measures. Thank us later.
Tip 12: Maintain Your Doors
Regularly service and maintain your doors to avoid rusty bolts and hinges becoming worn out. A burglar could easily push down a door with rusted blot and hinges.