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How to Improve Garage Door Security

Home security – it’s important stuff. Your home is your sanctuary, and it deserves protecting. Which is why you need to know about one of the weakest points in your home’s security structure: your garage door security.

Garage doors are notorious for being an entry point for burglars and other intruders.

garage door security

But never fear, using the following tips you can be confident in knowing how to improve your garage door’s security and ensure that your family is able to sleep safe and sound.

Exterior Flood Lights

The first place you should start when working to improve your garage door’s security is doing a thorough inspection of your home’s lighting.

Robbers and burglars are on the prowl looking for dim, poorly lit places. Lack of light means less detection – both for entry and exit. Your aim should be to have as much light as possible hitting your house without blinding the neighbors.

So, your garage door should be absolutely covered by strong exterior lighting. If it isn’t it’s time to head to the local home supply store and purchase some exterior floodlights.

The two key factors you’ll be looking for when you head out is finding fixtures that have enough light output and that are motion-sensitive. You want as much light as possible but also in a distribution pattern that centers on your home rather than bleeding over into your neighbor’s lawn.

You’ll want to get light fixtures that have motion sensors so that they turn on whenever something moves across the front of your garage.

Security Cameras

Now that we have the lighting squared away, let’s take it to the next level by installing closed-circuit security cameras.

Cameras really serve two purposes. First, they deter any would-be criminals from even attempting to access your home. Just like well-lit areas, thieves are going to shy away from areas that have active surveillance. Secondly, cameras are used to capture the identity of anyone who actually is foolish enough to try breaking into your home.

Either way, they are sure to dramatically improve your garage door’s security.

The most important thing to remember when installing your cameras is to have them angled in such a way that you have a clear, complete view of the entry into your garage. The lights that we covered earlier on will go a long way towards making your cameras as efficient and effective as possible.

Replacing Your Garage Door

garage door replacement

Another action you can take is to completely replace your garage door.

This is especially true if your current door is of cheaper, hollow composition.

Burglars, at least successful ones, are skilled in their craft and know what to be on the lookout for. Garage doors that are thin and flimsy are going to be a prime target for their searching eyes. To head this off you can preemptively upgrade your garage door to a fully insulated, solid-core style.

Bear in mind that this can be a somewhat pricey undertaking as solid-core garage doors are definitely set at a higher price-point than their hollow compatriots. But the peace-of-mind will be worth it – plus you’ll likely have energy savings due to the increased efficiency of your new solid-core door.

Installing Additional Locks

Sometimes there’s just nothing quite as good as good old-fashioned locks.

That’s definitely true when it comes to your garage door. You don’t want to only rely on the sheer mechanical security that your garage door opener provides, you also want to reinforce that protection by adding locks of your own.

There are a few different ways you can go about this. The simplest is to install a basic padlock on the track itself which prevents the rollers from going up. Obviously this is a very manual process and can be quite cumbersome to use on a day-to-day basis. Our suggestion would be to save this option to use for when you are anticipating being away from your home for an extended period (like when you’re on vacation).

The second and more viable option is to install a slide lock that integrates directly with your garage door itself. Most home centers have these readily on hand for a fairly modest price – you’ll just need to dig into the specifications a bit to confirm that your door will indeed be compatible with whatever variation lock you’ve picked out.

Keep Your Garage Door Opener Secure

This has far more to do with you and your habits than it does installing new equipment or altering the structure of your home. It’s making sure that you keep a secure check on your garage door opener.

Really, it just boils down to be cognizant and thoughtful about how you use the opener and where you keep it.

Most importantly, never leave your door opener in the car. Yes, there are handy little tabs on the back that make it so easy to keep on your visor. Car break-ins happen all the time; your vehicle is not the place to keep your garage door opener.

Never leave the opener in a comprised location in which individuals you are unfamiliar with can have easy access to them. Treat it like you would your car keys – safe and secure on your person and out of harm’s way.

Steel Garage Doors are More Secure

When it comes to security, steel garage doors are the optimal choice. Steel garage doors are made with durable construction and they offer the best insulation properties that will keep your garage energy efficient.

It’s always good to go with a company that has a reputation and brand for quality products,  service and support. At Feldco, we have installed over 100,000 doors and served over 400,000 homeowners. Speak to a product specialist about steel garage doors and get a free quote online today.

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