Keeping your home protected is important to you, right? You want to make sure that all of your stuff is safe and, even more importantly, you want to make sure the people who live in your home are safe. That’s why you have locks on your doors and windows. It’s why you’re careful about who has access to your home and about when you let your pets out at night. But what about your garage door?
Have you ever really thought about the importance of your garage door to preventing home invasions? Well, it’s something you should consider because even though the chances of a home invasion happening through your garage door (only about 9% happen this way) you don’t want to take the risk, right?
So here are a few things that you should keep in mind to make sure your garage door is secure, and so is your home.
How Does Your Garage Open?
Do you have a garage door opener? If you do then you should be extremely careful about how you use it because those openers can be an easy way for someone to gain access to your home.
In order to protect yourself, it’s a good idea to change the code for your garage door opener often. You want to make sure that you’re changing it anytime a lot of people have learned your combination or if you gave someone access and now want to be sure they can’t get back in again, or even just after it’s been a while.
You should also make sure that you’re not leaving your garage opener in your vehicle. While this is a common thing that a lot of people choose to do, it opens you up for even more problems in the long run. If your vehicle is outside of the house it means people could get to it more easily.
And finally, if you’re planning to go away for a while make sure that you’re actually removing the garage door opener anyway. Make sure that it’s not easily accessible and maybe even make sure that it doesn’t have any power so no one can get your garage open without your consent.
Light it Up
Next up, adding lights. Keeping things bright so that no one can sneak in and out is always a good idea and it’s something that’s recommended for the rest of your house when you go on vacation. But you can put motion sensor lights on your garage as well.
This way, when someone tries to get close to your garage the lights will go on. That’s going to scare just about anyone away. But if you really want to keep them away from your house, you’ll also want to have some interior lights as well. All of these things are going to help you deter someone from trying to enter your garage (or home) without being seen.
Smile, You’re on Camera!
Cameras are a great way to go because if anything does happen you’ll have a visual of it. And, if you have visible security cameras it can really deter someone from trying to break in. After all, they definitely don’t want to be caught, right?
Research shows that having security cameras absolutely does deter people from breaking into your garage or home. Sometimes by as much as 50%. That means you’re potentially half as likely to suffer from a break-in and that’s definitely something you want to think about, right?
Cameras can be installed easily and cheaply, depending on the specific type you buy.
Put it Together
Ready to really improve your chances of a safer home? Put it all together and get a home security system. These will generally include lights, cameras, and possibly even an audible sound if someone tries to gain access to your home or other property without your knowledge.
If you’re not going to be home for a while this is even more important, but you may want a security system that you can turn on every night to make sure that you and your family are protected from a home invasion.
Everything You Need to Know About Your Garage Door
There are plenty of things that you can do to protect your home. And there are plenty that involve your garage door too. So, let’s take a quick glance at some of them.
- Make sure that you have a timer for your garage door. That way it will always close at a certain time of day or night, no matter if you remember to do it yourself or not.
- Secure everything in your garage. It’s not just about securing the garage itself. It’s also about securing the things inside it so they are in boxes, cases, or some other type of storage that keeps them out of the line of sight.
- Pay close attention to everything. Are there easy ways to get into or out of your garage? Can someone get in or out without going through the standard door? If they can then you need to secure those areas quickly. Remember, if someone can find an easier way in they will.
- Block your windows. If you have windows into your garage you want to make sure that they’re not giving away too much. You don’t want someone to be able to peek inside and easily see the things you’re storing (like that vintage car or your high-end tools). Covering the windows will help protect your stuff.
- Get a lock. Make sure that your garage door is locked. If you’re not actively in the garage you want it to be closed, locked, and as protected as possible from someone outside who might have nefarious intent.
When it comes to your garage door security, you want to be sure that you’re doing everything you can to get off on the right foot. You might be surprised at how someone can get in, or get the idea to come in. So be aware and take all the precautions you can.