TL;DR – How to Burglar-Proof Your Garage Door
- Attached garages are convenient but can be a major home security weak point if not properly secured.
- Common vulnerabilities include door gaps, accessible emergency release levers, and uncovered windows.
- Simple fixes—like disabling the emergency release cord or adding window film—can significantly increase security.
- Never leave your garage opener in plain sight inside your vehicle.
- Older garage doors with fixed-code openers are vulnerable to hacking and should be upgraded to rolling-code systems.
While an attached garage offers major convenience—especially in winter when cold temperatures can drain your car battery—it can also create a security risk if the garage door isn’t properly protected. Most homeowners wouldn’t dream of leaving the front door unlocked, yet many garage doors can be opened from the outside with surprisingly little effort.
The good news? Securing your garage door doesn’t require a huge investment or major renovation. Below, you’ll learn how to make your existing door more burglar-resistant, when it may be time to upgrade, and simple habits that can greatly reduce the risk of a break-in.
Burglar-Proofing Your Garage Door
To effectively secure your garage door, it’s important to understand the most common methods burglars use to get inside—and how to block those vulnerabilities.
Gaps in the Garage
Older garage doors or doors that sit slightly off-track can develop gaps between the bottom of the door and the ground. Even a small opening is a potential entry point.
If you can slip your fingers under the door, a burglar can too—and once they get a grip, lifting the door a few inches is often enough to slide underneath. In many cases this can be done quietly, giving you no warning someone has entered your garage.
Emergency Release Lever
Even if your garage door fits tightly, intruders may still be able to open it by exploiting the emergency release lever. This lever, designed to allow manual operation during a power outage, can sometimes be reached by sliding a thin tool—like a wire coat hanger—through the top or side of the door.
Once the release is triggered, the door lifts easily from the outside.
A simple solution is disabling the emergency release from outside access. This typically involves disconnecting the cord or strap that links the release lever to the door. While you’ll temporarily lose the ability to open the door manually without reconnecting it, this quick fix dramatically improves security at no cost.
Garage Windows
If your garage door includes windows, consider installing a privacy film. This inexpensive material prevents outsiders from seeing inside while still allowing natural light to enter the space.
Although a determined intruder could break a garage window, most windows are too small and too high to provide easy access. And if your emergency release lever is secured, breaking a window won’t help a burglar open the door.
Door Opener
Never store your garage door opener in a visible place inside your vehicle. Many people clip it to the sun visor, which makes it an easy target for thieves.
If you leave your car doors unlocked—even briefly—someone could steal the remote and gain full access to your home without your knowledge.
When to Upgrade Your Door
One of the more alarming types of garage door break-ins involves hacking older automatic openers. Many systems manufactured through the early 1990s use a fixed code to operate the door. Modern models use rolling codes, which generate a fresh code each time the opener is activated.
About a decade ago, hackers discovered that inexpensive children’s toys could be modified to capture and replicate fixed codes. Anyone sitting within range when the garage door opened could clone the signal and later use it as a remote.
With a cloned opener, a burglar can return when the homeowner is gone or asleep, open the door silently, and close it behind them—giving them unrestricted access to the garage and potentially the home.
If your garage door opener is more than 20–25 years old, upgrading to a rolling-code system is one of the best ways to enhance security. A new garage door or opener can not only improve curb appeal but also provide much stronger protection for your home and family.
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