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WANT BETTER HOME SECURITY? START WITH YOUR GARAGE DOOR

You take steps to secure your home and belongings, from installing an alarm system to switching to motion-sensing outdoor lights. However, many homeowners fail to account for one area that can make the home vulnerable or greatly enhance the home’s overall security: the garage, specifically the garage door.

In this blog, we list important steps to take and habits to establish to turn your garage door into a security asset.

Keep the Door Closed

When you know your neighbors and feel safe in your neighborhood, it’s easy to forget that the garage door is open while you take in groceries or load up your car. However, leaving the door open for long periods of time gives would-be thieves a view into your garage and home.

If you leave the door open while no one is home, you make your home vulnerable to intruders, especially if you don’t lock the door that leads from the garage into your home.

If you often forget to lower the door, install a door timer so that the garage door closes automatically if left open for a long period of time.

Lock the Door When You’re Away

When you’re out of the house you lock your front door, but did you know you can lock your garage door too? When you go out for the evening or off on vacation, use the garage door lock as an added layer of security.

Some doors have an automatic lock, which consists of a pin mechanism in the opener. This pin prevents the door from being opened by force rather than by the remote. Other doors have a manual lock you’ll have to secure on your way out of the house.

Not sure if your door has a lock? Check your owner’s manual or speak to the manufacturer. If you do not have a garage door lock, have a garage door contractor install one.

Maintain the Opener

A garage door that functions well is more convenient, but it’s also safer. If you cannot predict how your door opens or closes, you may have a harder time securing it. At least once a year, visually inspect the opener mechanism.

If you notice any corrosion or other damage, have a garage door contractor assess the problems and make any necessary repairs.

Move the Emergency Release

One of the most common ways that intruders force garage door opens is by accessing the emergency release from the outside. In most garages, the emergency release is a cord hanging from the ceiling. This cord is intended for use during an emergency if your automatic opener doesn’t respond.

Intruders may be able to slide a narrow hook under the garage door or between the garage door and the side of the frame to pull the emergency release.

To protect yourself from this kind of break-in, shorten the emergency release or curl it up and tuck it into a rafter. You should also pay attention to the condition of your door’s weather stripping. If you notice bare or worn out areas, have the weather stripping replaced.

Update the Controls

Automatic door openers that are 20 years old or older use a predictable radio transmitter code. A tech-savvy intruder can duplicate this code and open the door without the remote present.

One of the best ways to protect against this security threat is to upgrade your opener to a newer model. Current models usually use what’s known as “rolling code.” Every time you use a rolling code opener, the radio transmitter information is a different, randomly generated code.

Use these guidelines to enhance your home security and your peace of mind.

Need a repair or door replacement to bolster your garage door security? Work with Shank Door. We offer a wide variety of garage door services to improve your home’s safety.

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