How to Enhance the Security of Your Garage Door

Your garage door is one of the main entry points into your home, so ensuring it is securely protected against intrusions is critical. This article outlines tips and best practices homeowners should employ for fully upgrading and strengthening the security of their garage door repair area.

Conduct a Comprehensive Garage Security Assessment

The first step is thoroughly inspecting your existing garage doors, openers, windows, side entries and the general vicinity to check for any deficiencies that could allow unauthorized garage access:

• Examine your garage door panels and frames for signs of wear, sagging, or cracks that reduce integrity
• Test that weather-stripping seals adequately to prevent air and water infiltration when closed
• Assess the door opener mechanism and hardware – worn or loose hinges, cables, rollers, and tracks can indicate risk of failure or malfunction
• Check opener functionality by operating the door manually in case of power failure
• Inspect garage windows, screens, and panels for any damage that could allow easy break-ins
• Review the security of all side doors and general exterior leading into the garage space
• Take notes on any lack of adequate lighting, video surveillance, or alarm systems around the entirety of garage access points

Develop a prioritized list of all vulnerabilities that upgrades could help address based on severity, likelihood of exploitation, and your available security budget.

Install New Sturdy Garage Doors

One of the biggest improvements in security comes from upgrading outdated or non-insulated garage doors:

• Replace old wooden doors with new steel or composite doors that resist denting and cannot be kicked down easily
• Choose doors with polyurethane insulation and high R-values to maintain energy efficiency
• Impact-resistant door panels thwart smash-and-enter break-in attempts
• Tamper-proof fasteners and reinforced bottom brackets prevent forced entry by preventing the door from being lifted off tracks

Investing in new sturdy doors designed to withstand attacks provides significant protection against intrusions.

Utilize Smart Garage Door Openers

Smart garage door openers secure wireless access while offering monitoring capabilities:

• Encrypted opener signals prevent hacking of older remotes vulnerable to intercepting codes
• Rolling code technology changes the access code after each use to prevent duplication of signals
• Openers with Wi-Fi and smartphone connectivity enables checking status, remote operation, and notifications from anywhere

Choose an opener integrating with smart home platforms, allowing advanced functionality like triggering cameras or alarms when the Pro garage door opens.

Improve Physical Security of All Access Points

While the garage door entrance itself is important, also assess and reinforce any secondary doors, windows and other perimeter access points leading into the garage interior:

Harden Side Entry Doors

• Replace any hollow wood doors with metal or solid wood core doors
• Install high-security deadbolt locks with longer keyways that resist picking and bumping techniques
• Utilize smart locks with keypad, fingerprint, or facial recognition access

Secure Garage Door Windows

• Replace standard glass with shatter-resistant polycarbonate, laminated, or tempered glass panes
• Install smash-proof protective film onto existing window glass to prevent easy breakage

Attach Garage to House Securely

• Ensure door between garage and home interior has steel frame, solid wood core, and grade 1 locks with 1-inch long deadbolts

Paying attention to these supplementary access vectors significantly improves overall garage security.

Set Up Effective Garage and Exterior Lighting

Proper lighting eliminates blind spots, removes concealment opportunities, and makes the garage visible from far away:

Security Lights Focused on Garage

• Install bright LED motion sensor lights above garage doors to automatically activate when nearby movement is detected
• Mount powerful floodlights to interior walls to fully illuminate inside area
• Position exterior floodlights around garage to eliminate exterior hiding places

Additional Exterior Lighting

• Utilize pole-mounted area lights along the driveway directed at the garage
• Install pathway lighting and floodlights focused on the garage to remove concealment opportunities

Keep bushes and tree branches trimmed around security lights so illumination reaches intended areas without dense foliage blocking output.

Install Video Surveillance Cameras

Adding video monitoring provides an advanced layer of garage security and awareness of any activity happening around the clock:

Ensure cameras connect to a network video recorder (NVR) system to retain important footage, which can be invaluable evidence if any incident occurs.

Consider Monitored Alarm Systems

In addition to cameras, incorporating alarms for intrusion detection provides an active alert system:

• Door and window contacts trigger siren alarms when perimeter access points are breached
• Glass break sensors recognize the frequencies of breaking glass and alert accordingly
• Motion detectors placed strategically in exterior areas activate recording and alerts when movement triggers during disarmed periods
• Connect devices to a professionally monitored system so that break-in attempts also notify the service to dispatch assistance

Alarms bring real-time active monitoring that goes beyond just video recording to detect and thwart criminal intrusions.

Practice For Proper Garage Fire Safety

Don’t overlook garage fire risks when conducting security upgrades:

• Install smoke alarms to provide early warning if fire ignites near vehicles, chemicals, or other combustibles
• Use flame-resistant cabinets suitable for storing paints, oils, cleaners and other flammable liquids
• Maintain ABC fire extinguishers in readily accessible locations based on square footage, placing near exit points
• Never leave a running vehicle inside an attached garage due to carbon monoxide risks

Paying attention to fire and fumes safety reduces risks posed by common garage items.

Maintain Visibility Around the Exterior

Something as mundane as landscaping plays a role in your garage’s security:

• Keep bushes, tree limbs, and plant growth trimmed back from blocking visibility around doors and driveway
• If garage sits far back on the property, use long driveway sensor lights that illuminate when vehicles approach
• Close garage doors when not in use to avoid advertising stored belongings

Maintaining sight lines so passersby can see the garage reduces vulnerability from concealed areas.

Conclusion

There are many possible ways homeowners can upgrade their existing garage security measures for greater protection and monitoring capability utilizing both simple DIY tactics and advanced installations.

Conduct an audit of your specific garage risks and requirements to decide which methods to prioritize first based on probability of intrusion method, valued assets requiring safeguarding, and your available budget.

The most vulnerable risks tend to arise from aging outdated garage doors openers are lacking modern security protocols. Address these mechanically through new reinforced doors and smart technology enhanced openers.

Supplementary access points, lighting issues, lack of cameras or alarms represent additional attack vectors to consider protecting once core garage entry hardening has occurred.

A layered security approach utilizes multiple techniques like video, lighting and alarms to create overlapping zones of protection. No single product can secure every vector, so utilizing different modalities based on identified vulnerabilities provides optimal security.

What are some basic things I can do right now to better secure my garage?

Some quick DIY improvements include installing brighter light bulbs inside the garage and around the exterior doors, mounting infrared motion detector lights outside, replacing standard locks with high-security deadbolts, keeping garage doors closed when not in use, and removing dense landscaping vegetation to maintain better sight lines from the street.

What’s the best way to pick new garage door opener?

Look for UL 325 compliant garage door openers that indicate they meet the latest safety standards. Search for models with encrypted wireless signals, rolling code technology, smartphone connectivity features, backup batteries, quiet motors and high lifting capacity for your door’s size and material.

Should I connect my garage door system to my home security system?

Yes, integrating your garage door with your broader home security ecosystem allows advanced monitoring and control functionality. You can set rules to trigger actions like recording footage or sounding alarms when the garage is accessed during disarmed mode.

What ongoing maintenance helps keep my garage secure?

Check all hardware components monthly and lubricate moving parts on garage doors and openers per manufacturer specifications to keep mechanisms functioning properly.  Trim back heavy landscaping overgrowth. Test security and smart home integrations routinely. And replace batteries on sensors and remotes to maintain optimal performance.

If you’re looking for professional services or repairs related to garage doors, consider reaching out to local experts or companies specializing in garage door repair. They can provide guidance, maintenance, and assistance in upgrading your garage security effectively.