How to Keep Your Garage Secure

Whenever home security is thought of, garages are not given much attention. Garage doors are a common weak point and an easy target for thieves because it’s often overlooked when ensuring security for the whole home. But surely, you need to secure your garage because that’s where you keep other personal belongings that may be attractive to thieves. Whether you have a garage man cave, garage storage or simply a garage for your car, follow these tips for keeping it secure:

1. Always keep the door closed and locked.

It’s surprising how many people leave their garage doors open all the time. Okay, you may have a dog who can bark to alert you when there’s other people around. Or probably you’re home waiting for other family members to come back, and you left your garage door open for easier parking later. But is it really that hard to close the door and just open it again later? Leaving your garage open may cause passers-by to see something inside that may be of interest to them, especially if you have valuables like bikes, lawn mowers or high value equipment and tools.

Remember, thieves would observe a target first if there is something worth stealing, then they would plan their tactics on how and when to get it. No matter how safe you think your neighborhood is, good neighborhoods are the best places for burglars and thieves to come visit and look for targets.

Keep your garage door closed and locked during the night and when no one is around. Sometimes, people simply unplug the opener when they go on vacation, but it doesn’t prevent burglars from fishing.

2. Have your garage windows tinted, frosted or covered.

Stop prying eyes by covering your windows. If crooks can’t see what tools and toys you have in your garage, the less likely they will try to break in. Prevent anything inside from being seen but still allow light to enter by using sheer curtains or blinds. You can also apply a window tint or a plastic translucent film. Or maybe use a frosted spray paint if you prefer it better.

3. Put bars on the windows to prevent break-ins.

If thieves can’t enter through an open door, they often try the windows because they are easier to break and pry open. First, make sure that your windows are always locked. To provide the ultimate window security, you can add steel bars across the window. There are ready-made bars available at hardware stores, but it is cheaper to use a few lengths (depending on your window size) of half-inch steel pipes. Bolt the bars to the frame using tees bolted in place by lag screws and washers.

4. Install an alarm system.

Just the sight of an alarm system can work to scare potential burglars away from your garage and home.  Door sensors can send an alarm when the garage door is opened. A remote door sensor triggers a silent alarm by sending a signal to a remote receiver or monitor when the door is opened. In that way, you can easily scare off thieves and prevent loss of valuables.

5. Install an opener with a monitoring system or a self-closing system.

If you always forget to lock your garage door and you have the extra bucks to invest in home improvement, you can install a garage opener with built-in security features.

An add-on monitoring system can tell you whether the door is opened or closed with the help of its built-in sensors. In one press of a button, you can close the garage door even if you’re already in your bedroom on bedtime hours.

You can also use self-closing systems. Many garage door openers nowadays have built-in security like this one. If you often forget to close the door, you can install a self-closing device that can signal your garage door opener to close automatically after a predetermined amount of time. You can easily adjust the open time or override the self-closing feature.

6. Always keep the garage keys in your house.

If you take your garage door key or remote, thieves can’t steal it from your car. If you have a remote, it might be convenient to keep clipping it to the visor in your car, but it’s better to buy a keychain remote. Get into the habit of bringing it home with you. Keeping your garage door opener in a visible interior of the car could make it easy for burglars to snatch it.

There are a lot of keychain remotes for garage doors. Find one online by typing the brand of your opener, then followed by “remote.”

7. Keep your garage area well-lit or install motion detector lights.

It would be uneasy for burglars to break in a brightly lit garage. The ultimate deterrent to thieves is the feeling of being watched and the susceptibility to being watched. Invest in good exterior lighting near doors and even around windows. Wall lamps and recessed lights would not only provide security but also add beauty to your home.

But if you would like to conserve energy, motion sensing lights is the best choice for outdoor lighting buckled up with security. Sensors would automatically turn on the lights once they detected motion, attracting attention and surprising the burglar. You can replace light fixtures outside your garage with these, or add a standalone motion detector that can be connected to your existing lights.

8. Include the garage in your home security system plan.

If you are using a home security system, preferably a smart home system, don’t overlook your garage. With a home security plan, you can link cameras into the system so that you could be able to view what’s happening in your garage when you are inside your home or anywhere. Sensors in the door and windows can notify you and the authorities immediately if some burglar tries to force their way in your garage. The smart home security automation also enables you to control and monitor your garage door through an app on your smartphone.

If you are also looking for ways on how you can protect the floor of your garage, you may check out our Guide to Selecting Garage Floor Coverings and Mats for some recommendations.