Garage door home security is usually one of the most neglected parts of home security. Yet, 1 in 4 homeowners have experienced a garage or shed getting broken into.
And it’s really easy to see why – garage door home security is usually neglected, and way down the pecking order of importance when it comes to security. Most homeowners are of the opinion that ‘nobody is going to break into my dusty mess of a garage’. And once over, i had exactly this mindset.
Yet, some garages, like integral garages, lead directly into your home. And some garages house thousands of pounds worth of equipment. So shouldn’t we take garage security more seriously?
In this article I’ll give 3 very simple ways to improve garage door home security, and how to target harden your garage or shed and make the prospect of breaking in less appealling to opportunist criminals operating in your area.
Below is a handy table of contents. Clicking on any of the article headers below will jump you straight to the place on this page you are interested in. I am an Amazon Associate, and earn commissions on qualifying purchases.
Table of Contents
Garage Door Home Security Statistics
The chart below shows, on average, the total worth of goods stored in UK garages and shed, according to data from CompareTheMarket.
Tip #1: Lighting (A Very Easy Fix!)
It should come as no surprise that most burglaries and break ins of garages and sheds come between the hours of midnight and 6am – hours of darkness.
It should come as no surprise then, that the first tip on the list to improve garage door home security is to improve the lighting leading up to and around your garage or shed.
And when people think of improving lighting in an outdoor space, the first thing that pops into their heads is high costs, and the trauma of getting an electrician in to do the work.
Of course you can do that. Or you can do it the simple, easy, cheap way – and do it yourself, with absolutely no wiring needed at all. You’ll need a good pair of stepladders, and maybe a drill, but that’s it.
I’m talking about solar powered motion detection lights, like these ones below that I own, use and absolutely love.
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I have them at the side of my house, as well as at the rear of my house, and they are absolutely brilliant. They take 2 minutes to install (and it’s even easier and quicker if you are screwing them into wood as the screws will just go in without the need to pre-drill holes), and work really well.
Solar powered lights, like the ones above, have come on in leaps and bounds over the years. 10 years ago, I wouldn’t have bothered with these, because the charge capability was so poor, as was the reliability. But these are built well, and have worked without problem or fault for over 2 years for me now.
Even in low level sun, or so sunlight, these regain their charge, and I’ve never actually seen them lose power through battery expiration due to lack of sun.
Tip #2: Locks Locks Locks
In my old house, I had wooden garage doors that opened outwards. Before I upgraded the locks, I could literally get into my own garage with the use of a screwdriver, prying the doors apart. It was handy when I accidently shut the garage door with my only key locked inside the garage, but it made me think just how easy it would be for a criminal to gain access.
I also kicked myself. Because it was an unattached garage, towards the side and bottom of the house, and it was poorly organised and to be honest, a massive tip in their, I held the garage in low importance when it came to security.
So what did I do?
Well, I got another key cut to prevent the accidental locking in of the keys inside the garage from happening again, and I installed a padlock which went over the original lock yale lock.
For those of you with an ‘up and over’ style garage door, then the locking system on the left hand side will improve your garage door home security exponentially – considering these up and over doors are notoriously easy to break into and defeat.
GARAGE LOCK RECOMMENDATIONS | |
Tip #3: An Alarm
Again, no need for electricians or expensive systems. I’m talking about simple contact alarms which will sound a deafening audible alarm when two contact points are moved out of the desired position.
This may not work for everyone (depending on where your garage is located), and it is a last line deterrent, but it’s a good choice if you want a cheap and reliable audible way of knowing whether your garage door is open or shut.
These are battery operated, and easy to install yourself.
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Not only that, you can use these contact alarms anywhere else in your home, like if you want to improve the security of your front door, or want to improve the security of your patio doors.
Bonus Tip #4: 22 More Tips…
I’ve written an extensive article on general garage security right here, so if you want more tips like above, do make sure you check it out.
I break down all different types of garage doors, and how to improve the security of each door according to how the door opens and operates.
I also look at target hardening methods that start outside your house and on the street (deterrent methods), and also look at other potential entry points like garage or shed windows.
Do make sure you check it out.
Why Garages Are An Easy Target
Common criminals and low level opportunist criminals will break into a garage or shed because it is easy.
People do not generally reside in these buildings (criminals always prefer breaking into somewhere where there are no people present), and traditionally, garages and shed are usually detached from the main residence – making it an attractive proposition.
Garages and shed usually house tools and leisure equipment, that are easy to steal, and easy to sell on for quick money, like:
- HANDTOOLS, such as drills, grinders, sanders, and saws.
- LEISURE EQUIPMENT, such as bikes, skateboards, scooters and golf clubs.
So when you think about it, a garage with poor security arrangements is a very attractive proposition for criminals who can be in and out within a matter of seconds, especially if your garage door home security is poor an not up to standard.
Summary
This was always intended as a quick article, with 3 simple tips to help you improve garage door home security, but if you want an advanced read, do go and check out the article which gives you 25 Simple Ways Of Improving Garage Security.
In summary then, not enough of us take garage door home security seriously enough, including myself in the past. It’s too easy to dismiss, and we don’t place enough emphasis or importance on it because it’s usually a dusty old place that is full of junk and years worth old stuff we no longer need or use, or stuff that we rarely need or use.
Even if there’s nothing worth stealing from your garage or shed, an opportunist criminal doesn’t know this. They’ll have no qualms at all about forcing a door open in the hope there’s something worth stealing. Leaving you with a totally insecure door, the headache of getting it sorted and the physchological torture that someone has been on your property and tried to steal from you.
With this in mind, it’s far better to be proactive rather than reactive, and target harden your garage door home security arrangements and make it a less attractive proposition.
Other Articles You May Like
Here’s a small selection of articles you may also like from this site:
- – 25 Ways Of Improving Garage Security
- – 75 Ways Of Improving Home Security
- – Patio Door Security – Best Locks To Improve Security
- – How To Improve Front Door Security
Here’s the complete list of products and links mentioned on this page with regards to garage door home security.
- – Motion Sensor Solar Lights (Amazon.co.uk)
- – Garage Defender Up And Over Garages (Amazon.co.uk)
- – Garage Or Shed Padlock (Amazon.co.uk)
- – Garage Door Alarm (Amazon.co.uk)
Here’s the sources used for this article:
Questions & Comments
If you have a question or a comment on this article on garage door home security, please use the comments box below. I’ll try my best to reply to each and every one of your questions, comments and suggestions.
Stay Safe. Stay Secure.
