How Can I Make my Garage Door More Secure?

We often overlook garage door security, which can make not only your garage, but your home, more vulnerable to break-ins.

With a few adjustments, you can make your garage more secure, and less attractive to a burglar. We’ll go over some garage door vulnerabilities you may have and provide actionable solutions you can put into place today to help make your garage door safer and more secure.

What kind of garage door is most secure?

There are several garage door types, each with pros and cons. If you don’t have the budget or time to upgrade your garage door, there are still some ways you can help secure it that won’t be costly or time-consuming.

Here are some common types of garage doors:

• Sectional garage door
• Side-to-side garage door or side sectional garage door
• Rolling garage door
• Side-hinged garage door or swing garage door
• Tilt-up canopy garage door
• Tilt-up retractable garage door

A sectional garage door is likely what you think of when you think of garage doors. These doors feature panels that travel along vertical tracks on either side of the door.

Sectional doors are popular because of their steel construction and easy customization. They are fairly reliable against forced intrusion, especially if you keep the doors well-maintained.

Side-to-side garage doors or side sectional garage doors can replace an overhead door with horizontally moving panels. Because these doors are made with individual sections, it’s easy to fix a damaged panel without buying a new garage door.

You can find rolling doors on commercial properties. If you have a storage unit, it likely uses rolling doors. These doors can be expensive to manufacture since they’re made of heavy-duty steel, but they can be more secure against forced entrance.

It’s difficult for would-be thieves to find leverage points in these doors, making them one of the most burglar-proof doors on the market. However, they have a very clunky, industrial design and hefty price tag.

A side-hinged garage door may also be called a swing garage door. These doors are hinged at the sides and open outwards. Side-hinged doors are a sturdy choice for your home, but you should opt for an option with reinforced steel frames for additional security.

Tilt-up canopy doors feature hinges that tilt the door up when you open it. Canopy doors sit beneath the garage’s ceiling, and some can extend out like a canopy over the driveway.

Tilt-up retractable doors are like canopy doors, but the doors slide into the garage when the door is open. The doors don’t overlap into the driveway like the canopy doors.

These models may pose an increased risk of break-ins, especially if you have an older garage. Panels should be solid and rigid. If your doors start to buckle or panels start falling apart, it may be time for an upgrade.

No matter how secure your garage door is, it’s always a good idea to increase the security with (additional) deadbolts or locks, motion-detecting lights and outdoor cameras.

How can someone break into your garage?

Now that you know the different types of garage doors on the market, we’ll go over a few common garage door vulnerabilities.

Using physical force to break into a garage.

If your garage door doesn’t have an internal locking mechanism or it has gaps between the door and the driveway, it’s more vulnerable to someone using physical force to break inside.

Some thieves may try to bend the corners of the door open until there’s a gap, while others might try to make existing holes larger. Maintaining your garage door and fixing any holes as they happen is essential.

Using a coat hanger or other burglar tools to pry open your garage door.

This technique has a would-be burglar taking a simple coat hanger and bending it into a shape to hook the garage’s release latch or the cord to the release hatch. Then a thief can simply pull open the garage door to sneak inside.

CBS Austin suggests purchasing a zip tie and pulling it through the hole in the release handle. The zip tie can help prevent thieves from pulling the door open with a hanger but still allow you to break it in an emergency.

Picking the garage door lock.

A burglar can pick the lock on your garage door handle with a few standard tools. That’s why installing a sturdy, upgraded locking mechanism on your doors is a good idea.

Breaking open a window or vent that leads into the garage.

Would-be thieves can break the glass in garage door windows to access its interior. Even if you think your garage windows are too small for someone to squeeze into, that may not be the burglar’s intent. They may break the window to access your emergency release line and open the garage.

The Brute Force method.

Though this method may sound like someone is forcing themselves into your garage door, it actually means they’re trying to hack your door opener.

The best way to prevent this attack is to ensure that your garage door opener has rolling or hopping codes. These codes don’t rely on a fixed code, making them harder for someone to hack.

How can you prevent someone from breaking into your garage?

Your garage door can be a vulnerable security point. Someone could break into your garage to steal your vehicle or the things you’re storing inside. And if your garage is attached to your home, someone could gain access to your home through your garage door.

So how can you help prevent garage break-ins? There are a few vulnerable points to consider, including garage windows, pickable locks and even garage doors.

Always lock your garage and never leave it open.

Even if you’re just stepping away from your garage for a few minutes, you should always ensure it’s properly closed and locked. You want to remove the temptation of a crime of opportunity for anyone that might walk by.

A smart garage opener can help you keep your garage locked. These devices make it easy to check if you forgot to close your garage door and if you did, you can easily close it at the push of a button.

And while we’re at it, you should also make sure to lock the connecting garage door. If a burglar does manage to break into your garage, you don’t want them walking right into your home.

Pro-tip: If you connecting garage door came with a less sturdy lock, you should consider upgrading it to a deadbolt system to maixmize security.

Switch out your hollow wood connecting door to a solid core door.

Many homes are equipped with lightweight wooden doors, making them more vulnerable to being kicked down by a burglar. A solid core door is reinforced with steel or fiberglass and not only helps protect your home from forced entry, but can also protect your home from the spread of fire if it’s fire-rated.

Upgrade security latches.

This goes for installing security latches or locks inside your garage and the attached door that leads into your home.

Many garages come with easy-to-use handles, but they may not properly lock . Replacing this lock can be a simple upgrade you can do on your own with a few tools and a locking garage door handle.

You can opt for a handle that locks from the inside, outside or a double-sided lock. Some interior locks can attach to the door frame with a locking bar for added security.

Improve your window security or install shades.

Windows allow natural light inside your garage, but burglars can also use them to break into your home or peak inside your garage to see if you’re storing anything valuable.

• Install frosted glass or tinted security film, so it’s more difficult for a burglar to peer into your home.
• Window security film can help keep the glass from shattering and falling inside your garage if someone breaks the window.
• Add shades, blinds or curtains to your windows.
• Don’t forget to secure your window with an upgraded lock! Pre-installed locks are less secure than ones you can purchase at your hardware store.

Add glass break sensors to your garage door windows.

Glass break sensors can let you know if someone is trying to break in through your garage door windows, giving you additional time to contact the police.

Monitor flood and fire with dedicated sensors.

Many of us store our memories or other important valuables in the garage. A flood sensor can let you know if there’s a leak so you can quickly remove your belongings or fix the leak before it gets too severe.

A smoke detector can alert you if a fire starts inside your garage and give you extra time to leave the house. You’ll also have more time to contact a fire department, which could make the fire less severe and even save the rest of your home from catching on fire.

How to help secure your garage door from the outside

Now that you know how to help prevent break-ins through your garage door, we’ll go over a few ways that can increase security around your garage.

Install floodlight cameras outside your garage door.

Motion sensing floodlights turn on when they detect someone or something walking by, which can be very disorienting for a trespasser. When you have a smart floodlight camera system, these cameras can also send you an alert when someone triggers them.

Install home security cameras.

Security cameras may make a would-be thief think twice about breaking into your home. If a thief decides to still break into your garage, cameras can help provide incriminating videos you can hand over to the police. You should consider installing both indoor cameras and outdoor cameras for the best coverage.

Maintain your landscaping.

Prune any overgrown bushes so it’s harder for someone to hide behind them. You can also strategically plant bushes with thorns near windows or vents. Even if a burglar has tools to remove these plants, it will be difficult to remove them quickly without being seen by others.

Add more security to your garage with ADT.

Never worry about leaving your garage door open again with ADT Garage Door Security. This handy device is compatible with most major brands of garage door openers.

Our security experts help you pick the perfect smart home solutions to fit your needs.

ADT has the perfect security solutions to help protect your garage, from indoor and outdoor cameras to a smart garage controller.