Smart Ways To Protect Your Garage From Break-Ins
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When you buy a new home, the last thing you want to worry about is someone breaking into it. Unfortunately, break-ins can be more common than you may think, especially when you are unintentionally tipping them off to you not being home. Often, we pay so much attention to our internal and front door security systems that we fail to properly affix our garages with protection. Changing where you put your garage opener is one of the simplest things you can do to keep your garage safe, but there are more intensive ways, including adding lights and an outdoor security system.
Experienced burglars often try the act of fishing, which involves using the emergency release to open the garage door, but they can also enter the garage through your remote opener, a window on the garage, or an unlocked garage door. If you want to find better ways to keep your garage safe from break-ins, here's how to do it.
Simple things you can do to keep your garage safe
Keeping your family and belongings safe doesn't have to involve a state-of-the-art security system. In fact, there are a ton of inexpensive ways to keep your home safe from intruders. Many of us keep our garage door openers in our cars — it makes sense to have them there since we are usually in our cars when we need to open the garage. Unfortunately, doing this, or even programming your opener into the car, can be a surefire way for an intruder to figure out how to get into your home. Instead, opt for a keychain version you can carry with you, which you can find on Amazon for about $10.
Other easy ways to keep safe are to install a deadbolt on the door that connects the garage to the inside of your home and cover your garage windows so burglars cannot see in. If you are prone to leaving your garage door open, you can install a device that closes your garage after a set amount of time or connect your garage to your phone to close it from anywhere.
More intensive options for garage safety
If you feel that these steps still aren't enough to keep you safe, there are more things you can do to prevent break-ins through your garage. If your garage has small windows at the top, you can be a target for intruders. Since windows are much easier to break into than a door, criminals often use the windows to gain access. Instead of just covering your windows, install bars over them. This makes it much harder for anyone to gain access. Another option is to add motion sensor lights near the garage. If an intruder walks up to your garage at night, the lights will shine on them, making them a target.
But, quite possibly, the best thing you can do to keep your home safe is to install a security system. Instead of just adding a camera to your front door, install a driveway alarm system for additional security. You can find them on Amazon for around $50 or talk to your current security provider about additional alarms for your garage.