Garages store some of your most valuable possessions, like your car. You might store all of your expensive tools and outdoor equipment, all of your valuable family heirlooms that don’t fit in your jewelry box, or your mountain bikes. Regardless of what is in there, you may not be taking the care to secure your garage that you should. This is especially true if your garage is attached to your house with its own entry into the living quarters. You lock the doors and windows to your house and then double check them. Secure your garage with the same care.
If your garage is like many across America, there are 5 reasons it is not secure. We will list them here and tell you how you can fix them.
1Your garage door is open or at least ajar
Driving through your neighborhood, how many garage doors do you see open or ajar? Is yours ever one of them? This can be true for all or just part of the day, most days or only occasionally. If your possessions are not secret, they are not safe. Your neighbors may or may not all be trustworthy. It only takes one that isn’t. And what about those people who are just driving by? ‘Snatch and run’ is a thing.
The fix: Keep your door closed. Make it a habit and teach your children. After all, their bike is in there too. Your garage door locks. Do that as well.
- Your automatic garage door opener can let your neighborhood burglar in.
That garage door opener has a release handle in case the power goes out or there is an emergency. But this is also a security risk to burglars who have learned to “fish” for it. Using a stiff wire, the thief pushes against the door to allow the wire to be worked inside to catch that emergency release handle and pull it loose. Some newer models are more resistant to this tactic.
The fix: A simple zip-tie on that handle will thwart the burglar. But remember to keep something in the garage to cut that tie in case you have that emergency.
- Don’t forget your windows!
Again, if it is not a secret, it is not safe. If someone can see your tools or you motorcycle, they will know if it is worth their while to break in there.
The fix: Cover or frost your window.
- Do you know where your garage door opener is?
How about that guy walking past your car parked at your curb or in your driveway? Does he know where your opener is? He does, if you left it in your car so it will always be convenient to you. It is super convenient for him as well.
Keep your garage door opener in your locked house. You could make it a habit to always put it on the table by the front door, or anywhere that is not also convenient to thieves.
- Is your garage door in poor condition?
If your door has any missing panel parts or hardware, then it may tempt a thief to try and work it open. The same is true if it does not close level. If so, the strength and security of your door is compromised and that would likely be the first place a burglar will attempt to gain entry.
The fix: Repair or replace your door.
A-1 Locksmith Services of the Palm Beaches, Inc. has been providing professional locksmith services in this community for over 20 years. We care about our neighbors’ security.
If you have more questions about yours, call us at (561) 964-6114 or visit us at http://a1gmtlocksmith.com/.