How To Make Your Garage Door Opener More Secure To Protect Your Entire Home
Garage doors themselves are secure enough as long as they're in good shape and properly attached to the springs and control arms of the lifting system. The opener system responsible for sending the signal to lift the door is not necessarily as secure unless you take the right steps to prevent damage and unwanted access. Make sure you take all five steps to keep your garage door opener as secure as possible.
Invest in Rolling Code Technology
Remote entry devices are convenient, but they're not the most secure way to open and close a garage door. Basic garage door openers use a transmitted code technology that the criminals can hack with a jammer that randomly tries codes or records your specific code and copies it. Since it's possible to record your code as you go in and out of the door, adjustable code openers that allow you to use custom codes aren't always the most secure option either.
Look for a garage door opener utilizing the rolling code technology to prevent all forms of jamming and copying your code. The garage door opener and the transmitter in your car or on your key chain create new and random codes each time, preventing anyone from entering without your permission.
Lock the Release Lever
No matter what kind of automated garage door opener equipment you have installed, there's an emergency release lever located somewhere so you can continue opening and shutting the door if the power is off or the opener breaks down. However, these levers are often located on one side or the other near the gap between the door and the frame. This allows a savvy criminal to reach in with a length of wire, such as a bent coat hanger, and pull the lever from the outside to get in without needing a code or to break the door. Remove any hanging cords and slip a twist of wire or a plastic zip tie through the hole on the handle. This locks the door but allows you to still quickly use the release lever when needed.
Take the Transmitter Inside
This security tip takes no effort at all, just a change in your daily habits. Instead of tucking your garage door remote into your visor or leaving it in the center console, take it inside. Attaching it to your keys and always bringing the key chain inside is one of the best ways to prevent theft of both your vehicle and items inside your garage and home.
Maintain the Opener
A malfunctioning opener may fail to bring the door all the way to the ground or become so weak that the door can be lifted by hand. Maintaining your garage door opener with annual maintenance visits from a technician is an essential part of maintaining garage security. If you notice bent tracks, gaps anywhere around the edges of the door, or other problems, have the door inspected more often than just once a year.
Install an Automatic Closer
Finally, upgrading to a closer with automated closing functions can increase the security of your garage if you keep forgetting to shut the door. It's surprising how many thefts and break-ins reported each year involve an open garage door left that way by someone in a hurry to leave. These automated closers can be adjusted so they only let the door stay open 30 seconds to a few minutes after you pull in or depart. Advanced smart home technology even allows you to check if the door is open or shut from any distance so you can always check that your home is secure while you're traveling or at work.
For more tips on how to ensure the security of your garage doors, check out sites like hungritedoor.com.
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