Don't Forget to Shut the Garage Door

How many times have you been an hour down the road heading to your vacation, and you wonder, “Did I shut the garage door?” Along with clicking off the coffee pot and turning down the air conditioning, the garage can be one of those things that pulls at you all vacation long wondering if you took care of it before you left! What many people won’t think about, though, is how to secure your garage even beyond making sure the door is shut. People invest in securing their homes through door and window locks and home security systems, but what about the garage? What have you done to protect your possessions there and secure that access into your home?

Hide the Remotes

What is easier for a thief than clicking a button to gain access into your home? They know right where to look for your garage opener, too – your car’s visor. To avoid having easy access through your garage automatic opener, always bring the remote in with you. They even have keychain remotes now which make it easy to have on you at all times. If you do happen to lose your remote, be sure to reset the codes on your garage opener.

Secure the Doors

As far as your garage door, you should unplug the automatic lift unit while you are gone for an extended period. This way, it won’t open even if the thief somehow gains access to your passcode or remote. If you don’t have the automatic opener, you can still purchase deadbolt locks for your door to more firmly secure the garage door from being able to open. Additionally, always lock the door into your home from the garage and consider purchasing heavy-duty hinges and locks for added security.

Fortify the Windows

If your garage is large enough to have windows, you should consider concealing them with a film or other covering to prevent snooping eyes from seeing all your garage goodies. To help stop a break-in through these windows, consider using interior bars (you can even make these yourself!) as an additional security measure.

Beyond all these measures, you should consider utilizing a home security system to notify authorities of any break-in while you’re not at home (or even while you are!). Motion detector lights are also a good theft deterrent, as thieves typically don’t like to be in the spotlight while committing their crimes. If you’d like any more information on securing your garage, please contact Watch Guard today!