Ways to secure the most targeted area of your home

Burglars know that the garage door is often the most overlooked area of security within the home.  According to home security statistics approximately 40% of non-forced entry residential crime is via garage doors.  By securing this area will keep your belongings and your family safe.

There are various door options available within the market but consider each one individually and the security it can or cannot give you.  

Once you have chosen you garage door, one key measure is to install the door correctly.  By following the step by step guide within the installation manual will ensure that the door is not only fitted correctly and securely.  Fitting the door on the internal face of the brickwork will instantly increase the levels of security.  You will reduce if not eliminate the penetration points that would have previously existed.

If the garage doors include windows, ensure that they are sealed.  A burglar could look at this as a way to gain entry.  Although small enough to keep the burglar from climbing through, they could get enough access to the locking device. 

A manual operated garage door will be locked using a key.  When the door is locked, two locking bolts are fired into the side of the guides keeping the door closed.  As the locking mechanism is on the internal face of the door, no one will be able to gain entry without the key.  However, if you forget to lock the door, then anyone can gain access, permitted or not.

By investing in an electric garage doors will add permanent security to your garage.  This is operated by the click of a button or switch.  By using a key fob or remote control, at the press of a button the door will open and once pressed again will close.  A key pad is another option for an automatic garage door.  Situated on the outside of the garage, a code must be entered correctly to gain access.  The motor is housed on the inside of the door and can only be over ridden from the inside.  If you have alternative access into the garage or windows, be sure to secure these as well.

Other ways to protect the garage is to ensure that the area both inside and out is well lit.  Lighting is an effective way to prevent a burglary, as there is no cover of darkness to allow someone the freedom to move around undetected.  By ensuring that the garage door is locked at all times when not in use will prevent any opportunist from stealing your possessions.