February 19, 2016

Why Thieves Love Old Garage Doors

Why thieves love old garage doors

Is an old garage door an unwritten invitation to thieves?

If someone were to get inside the garage, they could easily help themselves to a variety of easily sold items and turn a tidy profit. If you’re really unlucky, they may even be able to enter your house and clean you out. A truck pulled up to an open garage rarely screams “break‑in,” so most witnesses won’t even blink if they see it.

New garage doors are more secure

If your door is rusted, full of holes and barely hanging on the hinges, it’s not going to be much of a deterrent to any would-be thieves. If you install a new door, you can rest assured that it will be harder to force open, and have a variety of new safety features older doors might be lacking.

A perimeter winter seal will keep your garage secure and keep cold air out during winter. Wooden doors can develop cracks in the corners that can easily be pried open with a crowbar, or simply broken open if necessary. Keep an eye out for any such gaps or breaks, since vermin (both four legged or otherwise) can use them to sneak in without you knowing it.

Additionally, don’t neglect the upkeep of your garage doors, both the main door and the door that leads to your house. Check the frames, chains, locks and any parts that are replaceable.

It’s also important to remember to:

Lock up

The first step, obviously enough, is to lock your garage door. If you don’t, you just make it easier for anyone to help themselves to whatever they want out of your garage, and it may even affect your insurance claim.

Not enough people know about the emergency release many electric garage doors have. They can be extremely handy should the power ever go out, but it comes with a major flaw in its security. By simply running a wire through the top of your garage door – in much the same way car thieves can sometimes jimmy old car locks with a Slim Jim or clothes hanger – a thief can easily pull the emergency release and walk straight into your garage in seconds.

If you are leaving on vacation or for an extended period of time, you can zip‑tie the emergency release to keep the door secure.

You can also install a bulldog lock, which requires you to drill into the floor of the garage, or get a vacation lock to keep your garage secure without tampering with the emergency lock.

Obstruct the view

If your garage door has windows, make sure they’re frosted or obscured. That way, no one can tell what’s inside the garage, and light can still get in. If thieves can see that your car is gone, or that you have expensive tools in your garage, they’re more likely to break in and purloin what you have.

Conversely, make sure that your garage door is as visible as possible. Thieves hate being spotted when they’re trying to force a door, so make sure there’s nothing they could hide behind. Install a motion activated light for any night time escapades that may happen, too.

Install alarms

When you install your alarm and security system, make sure you include a sensor on the garage door so that, in the worst case scenario a thief is able to force an entry, both you and the police will know about it and can act appropriately.

Basically, be smart. Check your doors. Make it as difficult as possible for someone to force their way in. No security system is foolproof, so the goal is to make it as awkward as possible to drive any prowlers away in search of easier earnings. The older your garage door is, the easier it will be to force open, whether it be jimmied open or opened any of a dozen other ways. Invest in a new door, and some strong locks. Be aware of your surroundings and be prepared to drop a little extra cash to keep your home and family safe.

Need a new garage door?

Replacing your garage door and your garage door opener is a great way to enhance the front of your house on a limited budget.

Garage doors are the industry standard for style, durability, insulation and energy efficiency.

You can start by building your dream door on our Design Centre!

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