Guides and Tips

How to Secure Your Garage Door Against Break-Ins

May 12, 2025
6:52 pm

Introduction

Your garage door is one of the largest entry points to your property — which makes it a prime target for would-be burglars, too. Ensure that your garage door is an integral part of securing the remaining stuff you own and
increasing home security. By taking a few simple steps you can significantly reduce the chances of burglary and skip through life with one less worry on your shoulders.
Affordable Garage Doors loves supplying garage door security, including roll-up cages and gates in Moreno Valley. Using some tips, you can keep your garage door free from these break-ins.

1. It explains why garage doors are an easy target for Burglars.

Portals security at home garage Many people underestimate closing and decide to protect their homes, neglecting the garage. Here are the reasons why burglars typically do it.

Easy entry:

Most garages have an entrance to the home, providing a convenient way for burglars.

Inferior Security:

While simple locks and deadbolts secure front doors, windows, and other external entrances to the home; many homeowners house lawnmowers.

Expensive Items:

Garages often hold expensive tools, equipment, and vehicles.

Good News:

But the good news is that there are many simple solutions to help you protect your garage door and discourage an opportunistic criminal.

2. Best Ways to Prevent Garage Door Break-Ins

1. Get a Smart Garage Door Opener

To boost your security, look into smart garage door openers that work wirelessly and let you monitor and manage the door with an app on your phone. They automatically send alerts whenever the door opens or closes, so it means you will be alerted if somebody tries to enter without your permission.

Why It Works:

1. Until you remember and can close the door remotely.
2. Sends immediate notifications if the door gets opened involuntarily.
3. It offers extras, such as temporary guest access codes for more oversight.

2. Install a garage door lock or manual slide lock

The inside manual side lock (also known as a garage door lock) is used to secure the door from the inside, making it very difficult for someone else to open your doors by forcing or attempting to hack your opener system. It may sound simple, but it is one of the most effective locking systems that offers extra security when you are away from home longer than usual.

How to Use It:

1. Place the lock on a rail on one or both sides.
2. Lock the door in place whenever it is not being used to keep someone from manually lifting it.

3. Lock Emergency Release Mechanism

An emergency release cord is necessary to manually operate the door in case of power losses, but it's an area that can be exploited by thieves as well. Burglars can fish the cord through the door and release the opener to lift it by hand.

How to Secure It:

1. Secure the pull handle with a zip tie to make it more difficult for someone outside of your garage to access it as well.
2. Place a garage shield to prevent access directly using the emergency release cord.
3. If you hardly ever use it, why not take off the cord or switch to something less easy for him to get hold of?

4. Install a motion-activated security light

For example, you can install lights outside your garage that activate via motion; these are useful because they light up the area around a potential hidden spot when someone approaches. High-quality lighting is good because it makes hiding from potential intruders more tricky, which reduces break-in chances.

Where to Install Lights:

1. Above the garage door.
2. Doors or windows leading to a garage.
3. On driveways, curbs, or sidewalks.

5. Garage Security Camera Installation

Not only do security cameras warn potential thieves to move on but present valuable evidence if they ever decide to come inside. Many things cameras have in common with the smart ecosystem, such as live streaming; motion detection for person-detecting or alerting zones, and even more famously, cloud storage.

Camera Location Best Practices:

1.Add cameras to view above the garage door.
2. Add more security cameras inside the garage to monitor stored valuables.
3. Choose a camera with night mode also someone said 24/7 security.

6. Secure the Garage Door Panels and Tracks

1. Check For Weak Door Panels

Broken or weak garage door panels or tracks make it easier for intruders to break in, so reinforcing them enhances your security.

How to Reinforce:

Brace kit: These kits reinforce the door panels and don't allow them to bend or kick.
Switch to steel tracks: Steel tracks are more robust and harder to manipulate than typical rail.

7. Use a Garage Door Timer

A lot of smart garage openers have an auto-close function that shuts the door after a certain time has passed. This was installed later on most openers and if yours does not have that you can purchase a separate timer to keep them from being left open.

Why It Helps:

The door is never left open for long periods, therefore unauthorized access is reduced.
Perfect in those busy households where others may forget to close the door.

8. Frosted window or curtain view block.

Garage windows are the perfect place for burglars to scope your garage and see if it is worth breaking into or not. You can also install some frosted window film or hang curtains to obstruct the view if you feel that intruders could peep into your outdoor scenery.

How to Apply Window Film:

Clean the windows thoroughly.
Cut the film down to the size of each window.
Use water and a squeegee to easily install the film.

9. Adding Door Sensors To The Mix For A Little Extra Security

It is installed in the garage with door sensors that notify you when it has been opened and for worse-case scenarios: your smartphone. Top smart home systems allow you to monitor these sensors alongside your security cameras and alarm system, allowing for total coverage of everything in the house.

Why It Works:

Automatically alerts you if the garage door opens unexpectedly
It tells you when family members are coming or going via the garage

More Tips on How to Keep Your Garage Safe

Cracked or missing:

1.
Garage Door Remote: Do not leave the remote control of your garage door lying around in the car. Switch to the keychain remote or smartphone app part instead.
2.
Lock Interior Doors to Your Home: If your garage is connected inside your house, then you can easily lock the door from inside and add an extra layer.
3.
Always Close It: Do not leave your garage door open for extended periods; leaving the entrance to an attractant that will shine a light into itself.

Call a Professional If:

1.You need to reinforce your garage door panels or tracks.
2. Advanced locking system you wish to install.
3. You are getting a smart garage door opener and want help setting it on.

Conclusion

However, the safety of your home and protecting all your belongings in it start with securing that garage door against break-ins. A mix of intelligent technology with physical barriers and general best practices will reduce the threat level exponentially.
When it comes time for you to get your garage door more secure, we are only a call away at Affordable Garage Door Repair. Our professionals recommend and install the most efficient choices for keeping your home as safe as possible.