Break-ins happen every day, and the most common point of access is your garage. Most break-ins are crimes of opportunity. If criminals think no-one is home or that your garage door would be easy to compromise, they will take advantage of the situation.
Recent statistics suggest that a residential break-in happens every 90-seconds in Canada and that most break-ins occur during daylight hours. Nearly all break-in artists are amateurs and gain entry through a basement window, ground-floor door or the garage. In the case of attached garages, culprits can gain access to your home through the garage man door.
Even if the culprits don’t gain access to your house, your garage likely contains valuable items. You could be storing motorcycles or quads, a lawnmower, bicycles, tools and other expensive property. A amateur thief can make off with the “goods” in a couple of minutes.
Let’s think about crimes of opportunity for a moment and what might catch the eye of a thief. Perhaps you forget to lock your vehicle doors while shopping or at work. Thieves will scour parking lots looking for unlocked vehicles. If your garage door opener is clipped to the visor, they’ll take it, and a quick look at your vehicle registration will provide your home address. Fortunately, there are simple things you can do to lessen the chance of a break-in.
Check Your Garage Door
Is your garage door a youngin’ or a senior citizen? If your garage door is older than 25 years, meaning it was manufactured before the early nineties, you’ll want to consider replacing it. Older doors are less secure from the structural standpoint, and many old openers use a series of DIP (Dual In-line Package) switches to code the remote. This old technology is easily hacked, allowing thieves quick and easy access to your garage and possibly, your home.
Stash Your Garage Door Opener
A simple way to protect yourself from a break-in is to store your garage door opener in a safe place. Openers that are left out in the open are tempting to a thief. Again, when a thief sees an opportunity, they’ll seize it. Keep your opener in your purse, store it in your glove box or just take it with you. Put your opener in a place where a thief will not find it. Of course, many modern vehicles have high-tech openers built right into the visor meaning there’s no remote to steal. Some current garage door openers will also operate through your smartphone.
Consider Your Keypad PIN Number
Most modern homes feature a keypad on the exterior frame of the garage door. When choosing your PIN, choose something uncommon. Did you know that some contractors – when installing your garage door – will temporarily set your house number as the access code or perhaps your house number in reverse? It’s up to you to change this number immediately and if you need help with the process, speak with a qualified garage door technician.
Planning Your Vacation
If you’re heading off on holidays, there are a couple of precautions you’ll want to take. First, disconnect your garage door opener from the power supply rendering all remotes and the keypad useless. You might also press the lock button on your opener’s control panel. If your garage door has a slide lock, you’ll want to engage it. You might also want to lock a vice grip style plier on the track near one of the rollers to ensure that the door cannot be forced open.
Cover Garage Door Windows
If your garage or garage door has windows, it provides thieves with a clear view of what’s stored inside the structure. Consider covering windows with curtains or perhaps installing privacy film. If you’re having a new garage door installed, ask about window tinting or frosted glass – allowing light into the garage without a prime view of what’s stored inside.
Additional Considerations
There are simple things you can do like checking to make sure your garage door is closed before going to bed at night. Make it a part of your nightly routine – check the house, check the garage. A few minutes spent assuring your home and garage are secure will provide a better night’s sleep. Consider installing motion sensitive lighting or a security camera. Another simple technique is to leave a radio station – tuned to a talk station – playing in the garage.
Call us now at (403) 783-2454. We’ll provide you with all the advice and information you need to make the right decision. We can also provide you with a free, no-obligation quote on that new garage door and opener. Follow the links on our web-page to learn more information. Doors on Demand – serving customers from Edmonton to Calgary and all points in between!