Much like your house, you absolutely do not want intruders getting into your garage. Your garage can be one of many different things; a game room, a movie room, a game room, a workshop where you work on projects dearest to you, or actually a garage that houses your precious car. None of the above scenarios paint a pleasant picture in the event of a thief or other intruder gaining access to your garage.
Thankfully, securing your garage against all but the most dedicated master thief is not that hard. There are plenty of steps you can take to ensure that your garage is never broken into, some more obvious and easier to do than others. Also like your house, many of these methods are quite similar to protecting your house from intruders as well. After all, your garage is a part of your house too. So, let’s look at some of the ways you can use to keep people out of your garage and your things untouched.
Invest in a Good Lock
This is the most obvious step on the list, but that doesn’t mean that it is any less important. If your garage door is a simple door that needs a lock to keep it safe, then it’s a no-brainer that you’re going to have to buy yourself a very good lock. Cheap locks are quite easy to crack open with a lockpicking toolset or even some bobby pins. And weak locks can just be smashed open into pieces.
A good quality lock is the one-time investment that keeps on giving. Strong padlocks can’t just be broken into with some pins; they have safeguards in place and use much better and much stronger locking mechanisms. Furthermore, their bulky construction means that they can’t be broken apart. At least not without a lengthy and very noisy ruckus that would wake every person on the street.
Get Yourself a Garage Shield
If your garage is the traditional automatic door that slides open, then you’re probably aware of the emergency release mechanism on the inside of the garage. This is a very handy contingency tool in case something goes wrong and you need to release yourself from your garage. What you might not know is that it can also very easily be exploited to open your garage door from the outside.
However, a very easy solution exists to this oversight. Garage shields are inexpensive shielding mechanisms that are also very easy to install by yourself. These shields block outside access to the emergency release, but also keep it accessible from the inside in case you need to use it yourself. This simple and cheap method of protection might just be the breaking point for a nervous and inexperienced thief who doesn’t have a backup plan.
Keep Your Garage’s Exterior Lit Up
Like your house’s yard and the various windows dotted around your house, it is a good idea to keep the entrance to your garage lit up. This is because once a thief has made their way into your yard, they will try their best to stick to the shadows in case you look out a window or a passerby notice them. This of course, becomes infinitely more difficult for them if most of your house’s exterior is bathed in light.
Most thieves like to operate as fast as they can. A quick in and out is always their preferred method of breaking into a place. Thus, they like to dart from shadow to shadow and rarely miss an opportunity to break into whichever entry point of your house is in the dark. By eliminating shadowed entry points you rob them (Ha! Take that thief!) of their chance to get inside and force them to move on to some other target or even give up for the night.
Get Yourself a Security System
This step applies to your whole house, but can also be used to give your garage an extra layer of security. The ominous presence of a security camera slowly swiveling on its pivot, majestically surveying its domain, is often enough to turn away even the boldest of thieves. So, just the presence of a bunch of security cameras around your house should be enough to keep thieves at bay.
But it can get so much better if you invest in a more proactive security system. For example, there are many home security systems that utilize motion sensing technology to trip alarms and send thieves packing. But even more hilarious are the security systems monitored 24/7 by live professionals. These people can send the cops your way without even letting the thief know something’s wrong. Let’s just say cornering a thief is a very fun experience for both the cops and the home owner, and a win in the books of the home security system provider.
Keep Your Garage Visible
If your garage, or just your house in general, is surrounded by large bushes and trees, try to clear most of it up so that there are no hiding spots around your house. This will not only ensure that thieves don’t have a safe spot to hide out in and plan their next move, but will also mean that all of your neighbors and anyone passing by will be able to see if anyone is acting weirdly around your garage. And if you’re good friends with your neighbors, you can rest assured that they’ll let you know immediately if they see someone poking around your house.
If Your Garage Has Windows, Close Them
You know what’s a clear invitation to thieves to come steal your valuables? Uncovered windows they can look through. Well, open garage doors come first but surely you don’t leave your garage door open in your absence, do you? You wouldn’t be here reading this post if you did. But while windows can be nice to look out when working on a project in your garage, make sure to close the curtains or blinds when you leave. Else anyone can see the expensive tools you have on display inside and make a move to acquire them through less than legal means.
If You Have a Side Door, Reinforce It
Quite a lot of garages have side entrances. These are convenient for you of course, but they’re also convenient for would-be thieves. This is easily remedied, though not many people think of remedying it. For starters, make sure your side door isn’t a weak door that can be knocked down by one stray gust of wind. Install a proper thick door. Second, reinforce your door knob and install a bolt. Not only will the reinforced door knob make it much more difficult to kick in your door, the bolt will add yet another difficult layer of frustration for thieves. Frustration that might be enough to convince the thief to leave your garage alone.
Conclusion
See, told you it wasn’t difficult to keep your garage safe from intruders. Common sense and some extra precautionary measures do wonders for home and garage security. While you prep yourself for making your garage safer, check out our other helpful posts about garage maintenance like our guide to garage safety. Or maybe a fun post like facts about garage doors might be more your type.