How Can I Make My Garage Door More Secure?

One of the most important considerations for every garage owner (understandably so) is the security of your space to be able to protect your belongings and have peace of mind. With garage burglaries rising by 13% last year, security is becoming even more of a priority for many. We’ve put this guide together for all those asking ‘how can I make my garage door more secure’ to let you know of some easy and simple ways to improve garage security.

How Secure Is a Garage Door Compared to Other Entry Points?

A garage door will actually often be the most vulnerable entry point to a home since although most of them are sturdy, they’re generally easy to exploit especially if equipped with worn out locks or if the garage door seals have deteriorated leaving gaps on top / on the sides of the door (intruders can often slide a wire through these to snag the emergency release cord). Flimsy materials are also an issue e.g. basic wood / aluminium or thin single-skinned steel panels since these can usually be drilled through fairly easily or even forced out of their tracks. As a result garages account for as much as a third of residential break ins in some areas making the need to secure them as well as possible even more obvious.

How to Improve Garage Door Security

Here are some of our top tips for making sure the entrance to your garage is being safeguarded in the best possible way:

How to Secure Your Garage Door from the Inside

• Secure the Emergency Release: Use the zip tie method (threading a small plastic zip tie through the hole on the emergency release lever and pulling it tight) or remove the plastic handle at the end of the cord so a burglar wouldn’t be able to easily latch onto it with a hook. Alternatively you could cut the cord shorter so it only hangs a few inches.
• Lock the Tracks: Drop a 10mm steel bolt / heavy duty nail through the track holes on the sides of the door or lock a hardened steel padlock in place.
• Install Deadlocks / Slide Bolts: If your door doesn’t have a manual lever lock you could easily install a deadlock and bolt it into the vertical track or install a slide bolt to the interior frame so when the entrance closes the bolt slides directly into the track / drilled hole in the floor.
• Unplug the Motor: If you’re going on holiday or expecting to be away from your home for a longer period of time you could simply unplug the garage door motor from the power plug to disable the remote controls and the exterior keypad.

How to Secure Your Garage Door from the Outside

• Keep the Door Well Maintained: Look for any damaged hinges, misaligned tracks, etc. that may be exploited by potential intruders and replace those. Keep an eye on the locks too as if those are older / have basic locking mechanisms it might be worth upgrading. 
• Invest in Smart Technology: Many garage alarm / access control systems can help you monitor and control the door remotely through an app which is particularly handy if you forget it open for example. Some systems also send notifications when it is being opened or closed.
• Install a Garage Defender: These consist of a heavy steel base plate that is bolted into your concrete driveway in front of the door with a steel arm swinging up to rest against the centre and completely blocking it from being pried open. It will need a heavy-duty padlock / heavy cylinder lock to secure the arm to the baseplate. Keep in mind these defenders are mainly used on manual up-and-over doors.
• Install Security Lighting: Motion-activated lights will illuminate the area whenever movement is detected which can be a great way to deter any intruders and making it significantly more difficult for anyone to approach unnoticed. Position the lights around the garage entrance, side entrances and driveways.
• Replace Worn Seals and Weatherstripping: Seals and weatherstripping are mainly used to prevent water, debris and pests from entering the space however they can also contribute to security as well since worn seals can leave gaps around the edges making it easier for intruders to see inside / insert tools. This is why replacing old weatherstripping and installing a quality threshold seal like those provided by JA Seals should definitely be a part of your overall security strategy.

How Can I Make My Garage Door More Secure With JA Seals

JA Seals has been supplying high quality garage door seals proudly made in the UK for almost 30 years. Our products are made with excellent longevity features to protect your space from water, debris, pests and intruders for years to come and are easy to fit without professional help. Depending on your particular door type, we offer a range of seal types including brush strips, threshold seals, bottom seals and weatherstripping as well as complete sealing kits including all the materials you need to install the product. If you’re not sure which product is right for you or you have any other questions, feel free to get in touch with our team and we’ll be happy to help!

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