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How to Avoid Garage Door Break-Ins

702Padmin on March 31, 2020

There is no time like the present to make your home more protected. These are uncertain times. Beyond taking care of your health and the health of your loved ones, making sure your home is safe and secure is definitely at the top of the priority list. It never hurts to take extra precautions. The garage is one of the first-lines of defense for your home. Admit it — isn’t it satisfying to see that garage door come down like the iron gate of a fortress? Yet few homeowners go the distance to ensure their garage doors are secure and well maintained.  Garage-Door-Burglar-with-crowbars

Aside from the front and back doors, and first-floor windows, the garage is a popular point of entry for most burglars. Not only do robbers get to pilfer all of the valuables and goodies that are in the garage, but they can easily gain access to the main home if further security measures aren’t already in place. 

So how can you secure your garage so that you can rest easy at night knowing your home is safe from intruders? Here are some tips to keep the thieves out, your belongings safe, and your family secure inside your home. 

How to Avoid Garage Door Break-Ins

When thieves are looking to break into your home, they look for vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, the garage is often an access point for thieves. But by using some common sense and security measures, you can help thwart burglars’ efforts to get into your home.

  1. Don’t Leave Your Garage Door Remote in Your Car When It’s Parked Outside – Probably the most obvious no-no, don’t leave the garage door remote in your car when it is parked outside of your home or in the driveway. It seems like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many homeowners make this mistake. We are creatures of habit and tend to think that we are safe in our neighborhoods, especially in and around our homes. While you are almost always safe, it doesn’t mean that you should leave yourself open to being burglarized. By not leaving your garage door remote on full display on the dash or middle console of your car, you take that vulnerability off the table and could prevent a possible break-in.
  2. Key Chain Garage Door Remote – It’s all too easy for a thief to break into your car to get into your home. Invest in a key chain remote garage door opener if you don’t have one already and keep it on your person at all times. Getting in the habit of treating your garage door remote like any other key to your home, will decrease your odds of having your garage broken into or losing the remote.
  3. Don’t Leave Your Garage Door Remote Clipped to the Car Visor – We’ve all seen garage door remotes clipped to car visors. This is just inviting potential thieves to break into your car. And not only that, but it gives them access to your garage and possibly your home too. So take the garage remote off of your visor and store it somewhere out of sight.
  4. Sturdy Garage Door – There is no doubt that a high-quality, sturdy garage door is a deterrent for robbers. Lightweight garage doors aren’t necessarily bad, but it all depends on the quality of material being used. Make sure to purchase a garage door that is strong, sturdy and can hold up under blunt force. This isn’t just helpful in a burglary scenario, but also in severe weather. You want your garage door to be able to stand up to a little abuse.
  5. Don’t Leave Garage Door Open – Don’t leave your garage door open, even when you’re home either. It just makes it too easy for someone to grab your property and run. This is an all too common mistake. Thankfully there are solutions. Newer garage door openers have the ability to be closed remotely from your smartphone if you somehow forget to close it when you leave for work.
  6. Utilize the Lock Button Feature – This is a simple concept. Just like you lock your doors at night, you’ll want to lock your garage door so it cannot be opened manually in the middle of the night. All too often thieves use a crowbar to jimmy a garage door open. This puts an end to that. The lock button feature is designed to prevent both manual and remote access to your garage. 6-tips-to-prevent-break-in
  7. Upgrade Your Garage Door Opener – Thieves are constantly scheming to find new ways into a victim’s home. On the flip side, homeowners and garage door manufacturers are also stepping up their efforts to make the family home more secure. If your garage door opener is dated, it could make you vulnerable. Burglars have gotten in the habit of trying to control automatic garage door openers by using the code. Older garage door openers typically use the same code. Modern garage door openers now offer a rolling code that offers a different combination of numbers every time you open it with your garage door remote. Another option is to get a smart garage door opener that is equipped with MyQ technology. This allows you to open and close your garage door from anywhere via your smartphone.
  8. Cover & Protect Your Garage Windows – Garages with glass windows are a favorite of thieves. They will often break the glass and trip the emergency release with a coat hanger. You can fortify your emergency release with zip ties making it hard to release with a coat hanger but can still be pulled in case of an emergency. If your garage has glass windows, make sure they are frosted or tinted so it’s not easy to see in. Clear windows allow anyone to see if there is a car in the garage or not. For added protection, consider installing iron bars on either side of your garage’s windows. This will provide you with additional security.
  9. Secure Your Interior Garage Access Door – Install a deadbolt on the door that accesses your home from your garage and lock that door each time you leave your home. Also, make sure that your interior garage access door is sturdy and not one that could be easily kicked in. Install a wide-angle peephole in the door between your house and your garage. This will give you the ability to see what’s going on if you hear a strange noise in the garage. If you have a home security system or home alarm, make sure to put sensors on your interior garage access door as well.

Additional Garage Door Safety Measures: Garage Maintenance 

Routine garage door maintenance can also contribute to the integrity of your garage door and the overall safety of your garage. Here is a shortlist of garage door maintenance tips that you may want to consider to keep your garage door in excellent condition so it can effectively keep your family and valuables safe.  

  • Lubricate Parts
  • Tighten Up Hardware
  • Check Door Balance
  • Examine the Sealing
  • Test the Auto-Reverse System

Not only does regular garage door maintenance keep you safe, but it can help you prevent costly repairs in the future. To read more about how you can avoid expensive garage door repairs, you can visit our blog here. 

Protect Your Home From Intruders With a Secure Garage Door From Precision Garage Door Las Vegas 

Precision Garage Door Las Vegas understands this is a trying time for everyone. That is why we have taken steps to follow CDC guidelines to the letter in regards to COVID-19. We are enacting added safety precautions to ensure our customers and their home environments are left undisturbed. If you want to make your garage door more secure, or are in need of garage door repair or installation services, our highly trained garage door technicians can be there in under 2 hours outfitted in protective gear and ready to serve you. 

For assistance with a new garage door opener or if you’re looking to replace your old garage door, use our interactive Garage Door Designer or contact us directly at 702-637-2700. Our garage door installation experts can answer your questions or schedule a free over-the-phone or online estimate.

Time for a Garage Door Opener Safety Check?

702Padmin on July 27, 2015

garage door opener safety check

Featuring convenience a homeowners’ garage, haven for automobiles and expensive toys, is more important to us than we would have otherwise thought possible. But the one thing keeping our belongings safely stored inside, is also the one thing that often goes unnoticed, at least until something goes awry: the garage door opener.

Garage door openers are designed to control the opening and closing of the garage door, either through a wall-mounted switch or radio transmitted remote, approximately 1,500 times over the course of a year depending on the homeowners’ schedule.

Due to the strain of controlling a door weighing 150 pounds and up, they or one of their countless components may become defective, which can unfortunately create significant safety hazards. Hazards that when left unchecked can quickly lead to the occurrence of an accident. The following facts demonstrate these risks:

  • Typically the largest, not to mention heaviest, moving objects within your home many of the garage door’s components are held under an immense amount of tension.
  • According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, injuries caused by the improper use (or a malfunctioning) garage door account for approximately 20,000 emergency room visits per year.
  • Although severe injuries or worse can occur due to entrapment (caused when the door fails to automatically reverse); the majority of these ER visits are the result of pinched fingers.

While safety hazards are very much real, routine garage door opener safety checks, along with preventative maintenance are two great ways to ensure the safety of everyone in the home as well as those outside the home. They can also help you avoid getting stuck with costly repair bills when things go awry.

When performing the following inspections, inspectors should never attempt to fix any defects they may encounter, as the door and all its components including the garage door opener can pose significant hazards. Garage door and garage door opener repair is NOT DIY friendly!

Garage Door Opener Safety Check | Tests

Test the Door’s Balance and Alignment

Once a month, you should test the door’s alignment, and balance of your garage door. To do this, you will need to first disengage the garage door opener from the door itself, which is actually quite simple. Simply pull the red manual release rope straight down and then back.

Once you have done this, attempt to open the door, all the while taking note of how the door feels as it’s opening (i.e. does it feel light, easily moves without sticking, sticks during movement). If it sticks during the test, the door is not properly aligned, which puts undo strain on the garage door opener.

If the door is out of balance immediate repair is required!

Test the Safety Reversal System

In addition to testing the door’s overall balance and alignment, you should test the safety reverse of the garage door opener, as this prevents the door from continuing to close should someone or something get in its path.

With the door fully open, place a 2×4 flat (or similar size object) on the floor, centered directly under the floor. Operate the door in the down direction. When the door hits the object, it should automatically stop, and immediately reverse direction. Never attempt to stop the door using your hands or an object.

If the door fails this step immediately seek professional help!

Test the Photoelectric Sensors

Photoelectric sensors, aka safety eyes, located at the base of each side of the garage door emit an invisible beam. If the beam is broken, the sensors will instruct the opener to immediately reverse the door’s direction, rather than continuing to close. Proper alignment and functioning is imperative.

To test these sensors, operate the door and as the door is closing, roll a ball across the path of the sensors. The door should immediately stop and reverse direction. Malfunctioning or misaligned photoelectric safety sensors have the potential to cause severe injuries to occur.

If your sensors failed this test immediately contact a technician!

Safety Advice for Homeowners

  • Never attempt to adjust or repair springs on your own. These components are held under extreme tension, and can snap forcefully, causing serious injury to occur.
  • Never allow children to play with the garage door openers’ wall-mounted switch or radio-transmitted remote. They are NOT toys. You should also teach them about garage door safety.
  • Never try to enter or exit your garage while the door is in motion. Should the safety revere not be working properly, this could cause you to become entrapped under the door.

 

The Pros of Having a Garage

702Padmin on May 1, 2015

the pros of having a garage

{Image Source: www.pixabay.com}

The pros of having a garage are numerous. Living in Las Vegas, I’m sure you know how it is to step out of your house on a 90+ degree day, just to go start your car. And if you have leather…forget about it! After running the engine for five minutes or so, the car is usually cool enough for you to stomach getting into, let alone driving to your destination.

For those of you that maintain your car on a do it yourself basis, you probably know what the inconvenience of working on it outside is like, especially when you have to slide under it and you get burnt due to the hot sidewalk. A garage can change all that as well as provide you with the following benefits:

The Storage Potential

A garage opens up an enormous amount of additional storage space. If you own it; you can store it. Besides storing the obvious (your car) a garage provides ample space for storing landscaping equipment, tools, bikes, annual decorations and everything in between. When you run out of floor space, make sure to look up at the walls and ceiling for more storage space.

The Property Value

Adding a garage is a reasonably good investment according to remodeling magazine’s 2015 “Cost vs. Value Report.” If you invest $52,382, which is the national average, on this addition you can expect to recoup 64.8 percent or $33,938 of your investment at resale – or refinance. Already have a garage that you want to replace the door on?

Midrange garage door replacements, which on average cost $1,595, can net you 88.4 percent or $1,410 of your initial investment at time of resale. This a 5.9 percent higher rate than an upgrade garage door replacement. Whichever of the three options you choose, you can feel confident knowing that you’re making a good decision, economically speaking.

The Potential

Who said a garage had to be boring? Garages are like a blank canvas. Their usability options are endless. With the space they provide you can turn them into workshops, gyms, home offices, day cares and the list goes on. Want to liven them up? Try painting the walls a cheerful color. And don’t forget the floors. Many options for garage flooring exist today including epoxy flooring.

The Pre-Vacation Checklist

702Padmin on August 19, 2014

Your bags are packed, boarding passes in hand, family pets are taken care of and you are ready to leave it all behind for a great two-week vacation. Not so fast. Have you taken care of everything you need to before you leave? After all, your home will be empty and vulnerable to a break-in. Better take a look at this pre-vacation checklist:

Stop the Mail and Newspaper
Notify your local post office to put your mail on hold while you are gone. USPS actually allows you to do this online. If you have a newspaper delivered, advise them that you will be gone as well.

Tell the Neighbors or Friends
If you have a neighbor you trust or a friend nearby, ask them to keep an eye on your house. Provide them with a way to contact you and let them know when you are leaving and returning. If you have someone that will be house-sitting, it’s a good idea advise neighbors that there will be a car in your driveway they may not recognize.

Turn Off Automatic Irrigation
If you have an automatic irrigation system, you may just want to shut it down while you are on vacation. Busted irrigation pipes are a hard thing to deal with from afar.

Forward Your Home Phone
If you have a land line at your home, forward the number to your cell phone if possible. Never leave a voice message that you will be out of town.

Invest in Light Timers or Home Automation
Making your home look lived in while you’re away can help keep it safe. Invest in light timers that come on at night for at least two rooms. For a little more money, you could always have a home automation system installed to allow you to control lights from anywhere you go with your smart phone or tablet.

DON’T Post on Social Media
While you’ll be tempted to share all the great things about your vacation to the social media world, you never know who’s hand that information will land in. More and more, burglars scan social media networks to look for easy targets. Keep your photo’s to yourself while you are away, the post away when you get home!

Lock Up and Set the Alarm
Make sure all doors and windows are locked and secure, especially the door to your garage. If your automatic garage door has a lock feature, use that as well. There are additional steps you can take to keep your garage door safe as well. If you have a security system installed, notify the alarm company that you will be away and give them a local contact in case something happens.

Vacations are for resting and relaxing. By taking these few simple steps, you can have piece of mind your home is safe and secure while you are away.

Protecting Your Perimeter

702Padmin on April 10, 2014

Perimeter Alert SystemsIt’s a well known fact that unsecured garages can be taken advantage of by criminals to break into your home. While there are many steps you can take to secure you garage, as we covered in a previous post, there are also ways to protect the perimeter of your home so you can detect a person or vehicle approaching before they reach your house.

Liftmaster Perimeter Alert Systems work by setting up motion sensors in various spots around you home. When a sensor detects movement, you are alerted with light and sound from you system base. The sensors can work from up to a 1/2 mile from your home. The detect any movement within 30 feet and provide 120 degree coverage from side to side.

The best part about the Liftmaster Perimeter Alert System is how affordable it is. Our expert technicians can install the system for you to insure you have the best perimeter coverage possible and are never caught off guard when someone approaches your home.

These systems are perfect for working families that have teens who come home alone after school, elderly residents, and anyone that just wants extra piece of mind to keep their home safe. The extra time provided knowing someone is approaching can allow you to secure locks on your doors and windows and contact the authorities if necessary.

The system is also helpful in simply letting you know when expected guests arrive so you can finish any last minute preparations quickly or unlock doors to let them in.

If you are interested in learning more about the Liftmaster Perimeter Alert System, please call Precision Garage Door of Las Vegas today. We can give you a free estimate for installation and go over any features you may have questions about.

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