Protecting Your Garage Door from Home Burglaries

Have you ever wondered how criminals manage to still break into houses even though we have more security features than ever before? Well, the old adage, “Desperation breeds innovation” rings true here. People around the country have been reporting burglars breaking into their homes via the garage door in a pretty unique way. But it isn’t where they’re entering the house that’s unusual (garages are a common break-in point), it’s how they’re doing it. It appears that many thieves are now threading wire coat hangers through garage doors and opening them by hooking and pulling the emergency lever. What’s more shocking: it can be done in 6 seconds flat. But before you decide to demolish your garage altogether, know that you do have several options for keeping your home safe! Here are a few tips for combating this break-in method:

1. Try the zip tie trick. This solution will only set you back $5 and can completely thwart a thief’s attempt to break into your garage with a wire hanger. Simply use a zip tie (available at any hardware or home improvement store) to fasten the emergency release lever to the garage door track. When burglars try to hook the emergency latch, the resistance will cause their wire to bend and straighten out, rendering it useless. This method will prevent it from being pulled open by a simple tug, but in the event you need to use the emergency lever to open the door, all you’ll need to do is cut the zip tie. You could also remove the cord handle altogether.
2. Replace garage door stripping. Loose stripping makes it easier for burglars to wedge an object (like a small block of wood) underneath, effectively creating an opening to thread the wire into the garage. Although tightening the garage stripping won’t make break-ins impossible, it’s likely that they will make it just difficult enough that a burglar might give up out of fear of getting caught.
3. Most people don’t lock the door that connects the garage to their home. However, if a thief manages to break into your garage, that gives them easy access into your entire house where you likely have many valuable items. If you lock your door, a burglar’s plan will begin and end with your garage, instead of causing you a much bigger problem.
4. Investing in a quality garage door opener can also help you optimize your home security.

We unfortunately live in a world where garage door break-ins happen, but you can take steps to protect yourself and lessen the likelihood that your garage will be successfully broken into. As you can see above, home and garage door safety doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. If you have questions or concerns about your garage door or garage door opener, call Hill Country Overhead Door in San Antonio for assistance.