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Break-Ins Through Garage Doors: How Is It Happening? Plus Tips for Protecting Your Home and Family

Garage door break-ins, sadly, are becoming more and more common. Why? Because there’s a simple and easy way to use the garage door to break into a home. Here’s how it works.

First, a thief gains access to your car while it’s away from home. Many cars have a garage door opener remote inside, which acts like a key to the house. Many cars also have an insurance card containing all the information a thief could ever want about you — your address included.

Once a thief has your garage door opener remote and your information, gaining access to your home is easy. That’s why it’s so important to make thieves’ lives a little bit harder. Here are some tips for garage door break-in prevention:

  • Don’t leave your remote in the car: Garage door remote controls of yesteryear were bulky, and the only place to secure them was on the sun visor in your vehicle. That’s no longer the case. You can now buy garage door remotes that work like key chains, which means you can carry them around rather than leave them in your car. You can also find garage door openers with connectivity features that allow you to open and close them using a mobile device. When you choose a key chain garage door remote control, or when you choose to use an app on your phone, your remote is no longer left in the vehicle where it’s vulnerable to compromise.
  • Get a deadbolt: Some garage doors are now available with a deadbolt. This deadbolt makes it virtually impossible for someone to enter through your garage door who isn’t supposed to. Of course, a deadbolt is going to work best when you’re home — it’s hard to deadbolt a garage door while you’re just out running errands. But when you and your family members are at home is the time you’ll most likely want maximum security.
  • Secure your entry doors: While many people focus on securing their front door, and some people focus on securing their garage doors, many fail to think about the door that leads from a garage into a home. Make sure this door is fully secure, that it includes a dependable lock and that it also includes a peephole. If someone is able to gain access to your garage, a secure door between your garage and home means they won’t be able to access the rest of the house.
  • Be careful with windows: Windows can be great for garage doors. They help shine natural light into a garage, and they are sometimes nice for decoration. But windows can also allow outsiders to see what’s inside your garage, which isn’t a good thing. So, if you do have windows on your garage door, make sure they are frosted or otherwise tinted in a way that makes it difficult for outsiders to see what’s inside. Garage door window technology has come a long way in the 21st century, and most windows can now be customized to provide a good balance between privacy and natural light. Make sure your garage door windows strike that balance.
  • Don’t have pet doors: A pet door may seem like a good way to give your dog free access to roam around and enjoy life. But a pet door also gives anyone a way to break into your garage and potentially your home, too. Pet doors are never a good idea. As an added threat, pet doors make it possible for raccoons, possums and other critters to find their way into your garage — where they can cause all sorts of problems and damage. While a garage door pet door may sound like a good idea on the surface, adding these pet doors is one of the least safe things you can do for your garage or your home.

At American Overhead Door, we’ve been proudly serving the Colorado Springs area since 1985. Consider our team a resource when making decisions about your garage door, whether related to how to make a garage door more secure or related to garage door service. We are your comprehensive source for garage door service in Colorado Springs, including garage door repair, garage door maintenance and garage door installation. We can help with securing your garage door from burglary or in getting your garage door working again when it’s experienced a breakdown.

If you’re wondering how to prevent a garage door break-in, turn to the team at American Overhead Door. There’s no obligation to get started with service — we provide free estimates before work begins, and we’re always available to answer questions and walk you through our recommendations.

Contact us today about how to prevent a garage door break-in, or any other questions you might have about garage doors in Colorado Springs.

For further assistance, contact us by calling 719-538-9900 or call us at 719-530-3000 for our Salida location. 

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