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With the holidays coming up, I\u2019ve been thinking about hot cocoa<\/a>, how to get into the spirit of the season<\/a>, and . . . home security.<\/a><\/p>\n A 2022 study found that burglaries increase during the holidays due to more people being away from home because of travel and the presence of more high-value items in the home in the form of gifts to be given and gifts received.<\/p>\n One area in which I\u2019m focusing on beefing up security is my garage. I tend to forget about it as a home access point, but criminals don\u2019t. Every few years, our neighborhood gets hit with a string of garage burglaries. People get stuff stolen from their garages or thieves enter the home through the garage and burglarize the house.<\/p>\n Below, I outline some easy measures to take to make your garage more secure.<\/p>\n If you park your car in the driveway, don\u2019t leave the garage door opener in it. This may seem like a no-brainer, but people sometimes forget. Burglars often break into a parked car in the driveway, grab the opener, use it, and clean out the garage.<\/p>\n Sure, this seems like a no-brainer as well, but people neglect to close their garage doors all the time. An open garage door with bikes, tools, and toys screams \u201cRob me!\u201d A burglar can run into the garage, take what he wants, and get away, all while you\u2019re unawares, sitting in the house watching Elf<\/em>.<\/p>\n Criminals can access garages by buying a universal garage door opener that works across different older units. They just pull up to houses and click the remote to see if the garage door opens.<\/p>\n Another way thieves can get into your house is by using a “code grabbing” device. Think of your garage door opener like a TV remote. When you press the button, it sends a signal to your garage door receiver saying, “Hey, it’s me! Open up!”<\/p>\n The problem? Bad guys can grab that signal from the air.<\/p>\n Here’s the criminal play-by-play:<\/p>\n A garage door opener with rolling-code technology prevents both issues. It generates a new code every time you use it. It\u2019s like a new password for every Gmail login, making it harder for intruders to crack.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re gone for long periods, use your garage door\u2019s deadbolt. It\u2019s installed on the inside and slides a metal bar into the track, preventing the door from opening. Most deadbolts need to be engaged and disengaged manually. Some openers allow you to set up a system for automatic deadbolting when you close the door.<\/p>\n See that emergency release cord dangling from your opener? A bad guy can gain access to your garage by breaking a window or sticking a wire hanger through the top of your garage door and pulling it.<\/p>\n To prevent this break-in method, thread a zip tie through the release lever<\/a> and secure it. This makes it much harder for a bad guy to release the latch because he doesn\u2019t have adequate leverage from the position in which he\u2019s reaching into the garage. If you need to release the latch in an emergency, pulling down hard on the cord will break the zip tie.<\/p>\n If your garage has a side door, remember to keep it secured. Install and use deadbolt locks.<\/p>\n If a criminal breaches your garage, ensure they can\u2019t enter further into your home. Install a sturdy door from your garage into your home and deadbolt it at night. Make it part of your 9 PM Security Routine<\/a>.<\/p>\n If your garage door has windows, tint them so burglars can\u2019t see inside.<\/p>\n Most burglars are criminals of opportunity. They\u2019re typically only going to hit homes they can access easily without being detected. The presence of lights and cameras is one of the factors that make your home a less enticing target.<\/p>\n Install motion-activated floodlights next to your garage door and other access points, and combine them with a wireless security camera. I\u2019ve used these Ring floodlights\/cameras<\/a> for years. They work great.<\/p>\n Garage door openers have evolved since the 1980s. Most integrate with your smartphone and offer features for home security, like issuing alerts when the door opens or allowing you to check if you left the door open after, say, leaving on a family road trip to Santa Fe (guilty, guilty).<\/p>\n1. Don\u2019t Leave Your Garage Door Opener in the Car (Duh!)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
2. Keep Your Garage Door Closed (Double Duh!)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
3. Upgrade Your Garage Door Opener to One With Rolling-Code Technology<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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4. Use Your Garage Door\u2019s Deadbolt<\/strong><\/h2>\n
5. Secure Your Garage Door\u2019s Emergency Release Cord<\/strong><\/h2>\n
6. Secure Garage\u2019s Side Door<\/strong><\/h2>\n
7. Secure the Garage-to-Home Door<\/strong><\/h2>\n
8. Tint Windows<\/strong><\/h2>\n
9. Install Exterior Lights and Cameras<\/strong><\/h2>\n
10. Utilize Smart Tech Solutions<\/strong><\/h2>\n
11. Maintain Your Garage Door<\/strong><\/h2>\n