How secure is your garage door?

What stands between a would-be burglar and the contents of your garage? Your possessions – and this may include all your wordly belongings if there’s a connecting door through to the house – are only as safe as your garage door is strong. If your garage door is more than about 10 years old, or if you’re at all worried about property crime levels in your neighbourhood, you are strongly advised to review your garage security. Guest poster, Dakota Murphey, explains why.

You may think that it’s hard to break into a garage, particularly if you have handleless roller or sectional style garage doors or automated operation. The truth of the matter is that garage doors that have not been properly installed or maintained, those with dented or damaged frames or otherwise showing signs of age could be broken into in as little as 10 seconds. Let that sink in.

How can a garage door be broken into?

Garage doors can be forced open in a number of ways, with older doors being easier to overcome than newer models with more sophisticated security features. Older garage doors with a single lock are particularly at risk of simply having their locks drilled or cut out completely.

Another weak spot for older doors is the top of the door where it meets the frame. A simple crowbar action can dislodge the locking mechanism at the top of an up and over door in order to gain entry. Modern garage doors are fitted with a special bar to protect this spot.

Roller and sectional doors don’t have the same weakness due to their construction and the way the door opens, and are therefore a safer option. However, this doesn’t mean that the garage can’t be broken into. All it takes is a determined burglar and some power tools to cut through the door panel and fold it back, and bingo.

Important security features for garage doors

These days, a number of important security features should come as standard in all modern door styles and designs from reputable manufacturers. These include

• A euro profile anti-snap cylinder locking system which means that even if snapped or drilled, the lock still won’t budge
• Strong bars or rods (rather than traditional cables) that protect the locks from being prized open from the outside
• A minimum of 2 locking points internally (one on each side), with an option to upgrade to a 4 point locking system available by some manufacturers, notably Hörmann and Garador

Automatic garage doors have secure locking mechanisms that are powered by the door motor, which is designed to keep pushing the door down unless it is remotely activated to open.

It is worth remembering that the garage lock is only as effective as the overall strength of the door panel and the fixing sub frame it operates in. Whether the door frame is made from timber or steel, it is imperative that it should be fitted square and with the correct fixings so the door cannot be forced.

For additional protection of your garage, you should consider fitting security lighting at the front of your home in the vicinity of the garage.

Which garage doors are secure?

All brand new garage doors should offer a high level of basic security which will challenge the opportunist burglar. That said, some garage door types are more secure than others.

Up and over garage doors with a steel sub frame and a euro profile cylinder 4 point locking system would deter most would-be burglars unless they were carrying specialist tools.

Sectional garage doors have a strong basic design where individual door panel sections have 4 encapsulated rollers on each side, moving behind a steel sub frame. This provides great lateral strength which makes it almost impossible to penetrate by force, especially if fitted behind an opening.

Side hinged steel garage doors with steel box section fixing frames, particularly those with double skinned steel panels, offer a very high degree of protection. For added strength, fit with a hydraulic electric door operator with an electro magnetic lock.

Roller garage doors with double skinned insulation are another secure option just so long as they are fitted with good quality side guides and bottom slats, and a proven locking systems with roll code technology for remote electric operation. Basic single steel roller shutter doors may be much cheaper, but security is not their strong point.

Other garage security considerations

Garage door defenders for up and over doors provide extra heavy-duty and highly visible security. When anchored securely into the ground, a garage door defender prevents entry by blocking the door being opened outwards, even when the lock is compromised – much like a steering lock on a car. Defenders are most effective when placed centrally in front of the garage door, but they must be fixed properly into the substrate, which should ideally be concrete, tarmac or paving.

An intruder alarm is always worth considering, whether your garage is standalone, attached or integral to your house, as is security lighting. This is particularly recommended if your home is situated in a remote area away from traffic, or screened by hedges or fencing. Most new alarm systems are wireless and movement sensors and image/video footage can often easily be connected to your computer or smartphone.

Finally, it is always advisable to have sufficient home contents insurance cover in place that includes the contents of your garage, as well as your garage door – just in case. Do check with your insurance provider and make sure you inform them of any additional home and garage security features in place. You may even get a reduction on your premium.

Images via Shutterstock

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