Plenty of homeowners put a deadbolt on the front door and then leave the garage, with a door straight into the house, protected by a remote clipped to the car visor. The garage is often the easiest way in, and most of the fixes are cheap.
Here are ten practical checks, roughly in order of how much they matter.
1. Lock the door from the garage into the house
Treat it like an exterior door: a solid-core or metal door with a deadbolt, and keep it locked at night and when you’re out. If someone gets into the garage, this is what stops them getting into your home.
2. Secure the emergency release
The red release cord is a safety feature, but on many doors it can be hooked from outside with a bent coat hanger pushed through the top weatherseal, letting someone disconnect the opener and lift the door in seconds. A shield over the release lever, or a zip tie threaded through the release so it can’t be tripped by a hook, stops that. A firm pull from inside still releases it. Make sure everyone in the house can still use it in an emergency (see our power-cut guide).
3. Don’t leave the remote in a car parked outside
A remote on the visor of a car parked on the driveway is a key to your house. Take it inside, or swap it for a keychain remote. If your car has a built-in opener button, lock the car.
4. Make sure your opener uses rolling codes
Openers from roughly the mid-1990s on use rolling-code remotes that change the code every time, so a thief can’t record and replay your signal. If your remotes have a row of tiny switches inside, you have an old fixed-code system and should upgrade. See our garage door openers guide.
5. Use the lock or vacation mode
Most modern wall controls have a lock button that disables every remote. Use it when you’re away for more than a day.
6. Lock the door itself when you travel
Use the manual slide lock on the inside of the door when you’re away. Unplug the opener first, or the motor could strain against the lock if someone presses a button.
7. Change the keypad code
If you’ve had builders, a dog walker or a house-sitter, change the outdoor keypad code. Don’t use your house number, birthday or 1234.
8. Cover the garage windows
Frosted film on garage door windows and side windows keeps your tools, bikes and the empty space where your car usually sits out of view.
9. Add smart alerts or a camera
A smart opener or add-on sensor sends an alert to your phone if the door opens, or if it’s been left open. A motion light over the driveway is a cheap extra deterrent.
10. Keep the door working properly
A door that doesn’t close fully, or reverses and gets left open, is a security problem. If it reverses, see garage door won’t close. If the remote’s playing up, see remote not working.
What not to do
Never disable the safety sensors or the auto-reverse to stop the door being reopened. Those features protect children and pets, and they’re required on every opener made since 1993.
When a new opener is the better fix
If your opener uses fixed-code remotes, has no lock mode, or predates the 1993 sensor requirement, replacing it fixes several security weaknesses at once. Expect $215 to $800 installed.
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Frequently asked questions
Can burglars open garage doors with a coat hanger?
On some doors, yes, by hooking the emergency release. A release shield or zip tie prevents it.
Can someone copy my garage door remote?
Not easily with a modern rolling-code opener. Older fixed-code systems are vulnerable.
Should I lock the door from the garage into my house?
Yes. Treat it as an exterior door.
How do I secure my garage door when I’m on vacation?
Use the wall control’s lock mode, unplug the opener and use the manual lock.
Sources
- U.S. CPSC: Garage door safety and keeping remotes away from children
- UL Standards & Engagement: UL 325 safety features on openers
