Block Thieves From Your Home With These Cheap Garage Upgrades
Do you want better safety and security for your home, but don't really know where to start? Perhaps the best place to begin is by assessing how you can improve a few known weak spots most houses have. One place that not enough homeowners pay attention to when thinking about home safety is the garage. Because it rarely gets updated, may be in a dark and seldom-used location and often has easy access to the house, the garage can be a major place for thieves to get inside.
The good news is that there are several inexpensive ways to upgrade your garage's security without adding an expensive alarm system. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Lock the Overhead
Closing the overhead door when you leave for a long period of time seems sufficient to prevent break-ins, but it may not be. The controls are still active, after all, and can be misused. The door itself may be a weakness as well, if it's old or has gaps. A simple solution to this potential problem is to prevent it from being opened in any way. There are usually two ways to do this: unplug the control unit while you're away or use an old-fashioned padlock to secure the inside latch.
Install Motion Sensors
Thieves are unlikely to spend time trying to break into a door when there's a light overhead illuminating their activities. If your outside lighting is sufficient already, you can purchase independent motion sensor units that attach to existing light fixtures. If your overall lighting plan outside the garage (consider the positions of lighting on all sides) leaves areas unlit, look for motion sensor lights. To prevent unwanted activation, keep the sensors aimed close to the garage and limit the range of detection.
Tint the Windows
Enterprising thieves use garage doors and windows as ways to see what's going on inside and what's available. You can prevent them from "casing the joint" by covering the garage windows with reflective film. This type of one-way or privacy film allows sunlight to continue to enter the garage while still blocking outside views.
Lock the Inside Doors
Most homeowners with an attached garage rely on the overhead door and the exterior door to provide security for the house. While it is more convenient to leave the interior door for the main house unlocked, adding that extra level of security if someone does get into the garage can be extremely helpful. Make sure the interior door is a fire door (rated for at least 20 minutes) and is solid-core. Install a deadbolt lock with screws long enough to reach past the door jamb and into the frame.
By focusing on simple changes like locking the overhead door when on vacation, covering windows and upgrading your outside lights, you can increase your safety tremendously for just a little extra work. And then you can start enjoying your added peace of mind today. Click here to read more.
Share