Leaving your garage door open is easy to overlook — but a big temptation for thieves. You might figure what’s the harm in leaving your door open if you’re home? Someone could easily walk up your driveway and snag an expensive bike, a weed whip, a set of golf clubs. Theft is rampant in Sacramento, especially in neighborhoods like Davis, Gold River, Folsom, El Dorado Hills, and Rocklin. It can even be a liability if you are just in the backyard doing yard work. Thieves like to work fast.

Not only that, but leaving your door open on a regular basis can dramatically increase your air conditioning bills because it exposes your home to the hot summer air.

Let’s look at these 2 reasons in detail.

1) Theft

One of the primary reasons why thieves gain access to homes is because homeowners left their garage door open or their interior garage door unlocked. While it’s okay to leave your door open if you’re present, make sure to shut it if you can’t be nearby. You don’t want any suspicious individuals entering your garage, or worse, your home.

2) Increased energy costs.

Because your garage is the largest opening on your home, it can significantly lower or increase your home’s temperature if left open for prolonged periods of time. If you frequently leave your door open, then it could lead to hundreds of dollars in heating and cooling costs.

While we often take our garage door for granted, it does play an important part in keeping our home comfortable and safe to live in.