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5 Ways to Prevent Garage Break-ins While Away from Home

01/15/2017

Reminder - Keep Your Garage Door ClosedWhen out on vacation, the last thing a person wants to worry about is the security of their home. With just a few minutes of your time, you can reduce the likelihood of a break-in by securing one of the most common weak points of a home: the garage.

Garage door break-ins are on the rise, with one popular method only requiring a clothes hanger and a few seconds. Following these five steps can help keep intruders out of your garage, and ultimately, your home.

  1. Secure the Garage’s Emergency Release
    • To prevent intruders from engaging your garages manual release from the outside, place a zip tie through the emergency release valve as shown in this video. Note that you should keep a tool within the garage that can break this zip tie in the event of an emergency.
  2. Unplug Your Automatic Opener
    • Garage door opener hacking is now a thing. To prevent this, just unplug the power cord on your opener while you’re away on vacation.
  3. Padlock the Track
    • Inserting a lock, bolt, or clamp into the garage door track offers a physical means to prevent the door from opening.
  4. Keep the Interior Garage Door Locked
    • Many homeowners leave their interior garage door unlocked for easy entry. This door should stay locked, especially while on vacation.
  5. Call a Technician
    • Speak with your local garage door repair company and have them come over to inspect the door. Tune-ups are very affordable, and it can help to have a professional set of eyes examining your door for weak points.

Don’t Forget the Rest of Your Home!

Remember, securing your garage door is only one piece of the puzzle. Homeowners should also take other preventative measures including:

  • Sign up for an alarm system.
  • Install exterior lighting with automatic sensors.
  • Keep a few lights on when you’re away.
  • Have a friend or neighbor keep tabs on your home.
  • Try to keep valuables secured in heavy-duty safe.

By spending a little extra time securing your home, you can reduce the risk of break-ins and have some peace of mind while on vacation.

How Long Do Garage Door Springs Last with Daily Use?

The answer depends on two factors: the type of springs you use and often you operate your door. For example, torsion garage springs are usually rated for 15,000 or more cycles whereas extension could be as low as 7,500. A single cycle counts as both opening and closing your garage door. If you operate your garage door 4 times a day, a 15,000-cycle spring will last on average 10 years. Keep in mind that this number isn’t exact. Your springs may last longer or shorter if you don’t take care of them.

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