Being the biggest entrance to your home, it’s safe to say your garage door has the potential to make or break the security of your home. Poorly-taken-care-of overhead garage doors will risk the safety of you and yours, while a well-maintained garage door with a couple extra security features can make your home impenetrable from people with bad intentions. 

Here are 10 suggestions for how to make sure your garage door isn’t a weak spot in your home security system:

1. We are a huge fan of Wyze modular security systems. These little $30 Wi-Fi cameras have motion sensors and remote monitoring, all from an app on your phone. Place as many as you want and have your garage (and home) covered from all angles, the footage accessible in seconds with a couple taps on your home screen.

2. Add some motion sensor floodlights to your Wyze system; place one on either side of your garage door. Motion sensing lights paired with motion sensing cameras is a surefire way to deter people with bad intentions.

3. Consider frosting your garage door’s windows, or getting crafty and adding color and texture with paint for stained glass windows. It’s a way to add a bit of style to your garage door and still get natural light in there, but nobody can see what’s inside.

4. Install a security timer on your garage door opener. That way, you don’t have to double check the garage is closed up each night, because it will always happen automatically.

5. Keep up on your regular garage door maintenance, including inspections, cleanings, lubrication, etc. And when you see a garage door part that’s wearing down, don’t wait on it. Something small can become something big in just a moment – you never know.

6. The door from your garage into your home might seem like something that’s no big deal, but should someone manage to get into your garage, if you leave that interior garage door unlocked or unkempt, it’s not a deterrent. Treat that interior garage door just like you would your home’s front and back doors; it’s an easy habit to get into, and could make all the difference. 

7. Keep your garage door’s weather and bottom seals in good condition. Don’t let them become brittle or fall loose.

8. Never leave your garage door opener remote in your car, and when it’s inside, make sure it’s somewhere safe the kids and pets can’t get to. Or, upgrade to a smart garage door opener and ditch the remote altogether.

9. Place a slide lock on either side of the interior of your garage door. This is a great solution for people who worry about what they’ll do in power outages, or in case of leaving for long vacations.

10. This one’s not really about your garage door, but is nevertheless something people may not think of when they consider their home’s security. Those big bushes around your front door? Or decorative grasses and trees on either side of your garage door? They may look nice, but they’re a great spot for someone to hide away in. Consider a cleaner, paired down look for the front of your home; it’s safer.

Everyone wants to go to sleep at night knowing their family is safe and sound, and their property is secure. Follow these tips, and where your garage may have been a weak spot in your home’s security, it will become an absolute fortress. Now just to get all those boxes of junk out of there….