Window of Opportunity: Are Your Garage Doors Inviting Burglars?

We all worry about our home’s safety. It’s a natural instinct to protect our home and hearth. Many people take precautions all the time when they do things like leave town to go on vacation or live in a new area. Whether it’s locking your doors, leaving lights on when you leave for the day, buying a security system, or choosing to adopt a large dog over a little one, you’ve probably taken such a measure yourself. However, there’s one vulnerability people often fail to recognize: their garage doors. Your residential garage doors are a sturdy piece of technology, but they are the entry point for 9% of burglaries. If you’re concerned about your home’s security, you might want to take a look at the garage. Whether it’s burglars or a more personal intruder, your doors need to be able to stand up to forceful entry. Luckily, the experts are here to help you in all things garage door security. Here’s an informed look as to why your garage doors may not be as safe as you think, and why they should be a priority for making your home a safe and secure place.

Why You Should Be Concerned About Your Residential Garage Doors

People are often concerned about burglars or thieves “casing the joint”, which is to say a premeditated attack. Forwarded e-mails or news reports warn us to keep an eye out for someone circling the block or inspecting your home. While these can be a threat, the vast majority of thieves and burglars forgo doing their homework and just move in for the attack. According to a report by researchers who interviewed over four hundred career burglars, premeditated or planned burglaries are relatively rare. 41% of home burglaries are spur of the moment with absolutely no planning, which means that someone will move from passerby to attacker in a matter of minutes. 37% of burglars premeditate some attacks, but will act in the spur of the moment if they see an opportunity. Only 22% of burglars will exclusively engage in premeditated attacks. This means that the majority of burglars don’t fit the “stereotype” of carefully planning and devising attacks well in advance. Entry points such as your back door or an open window are more common, but that means that smart homeowners likely already have them covered. However, their garage door is often neglected and therefore serves as a tempting opening.

How the Media Receives Homeowners Regarding Home Invasions

If you’ve ever watched the evening news, you’ve likely seen a report of a home invasion or burglary. The stock images you see are often of shattered windows and broken down doors. Furthermore, there’s a myth that burglars are determined to close in and get the goods no matter the cost. The movie Home Alone, while meant to be family friendly, is an excellent example of this media misconception. The burglars are scared off again and again by the protagonist Kevin and his clever traps, yet they rally and return for another shot. However, the previously mentioned study is just one more piece of information that proves a real life situation would play out quite differently. If a burglar can ease open your residential garage doors, he or she will sneak in without a care in the world. However, thieves are easily spooked. A loud noise or a bright light from an alarm system is often enough to deter intruders. This means that if you have technicians ensure your garage door is secure, you’ve made a major step towards home safety. Burglars will rarely stick around and try the same entry point over and over. Instead, they’ll try another neighbourhood with easier pickings.

Signs Your Garage Doors Are An Easy Entry Point

When burglars are looking at your home and seeing signs that no one is home, they will begin looking for entry points. Closed windows, locked doors, or a barking dog can dissuade them from certain entry ways. How can your garage door send the same message? A good idea is to look out for these signs that a burglar will pick up on and use to his or her advantage.

• Chipped paint or other signs of age: Older doors, especially ones with signs of decay or negligence, are the same as a welcome mat to a burglar. This shows that they can easily manipulate the door without alerting neighbours.
• An unlocked, open, or unsecured door: While technology has made it easier than ever to avoid one of these slipups, you should always triple and quadruple check to make sure that your door hasn’t been left open. Needless to say, doing so allows an invader to stroll into your house without a care in the world.
• Damaged or dented panels: Maybe one of your teenagers or a guest accidentally banged up your garage doors. You were mildly annoyed at the time, but it’s fallen off your radar in light of other responsibilities. You keep meaning to get some residential garage door maintenance and repair done, but you keep leaving it for tomorrow. Then one day, you wake up and your home has been burgled. This is an all too common occurrence. Burglars and thieves see dented and damaged panels as a sign of vulnerability, just like leaving a key in the lock.

Canadians often brag about the sense of security and safety they have in their homes. You can often hear someone say that they don’t even lock their doors at night! However, it only takes hearing one story about a friend, neighbour, or loved one who was burgled to shape up and take security seriously.

When you’re looking at your residential garage doors, try to do so through the eyes of a burglar. You may be surprised at how vulnerable your home becomes through that perspective. For experts on garage door security and maintenance, call the professionals at McKee-Horrigan Inc. at 1 888 244 4171 today. We’d be happy to provide you with service or a free quote.