Garage door locks – additional security

Have you been considering the addition of a garage door lock at your Roswell, Georgia home? Pat yourself on the back; it’s actually a very good idea! This is because your garage is a vital part of your residential property. Most people have garages that have direct access into their home. Why not consider additional lock protection for it? Even if your garage is detached, you can still better secure its contents.

But, my garage is practically empty!

Garage door locks aren’t just for those with garages full of valuable items. Sure, your new lock can help protect the usual garage possessions like tools, lawn mowers, motorcycles, skateboards, cabinets, stored items, furniture, cleaning supplies, storage bins, work benches and other similar items. Some folks have the garage so full of “stuff” that they have to park in the driveway or on the street. Your car(s) can range from basic transportation to high end luxury vehicles and everything in-between. A thief or crook gaining access to the inside of your garage can simply close the door and ransack your items for theft. He or she can even lie in wait for you to get home and accost you at that point. If your garage leads into your home as many do, they can rob you in broad daylight with no one the wiser.

But, isn’t my garage door already locked when I close it?

Yes and no. If you have an automatic garage door opener attached, it does indeed have a locking mechanism that prevents it from opening when lifted from either the inside or the outside. If you have no opener unit attached, then it is very easy to open your roll-up or tilt-up door and access the inside. Keep in mind that having an automatic garage door opener like one from LiftMaster or Genie, does not guarantee that an intruder or someone else cannot gain access to your garage. For example, if someone else’s remote code is set to the same frequency as yours; your garage door will open when they use their remote.

Start by locking this door!

We are talking about the door inside your garage that leads directly into your home. Does locking this make your house burglar proof? No, but it does add another line of defense. Anyone breaking into your garage must now get past your locked interior door. Consider what would happen if someone managed to open your garage door and your interior door was unlocked. All they have to do is close the garage door, and no one from the outside would know that they are there. They might even drive into your garage and load up their vehicle with your belongings in total privacy. Having your unlocked interior door just makes access to the rest of your home that much easier.

So, what kinds of garage door locks are there?

Let’s start with T-handle locks. These are quite common and instantly recognized by the T shaped handle that turns and unlocks it. The inside of the garage has a cable as well as two bolts. When you turn the T handle, the bolts secure the door. To unlock, simply turn the handle the other way. This type of lock uses a key to secure it. You can drive by most any newer housing development and see these T handle locks on most every garage door.

Slide locks are another option. These have the added benefit of being portable, affordable and easy to use. These simple but effective locks slide onto the track and bolt into place. When used, the bolts prevent the wood or steel garage door from moving up or down. You can buy these slide locks locally or online and they run less than $10 in most cases.

For creative types, use a combination lock like the one you had for your high school locker. The lock needs to still work and you do need to know the combination. Or, simply buy a new one and use that. Pick one of the wheels in your garage door track and insert the Master lock through it. You may have to use a drill and enlarge a hole for the lock to fit properly, but once you do, just add the lock, and this will function much like the slide locks mentioned above. Just don’t forget that the lock is there and don’t forget your combination!
Another homemade garage door lock is the bolt method. This works very similarly to the Master combination lock above. You still drill a hole in the track but instead of slipping the combination lock through it, you insert a bolt instead. The bolt needs to be long enough to secure firmly with a nut in order to lock it in place. Again, don’t forget it’s there! You can cause great damage to your garage door and burn out your opener motor if you forget and try and force it.

Explore your options

There are many other locks that you can use or make for your garage door. Explore your options and look into them. One smart and easy way to do this is to call a full service residential locksmith. If you want to protect a commercial garage, call for a business locksmith technician. Most full service, licensed, bonded and insured locksmith shops will be able to professionally assist you no matter what kind of garage you want to protect. Explain your situation including details about your garage, what it connects to, what’s in it and what your budget requirements are.

Many shops offer free price quotes and some give free consultations upon request. Take inventory of your garage’s contents along with accurate descriptions and pictures if possible. These will help for police reports and for insurance claims if they are ever needed. Invest in the right garage door lock for your needs and don’t forget to lock that interior door!