Remember the Garage!
You’ve done your research, comparison shopped for a security system that includes fire and heat detection and are ready to move forward to protect your home and family. You are confident that you have planned for everything you’ll need. But did you remember the garage? Here are some tips for ways to protect your garage while protecting the rest of your home.
Theft Protection
Keep your overhead door closed at all times – even when you are home. Thieves have been known to walk right into the garage and take off with a bicycle or other equipment, even with the homeowner right inside the house. The thief is betting on being able to get away faster than they can be caught.
Update your garage door opener. Newer technology includes rolling radio signal codes so that a new code is generated every time the door is open. This makes it difficult for a hacker to find the right code for your particular door. But garage door openers have a long lifespan. If you have one from before this technology was introduced (early 2000s), it is time to upgrade. Check the inside of your remote and if you see DIP switches like in the picture below, you need a new one!
If you don’t park your car in the garage, be sure your garage door opener isn’t easily accessible to a thief who breaks in to your car. They can quickly go from stealing phone chargers and loose change from the car to getting an expensive chain saw or generator if they find the opener in the car and gain entry to the garage.
Security System Tips
Add your pedestrian door and overhead door in the garage to the alarm system. Opportunists will be happy to get away with the items in your garage without the risk of entering the home. Shut them down by locking the door and adding door contacts that will trigger the alarm.
If you have an attached garage, keep the door to the house locked and include a door contact on it. Burglars are going to be cautious about breaking into a home where they are visible from the street. However, under the cover of the garage, they can spend more time and not have to worry about nosy neighbors paying attention.
Finally, include a driveway camera and motion detection lights in your security plan to capture video footage of anyone approaching the garage or to startle them with a light coming on at night as they approach.
Include Environmental Alerts
Install heat detectors (not smoke detectors) in the garage to be alerted if there is a fire. Since many homes have the water heater, breaker box or chemicals stored in the garage, fire is a real risk. In addition, fires in the garage can spread to your home quickly. Early notification is important to protect your family and home.
Carbon monoxide detectors in the home and garage are important too. Since CO has no smell, taste or color, there is no other way to detect if there is a high quantity in your home, which can be deadly. You can have these added to your alarm system as well or use a battery powered one that makes an audible sound if it detects the CO at unsafe levels.
We all know never to sit in a running car in the garage, but here is a real-life story about why CO monitors are so important. A woman was out running errands and received some bad news about a family member. Once she returned home, she was so distracted and upset that she forgot to turn off the car’s engine, closed all the garage doors and entered the house. A couple of hours later the carbon monoxide alarm sounded which, as a result, both saved her life from the deadly gas, but also from the car engine possibly overheating, catching on fire and burning down her home.
We Can Help!
Cultris Security Systems has been designing comprehensive security and fire alarm plans for homes and businesses for over 16 years. Let us help you with the right solution for your needs and budget, including garage security. Call us today at 281-506-8466 or visit us online.
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