Garage Security Ideas
How to Improve the Security of Your UK Garage
Your garage is an easy target for thieves. It is filled with high-value items like power tools, bicycles, and often a car (or two).
That means UK homeowners should secure their garage just as well as any other part of their house or property.
An old and rusted garage door or the tempting glint of valuable seen through a poorly secured window can present the perfect opportunity for thieves to gain access. Luckily, there are a few easy ways you can protect your garage – without breaking the bank.
In this guide we will cover all of the ways you can update your garage security, including:
- How do I make my garage more secure?
- Garage door security
- Garage security cameras and alarms
- Garage lighting
- Locks
- Other security ideas
How Do I Make My Garage More Secure?
The best way to improve garage security is to take a layered approach. Break-ins happen through unsecured entry points—such as old garage doors or unlocked windows.
Darkness is the friend of thieves, and your poorly lit garage is at a real risk of being broken into. Improving the security of the entry points and adding more lighting is going to go a long way to keeping intruders out.
Easy Visual Deterrents
Visual deterrents are some of the easiest garage security ideas to implement. Keeping your tools and other high-value items out of sight and putting up signs to warn of alarms and security cameras should work nicely as a deterrent.
Some other simple visual deterrents that you can pick up easily are padlocks and motion-activated lighting.
These are both relatively cheap and easy to install yourself, and can go a long way to reducing the risk of your garage being broken into.
Now, here is when the layered approach comes in. You can’t just put up these visual deterrents and hope for the best.
For actual security, you will need a few additional upgrades, which we discuss below.
Garage Door Security
Your garage door is going to be the first place a thief tries to get in, and most burglars open garage doors like it’s nothing.
It is the biggest and easiest access point, and most people don’t think about updating their door for decades.
If that sounds like you, you are going to want to think about making some of these garage door security upgrades.
Install a New Garage Door
Old up-and-over garage doors are very easy to break into. Any burglar worth his salt can gain access with a few basic tools, whereas a roller garage door is going to give you great protection and even greater peace of mind.
Many of these styles of garage doors have multi-point locking systems already built in, and come equipped with reinforced panels that can’t easily be broken into.
External Garage Locks
External garage locks and bolts aren’t just a visual deterrent. Good-quality locks are going to make it much harder to break in, and many burglars will think twice if they see your garage is locked up tight.
Upgrade the Garage Side Doors and Windows
Only replacing the main garage door will be a huge waste of time if you have an old and crumbling side door too.
Replace your garage side doors and frames with uPVC. Update your garage windows with double glazing, or consider adding bars to stop entry through windows. You can also put up some curtains and keep them closed to stop burglars spotting high-value items lying about.
Security Cameras and Alarm Systems
Your garage door is going to be the first place a thief tries to get in, and most burglars open garage doors like it’s nothing.
It is the biggest and easiest access point, and most people don’t think about updating their door for decades.
If that sounds like you, you are going to want to think about making some of these garage door security upgrades.
Security cameras and alarm systems help take your garage security system up a level. They help to keep your valuables safe and deter burglars from choosing your property as a target.
CCTV and alarms won’t just help you to record any break-ins or suspicious people hanging around your garage—they help you to be aware of anything happening on your property at any time.
A garage security camera or two can give you 24/7 visibility. Many Danmarque customers choose to install cameras facing their driveway or have one inside the garage itself, too.
Smart camera systems (like your Ring doorbell) can be linked directly to your phone and give you an instant alert through a text message or a push notification if anyone suspicious is trying to get into your garage.
Lighting Systems and Motion Detectors
One of the easiest ways to improve garage security is to install some lights. Motion detector lighting makes it a lot harder for any would-be burglars to approach your garage unnoticed. Getting caught in a bright beam of light with their face fully visible on any security cameras wouldn’t be a smart move for a thief to make.
A motion detector light outside your garage will alert you to any movement or motion detected nearby. This helps you to keep an eye on things when you are at home, but is also a pretty useful way of helping you see your way to your front door after an evening out.
Plug-in lights are low-maintenance, and solar-powered ones are energy-efficient, too. Both of these are pretty DIY-friendly, can be installed in under an hour, and help to keep the cost of new lighting down.
Locks and Manual Security Measures
Security doesn’t have to be complicated. Garage locks and other manual security measures can be a great second line of defence if someone isn’t deterred by your cameras and extra lighting. A comprehensive set of measures at the door and other entry points can help slow down thieves or prevent entry altogether.
Start with the obvious entry points. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to improve garage security:
- Add a bolt that secures into the ground to make a sturdy barrier
- Use padlocks or chains to secure older garage doors
- Add external locking bars that run across the width of the garage door
All three of these options work well and can make forced entry through your garage door much harder.
As we mentioned earlier, don’t forget the side door! Many burglars will bypass your main door and look for unsecured entry points to the side of your garage first. Fit a deadbolt or get a new uPVC door with multi-point locking. You could even consider putting up some physical barricades if you wanted.
Garage windows can be fitted with interior bars and reinforced glass to help protect your garage from break-ins, too.
Layer Up for Extra Security
Never rely on only one garage security method alone. You want to create a system that is difficult to bypass with manual security measures, cameras, and alarms. Most intruders won’t push their luck when they see how difficult it is going to be to gain access to your garage.
How to Secure a Detached Garage
A detached garage that is separate from your house can be more vulnerable to break-ins. Opportunistic thieves may be more inclined to go after a garage that is secluded as it can be a little trickier to keep an eye on it, especially at night time.
To keep your detached garage secure, start with the basics:
1. Get a good garage door (a roller door)
2. Install some strong garage locks
3. Add motion-activated floodlights
4. Install smart security cameras that notify you via an app or text
We would recommend a few additional steps to improve the security of a detached garage. We would suggest adding a perimeter fence around the garage and putting in some secure gates if you have a driveway running up to the garage. Adding in physical boundaries like this adds another barrier for intruders. Don’t forget your warning signage on the gate, too.
Danmarque Top Tips for Keeping Your Garage Secure
Garage security doesn’t need to cost a fortune. You may think you need expensive systems and professionally installed bells and whistles to keep your property safe, but you can do a lot of the work yourself.
Prevention begins with awareness. Here are our top tips for keeping your garage safe and secure:
1. Visual Deterrents
Use visual deterrents. Signs like “No Tools Left Overnight” and “Beware of the Dog” might seem a little basic, but they can work. A bold warning sign that creates a little doubt in a burglar’s mind can be an extra level of defence.
2. Cover Your Windows
3. Landscaping
4. Shut the Door
5. Proper Storage
Final Thoughts
Your garage is a target for thieves. Ensuring you have the best security system that you can afford in place will go a long way towards preventing burglars from making off with your property in the middle of the night.
Danmarque doesn’t do security, but we can help you make improvements overall with a garage refurbishment. An up-to-date garage is one of the best ways to keep your garage secure.
Contact us now for a free quote to refurbish your garage.
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