Any idea what the weak link is as regards security in a great many homes? It’s actually a door; in particular the largest door in the home and one that the average thief can usually open in less than ten seconds.

Yet this is the door that nearly two thirds of people now use as their main entrance (as revealed by the Chamberlain Garage Trends Survey) and trust so completely that one third of those surveyed don’t even lock the secondary door beyond this one.

We’re talking of course about garage doors. These have now taken over from the traditional main entrance door as the most frequently used entrance to a house. The fact that many now enter and leave their property by car plus the advent of electronically controlled motorized door openers has of undoubtedly played a major role in this trend.

Unfortunately it turns out that garage doors are extremely straightforward to pry open. Not even those sporting mechanized opener systems and fancy electronic controls pose much of a problem to the average burglar. And of course once an intruder is effectively concealed with the garage they can start breaking into the house proper via the adjoining door (which as we discovered earlier often requires no more effort than trying the handle).

Really, what’s the point in fitting window locks and door deadlocks if the garage door is so easy to break into? Even if the door adjoining garage to house is actually locked, any would-be intruder is thus given a sheltered workplace to operate in and will often even help themselves to any tools you may have stored in your garage

So what’s the solution? Well, secure garage doors seems a pretty obvious answer. At the very least consider fitting (and using) a garage deadbolt which is a reasonably simple and cost-effective way to deter the opportunistic thief.

But for true peace of mind consider putting in proper high security garage doors. The toughest such doors appear deceptively just like normal wood garage doors but hide an internal layer of rods and plates made of reinforced steel. These are generally certified to remain secure in the face of a determined assault using heavy tools and extreme force for a significant amount of time.

In the end deciding the balance of costs versus benefits comes to down a judgement call. But consider the benefits: superior protection for valuables and family members; cut insurance premiums and add to your property’s value; and scope to extend the use of the space knowing that it provides a well protected environment.

If you liked this article then you might also be interested in this further article about steel garage doors.