Garage Door Locks; Additional Security
One little-known way to add additional security to your garage is to use garage door locks.
Why lock the garage of all places?
When many think of home security and locks, they automatically think of the front or back door. This is why it is surprising to some that the garage is one little known but effective way of breaking into your home itself. Bear in mind that the inside garage door leads directly into your house. A huge percentage of residents don’t lock this door. It doesn’t matter if they are home or not, the door usually is unlocked. This makes it easy for a crook to access your home in relative privacy, and make off with cash, property or even people, as in cases of kidnapping and human trafficking.
Lock that door!
Good habits usually start with repeated practice.
Your garage treasures
Your Kent, WA garage contains treasures. Not gold and silver treasures, but valuables of a different kind. Most garages contain at least one car, and sometimes, two or more. Then you might have motorcycles, bicycles, ATV’s, lawn mower, garden tools, work benches, shelves, storage bins, skateboards, water softener, boxes of collectibles, water heater and lots more. Have you ever come home to an open garage door? The sheer panic that shoots through you is a hard to forget feeling. You nervously look over your garage items and wonder if anything is missing. Now, imagine if you lost your remote, or if that valet guy that supposedly parked your car, instead took it back to your home and is now inside!
Garage door locks
Garage door locks are very affordable as well as easy to install. There are any number of models and types available. It’s hard to imagine that a lock so simple or compact can lock a several hundred pound wall of metal or wood so securely. Be sure to call our shop or your favorite Kent, WA lock and key experts to get your garage door secured whenever you need it to be.
Garage door slide locks
One of the best forms of residential or commercial garage door locks are slide locks. These are also known as latch locks. This is because they use a latch that slides from the garage door into a pre-cut opening in the track of the garage door. When you put the lock into place, it stops the garage door from rising in the vertical track. These simple locks so have one drawback though; just don’t forget about them and then try and open your garage door. You might just burn out your opener motor or damage your garage door in the process!
The J Arm garage door-lock
If you have an automatic garage door opener you may already have a built-in lock in place. This is your J Arm lock and it comes standard with many opener systems. This lock is activated every time the garage door closes when the operator arm on the trolley locks into place. Have you ever wondered why you can simply just lift a closed garage door? It’s because the J Arm lock is activated. These are the locks that you disengage by pulling on the red hanging cord overhead.
T-handle locks
T handle locks have a special T shape to them. Inside the garage door they consist of two bolts and a cable that work in unison to secure your garage door when it is locked. These two bolts are attached to the vertical track of your garage door and when the T handle is turned, the door is unlocked by the cables. Just like other locks, you can only turn the T handle with a key so there are no problems with people outside your garage locking or unlocking your door without having a proper and authorized key.
Which to get
These aren’t the only available garage door locks for you to choose from. There are many more for you to consider. All are easy to afford, easy to install, and practical to use. Our Kent, WA lock professionals advise you to call us or your favorite lock and key shop and find out more. Many full service locksmith shops in the greater Seattle metro area offer free consultations and free price quotes. Be sure to call one that you trust and inquire about garage door locks that fit your particular needs and budget.
While you are at it, check with your family members, friends and co-workers to see how, or if they lock their garage doors. Their recommendations may just steer you towards the right lock for your needs. If checking retail stores, bear in mind that most sales help is merely minimum wage, part time help and not lock specialists with any real experience or knowledge of garage door security.
Other tips
Making small changes to your property can often help increase your security. Items like motion detector lights over the garage door and trimming overgrown hedges or trees near your front door or garage door are some basic but good ideas. Keeping your property neat, clean and well-kept also shows would-be intruders that you care enough about your home to maintain its appearance and possible security system!