An empty house can be a strong source of temptation for burglars, and the garage is a convenient entry point. What’s more, a home garage can often be the source for valuable items that thieves can grab and take without ever having to enter the main home and risk a light or movement in the windows alerting neighbors to their presence. Burglar-proofing your garage is an important security step to take before leaving your home empty for days or weeks. Take a look at some tips that can help you keep your garage secure.
Disable Your Garage Door Opener
The simplest way into the garage is through the garage door. If you can block that off, there’s a good chance that most burglars will go looking for an easier target. One way to do that is by disabling your garage door opener.
Check the owner’s manual for your garage door opener. You may not have to go to the extreme of unplugging the garage door openers. Many opener models have a vacation setting that prevents the door from being opened from the outside and does not respond to garage door remotes. However, if your opener doesn’t have this setting, just unplug it.
Install Motion-Sensing Lights
Motion-sensing lights are an effective way to deter burglars and intruders because your neighbors are more likely to notice a stranger at night if there’s a sudden flash of light illuminating them. However, often homeowners place lights around the front or back door of the house and don’t think to illuminate the garage.
Motion-sensing LED lights are long-lasting, cost-effective, and easy to install. If you haven’t already placed lights around your driveway, garage door, and any garage windows, this is an easy way to increase your garage security before you leave on vacation.
Consider a Smart Door
If you’re in the market for a garage upgrade before you go on vacation, you might want to consider investing in a smart garage door opener. A smart garage door opener connects to wifi, so you can control it from your smartphone or computer, even remotely.
That means you can check to make sure the door is closed, and get alerts if the door is opened or if someone turns the garage light on. This can also allow you to let people in while you’re on vacation, so if a neighbor is stopping by to water the plants or bring in the mail, you can open the garage door for them when they arrive and make sure it’s closed again when they leave. A smart garage door opener may be the best way for you to have peace of mind while you’re on vacation.
Your garage shouldn’t be your home’s weakest security spot when you go on vacation. For more great garage security and renovation ideas, schedule a free design consultation with us. 
