# Garage door security!



## awdblazer

turn off your circuit breaker, take a pair of vise grips and put it on your track just above the top roller, works great


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## DexterII

Really sorry to hear that, Red; that kind of stuff really ticks me off. With everything properly installed, it is not quite that easy to force a garage door up. But, for added security in my barn, or in the gargae when we are travelling, I dilled holes in the tracks, just over one of the rollers, through which I can insert a U bolt. When not in use, the U bolts hang on a nail next to the door.


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## DexterII

Red, I just remembered the other thing that I was going to mention. Modern openers have rolling frequencies, and they will not work until synch'd with the opener itself. Check your manual, but I believe that you will find that you can "cleanse" the opener, so that none of your remotes work, and can then reprogram the remotes that you do have to work, which should render the stolen one useless.


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## Mr Chips

DexterII said:


> Red, I just remembered the other thing that I was going to mention. Modern openers have rolling frequencies, and they will not work until synch'd with the opener itself. Check your manual, but I believe that you will find that you can "cleanse" the opener, so that none of your remotes work, and can then reprogram the remotes that you do have to work, which should render the stolen one useless.


That's correct of most openers made from around 1997 and on. If your opener is older, it might be time to go shopping


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## Red Squirrel

DexterII said:


> Red, I just remembered the other thing that I was going to mention. Modern openers have rolling frequencies, and they will not work until synch'd with the opener itself. Check your manual, but I believe that you will find that you can "cleanse" the opener, so that none of your remotes work, and can then reprogram the remotes that you do have to work, which should render the stolen one useless.


This one has dip switches in the remote if I remember, there is probably dip switches in the opener itself (don't see any on the outside). But even if I change it, they'll just try all the combinations until they get in. I just unplugged it.

What I'll do is install a timer switch for that outlet, when I want to use the opener I hit the switch then hit the inside button to open it after I undid the latches. The reason for the timer is so I don't have to remember to turn it off.


For now, I have a bunch of 2x6 leaning against the door, if they try to pull it up they'll get bombarded and it will make lot of noise and hopefully catch someone's attention, also added a falling shovel as a finishing touch. :thumbup:


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## Maintenance 6

Mine has about 10 dip switches. One would have to spend quite a while figuring out the combinations. If I'm going to be away for a length of time, I snap a padlock into the track through a hole just above a roller. If they get in some other way, they're not going to have an easy time opening the door to carry away anything big.


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## Red Squirrel

I just bought two of U bolts, 1 foot chain, and spring hooks. All heavy duty. I'll install this setup on both sides. Basically U bolt with chain in it, then the spring hook into the chain and into one of the hinges. It aint moving.

I don't have time tonight but when I get around to it I'll also rig something so when it gets forced up, it makes a loud alarm, so they'll pull it up, it will hit the chain and stop, and the alarm will sound until they let go. I have a 180db siren somewhere in my junk box, I'll throw it in the soffit so that it's technically outside but out of view. Should be a decent surprise!


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## Giles

A safety feature that I would like to add is----be sure you have a strong safety cable running through the inside diameter of both springs. That is, if you have side springs instead of torsen spring.
If the spring breaks, it will do a lot of damage to a vehicle, or cause bodily injury.:yes:


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## iamrfixit

Red Squirrel said:


> Another security issue, even with the opener unplugged, a garage door is VERY easy to open. You simply have to lift the door.
> Home owners, double check your garage door security, you'd be surprised how easy it is to break into!


This is not true.

The door is locked solidly to the opener, the opener motor is connected inside the unit by a worm drive assembly. Pulling the door up cannot spin the opener motor through the worm drive. If the opener is properly attached to the door the only way the door can be lifted manually is if the emergency rope is pulled.


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## josall

It might be easier to just by a new opener, my chamberlin (4 yrs. old) has a lockout feature on the wall button that prevents the door from opening. If your remote is stolen just buy a new one and reprogram it, it takes 5 seconds to do.


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## Red Squirrel

iamrfixit said:


> This is not true.
> 
> The door is locked solidly to the opener, the opener motor is connected inside the unit by a worm drive assembly. Pulling the door up cannot spin the opener motor through the worm drive. If the opener is properly attached to the door the only way the door can be lifted manually is if the emergency rope is pulled.


Not mine, it can be either opened by the opener, or manually. There's a pull cord above to slide the door up. I usually just use one of the middle latches and pull up with my finger. 

This is what I did on both sides to solve this unauthorized entry issue. 










I'll have to open up the opener to play around with the dip switches or see if the wireless can be disabled, but for now it's unplugged. If they try now it will burn out the motor.


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## Giles

Red Squirrel said:


> Not mine, it can be either opened by the opener, or manually. There's a pull cord above to slide the door up. I usually just use one of the middle latches and pull up with my finger.
> 
> This is what I did on both sides to solve this unauthorized entry issue.
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> I'll have to open up the opener to play around with the dip switches or see if the wireless can be disabled, but for now it's unplugged. If they try now it will burn out the motor.


How would it burn out motor if it's unplugged:confused1:


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## Red Squirrel

No, I mean if it was plugged. Have to fix it (change dip switches or disable wireless) before I plug it back in. :laughing:


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## iamrfixit

Red Squirrel said:


> Not mine, it can be either opened by the opener, or manually. There's a pull cord above to slide the door up. I usually just use one of the middle latches and pull up with my finger.


You have to trip the emergency release to raise the door manually?
Can you trip the release from outside?

Any opener I have ever seen or installed has a release cord on the *inside *of the door. This allows the door to be easily lifted manually in the event of power failure or problems with the opener. 

That doesn't mean the door is not securely locked from the *outside*. If you have to already be inside the garage to trip the release that is not really what I would consider a break-in.

I have installed openers with provisions to pull the release from outside, these require a key to do so. Installs like this are for garages where the overhead door is the only entry.


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## epson

Wow you guys don’t have a garage door latch on your doors? Up here all garage doors have a sliding latch which would be installed by the garage door manufacture and the latch slides right into the track to lock the door.
they are like $ 5.00


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## Red Squirrel

I can lift it from outside, but it's just there's not much grip so it's hard to do. The cord does not really release anything, it just pulls on the chain which pulls the door up/down. I can also just grab one of the center hinges of the door and pull up. The torsion bar makes this quite effortless. A crook could probably stick a crow bar under, lift a bit, then do the rest by hand. 

Well, not anymore.  I went overkill with those chains and U bolts, but you can never be too overkill when it comes to combating crooks. :thumbup:


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## Leah Frances

epson said:


> Wow you guys don’t have a garage door latch on your doors? Up here all garage doors have a sliding latch which would be installed by the garage door manufacture and the latch slides right into the track to lock the door.
> they are like $ 5.00


We have one of these on our garage doors. It connects to a handle in the center of the door and has a lock - when we bought the house we had it keyed the same as our entry door locks. 

But my garage isn't connected to my house; so it's not quite the security worry....


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## epson

The one I mean is installed on the inside near the track and slides into a slot in the track. No key required but it does have a hole to put a pad lock if needed.

This is what you have


















these have cables


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## Leah Frances

epson said:


> The one I mean is installed on the inside near the track and slides into a slot in the track. No key required but it does have a hole to put a pad lock if needed.
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> This is what you have
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> these have cables


Yeah, mine is the same, except it is connected by bars to a handle in the middle of the door. Turning the handle rotates the 'tabs' out of the slots in the track. I'll shoot a pic tomorrow. Too late to go tromping out to the garage in my PJs.


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## epson

yeah you can either use lock bars or cables on these...

this is how its installed and locked


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## iamrfixit

Red Squirrel said:


> I can lift it from outside, but it's just there's not much grip so it's hard to do. The cord does not really release anything, it just pulls on the chain which pulls the door up/down. I can also just grab one of the center hinges of the door and pull up.


Sounds like you need a new opener. 

I have installed and repaired hundreds of openers and have never seen one that would allow the door to be lifted manually without first tripping the emergency release. Either something is broken, worn out or not installed correctly. Most would not even close the door without the door solidly connected to the opener trolley. A properly adjusted door wants to stay open, the opener has to push it at least partway down before gravity will take over.

The timer mechanism and all the extra locking chains kinda negate the purpose of even having the door opener. If you have to get out to unlock, then close and re-lock you may as well just remove it and install a slide latch. Not saying that is a bad thing but I kinda like just pushing the button when it is sub zero or pouring rain.

A modern basic opener will have rolling code technology, auto reversing, and safety photo eyes. It will actually lock the door in the closed position, can be had for around $130 and is an easy diy project.


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## Red Squirrel

I seen those, and I have also seen fully manual doors have a handle and key in the center (outside). Mine did not have that setup though. Suppose that could have been another way of doing it as well. Either way, nobody is going to come into my garage very easily now. If they manage it, their effort wont really have been worth it. It's not like I have bars of gold in there lol.


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## Red Squirrel

iamrfixit said:


> Sounds like you need a new opener.
> 
> I have installed and repaired hundreds of openers and have never seen one that would allow the door to be lifted manually without first tripping the emergency release. Either something is broken, worn out or not installed correctly. Most would not even close the door without the door solidly connected to the opener trolley. A properly adjusted door wants to stay open, the opener has to push it at least partway down before gravity will take over.
> 
> The timer mechanism and all the extra locking chains kinda negate the purpose of even having the door opener. If you have to get out to unlock, then close and re-lock you may as well just remove it and install a slide latch. Not saying that is a bad thing but I kinda like just pushing the button when it is sub zero or pouring rain.
> 
> A modern basic opener will have rolling code technology, auto reversing, and safety photo eyes. It will actually lock the door in the closed position, can be had for around $130 and is an easy diy project.


Not sure how old this opener is, but it was probably not a very expensive one. At one point I thought the motor was burnt as it suddenly stopped working when the door was open. So I closed it manually. Next day it worked. It "closed" the door (chain was moving to bring the "hook" to the close position), then I hit the button again and it opened, then I closed it again. But after this whole incident, it occurred to me that if I was able to close it manually when it stopped working, then I probably can open it manually, and sure enough, I can. 

But yeah at this point the auto opener is kinda pointless, though I don't plan on putting my car in there anymore. I want to eventually turn it into a shop and having the car in there makes it really messy with the sand and salt, not to mention with the heat, the salt eats at the car faster. It was a nice luxery, but think I'll do without like I did for the years before.


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## TGMcCallie

Red Squirrel said:


> This is something often not thought of, but a garage door is VERY easy to get in. I forgot to lock my car last night, someone stole the garage door opener and also opened the door and left it open all night. Nothing was stolen, but they'll most likely be back.
> 
> If they had not stole the opener, they could simply get another and try all the frequencies until it works... so having the wireless opener active may not be so much a good idea.
> 
> Another security issue, even with the opener unplugged, a garage door is VERY easy to open. You simply have to lift the door.
> 
> What I will do is get some heavy duty bolts, chain and hooks, so I can chain the door so it can't open.
> 
> Home owners, double check your garage door security, you'd be surprised how easy it is to break into!


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My security system also protects my garage door. 
You must live in a high crime area.

It is difficult for me to see where someone could raise your door if the opener is intact because you sure can't mine. I have a horman.


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## CATliftTech

Red Squirrel said:


> This is something often not thought of, but a garage door is VERY easy to get in. I forgot to lock my car last night, someone stole the garage door opener and also opened the door and left it open all night. Nothing was stolen, but they'll most likely be back.
> 
> If they had not stole the opener, they could simply get another and try all the frequencies until it works... so having the wireless opener active may not be so much a good idea.
> 
> Another security issue, even with the opener unplugged, a garage door is VERY easy to open. You simply have to lift the door.
> 
> What I will do is get some heavy duty bolts, chain and hooks, so I can chain the door so it can't open.
> 
> Home owners, double check your garage door security, you'd be surprised how easy it is to break into!


I had to go back to the original post after reading the rest of the thread. First, a dumb question. Have ever read your owner's manual on correct operation and maintenance of your opener? 

There is no way you can open that door by simply lifting it from the outside if the emergency latch is properly engaged to the trolley that raises and lowers the door. 

Manual latches are not normally installed on powered doors, but they can be added for a nominal cost. Adding chains, bolts, clamps, etc. is unnecessary! 

The chances of anyone guessing your DIP switch settings, or trying all the possible combinations, is difficult at best, if not impossible, for the average thief, even on one of the old systems.

Second, if you have a garage, why was your car outside, and unlocked with the opener inside? Would it not be far more secure for your vehicle to be inside your garage, behind a garage door that's closed and secured. That is of course if the opener trolley is properly engaged! 

If you leave your vehicle outside with a garage door opener inside, even with the doors locked on the vehicle, you are asking for a security breech! A determined thief would simply break a side window on your car and open the door with the opener! My vehicles are never left outside.

Get your opener properly set up and don't leave your opener I your vehicle! Simpler the going through the added expense of chains, timers, and the like, don't you think?


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## Red Squirrel

It came with the house, no manual. Just figured it was the way it is. Though before I tried to open it manually I did figure it locked, but when I found out it does not, did not figure it was suppose to. Guess one day I could fix that, though I don't see anything obvious that would stop it from opening. 

It was summer when it happened, so that's why the car was outside. I since got a security system, so I'm not as worried now. I actually hope they try, because the cops will show up. Though I have a security sign on the lawn and stickers on the doors/windows, so they'd be pretty dumb if they tried. 

I plan to eventually turn the garage into a shop so I wont be using it for my car, so it's not a big deal to just undo the latches manually.


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## sflockandsafe

- Sorry for all that happened, but I must say you were lucky for this time. It’s better to be cautious in future. Please add on the strong safety devices for your door and use the proper locking systems to avoid such instances in future. You should double check the garage door security as we usually have tendencies to ignore it.


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## raylo32

Also, if you have a home alarm system, it is easy to add a set of contacts to the garage door.


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## pacowilson

It's possible to install some PIR lights, switches. In addition, put some alarm stickers on the door.

PIR lights (switches) can work individually, you can install it in front of your door, when it detect the movement, it will turn on the light.

The other possible way, try to install an alarm system. If you already got, then you can get door/window magnetic contact (reed switches) for the garage door.


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## pwgsx

I think he needs some watch dogs inside and outside of his garage and also dig a moat around his whole house. :laughing:
Seriously, why add chains, a loud horn and locks like that and even keep the opener, either get a new opener system that works correctly OR remove it totally and lock it by hand. Keep your opener inside the house, not your car and get one of those numbered wireless key pads installed, you enter the code and the door opens and/or closes.


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## Red Squirrel

Dogs wont do anything in a situation like that, they'll just get shot. Would not want to place a pet at the front lines of danger. When someone wants to break into a home they're there to cause the maximum trouble possible. There has been cases of people breaking in to homes and putting any small pets in the microwave, setting it to 99:59 and leaving after trashing the rest of the house. Some people are psychopaths. 

I've since got an alarm system and have stickers everywhere so I'm not as worried anymore. Only thing I need to do eventually is add cameras as well. I plan to turn the garage into a shop so I will need it very secure once all my tools are in there.


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## pwgsx

Sounds like you need to move OR board up your door and windows!! And the above was mean as a joke. Sounds like your on the right path with the stickers and sign though :thumbsup:


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