Garage Door Opener Security

[shooon]

I just finished installing my new garage door opener. Went with the liftmaster 8500; I am a little skeptical about how secure the garage door is.

With the remote sitting in my truck all it takes is someone busting into my truck and having full access to the garage. It's happened to my neighbors next door already.. I've also heard of it happening at airport parking lots. People take your garage door opener and find your address from your registration sitting in the glovebox.

Was wondering what other security alternatives their might be or if anyone else is in a similar situation. Like maybe having a separate keychain FOB to control the door instead of the visor remote? Or some of the newer trucks have the built in home-link buttons that only work if the key is in the ignition of the truck.

What kind of setups are you guys and gals rocking?

 

[scottmoyer]

Not sure that publishing your security features on the Internet is the best option. I know most garage door systems have a remote lockout that you can activate when you travel so the remote is useless, but other than that, there is no real security. If someone wants in, they'll get in.

 

[Morrison]

Use the MyQ app to open your garage through a smart phone. Then you don't need an actual remote sitting in your truck.

 

[Bearded_Dragon]

If they want in your garage bad enough, there's not much you can do. However having a garage door opener in a car that sits outside probably isn't a good idea.

 

[bubinga]

They don't happen to have an app like that for old Craftsman Garage door opener s do they.
This came with the place was not working, I got it working.
It's the kind d that don't have electric eye sensors.

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

 

[bubinga]

They don't happen to have an app like that for old Craftsman Garage door opener s do they.
This came with the place was not working, I got it working.
It's the kind d that don't have electric eye sensors.

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

I'd say yes and no, Sears does sell a kit, but it's not cheap.
About $130.00

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[Shiftless]

More than one person simply unplugs their opener when they are away from home on vacation or when they don't intend to park their daily driver in the garage for a while. I am thinking about wiring in a wall switch controlled outlet for the opener.

 

[Aura]

My car didn't com with a factory homelink opener but a little searching in the junkyard sites and one showed up at my door.
I retrofitted it and used a switched circuit. Key has to be on for it to work. You can get as crazy as you want to. You can put a GM homelink in a ford (I had an extra one) so I did. A little work with a dremel should take you where you want to go.
They also make them mounted in a visor. Throw one of those in and pull a switched wire to it. Or phone apps, but I wear my phone instead of holding it all the time so that's a bit unhandy.
Good luck. Think it through, get crazy & above all, Have Fun!

 

[SGKent]

Security is a concern. When we get home for the day we use the lock button on the wall pad to disarm the remote. When we go away on a trip we don't tell anyone but one neighbor we trust, and we use the mechanical lock, which is a rod that goes thru the runner and use a pad lock thru the hole on the rod so it can't be unlocked mechanically. All that said, if your emergency power out pullcord is functioning someone can get into your garage without a remote in about 5 seconds. We wire ours locked using safety wire. The neighbor next door got hit about 4 months ago - the person tried our garage too but could not get in. Steel garage door and steel side door. You choose how much security you want. Here is a you tube on how the lever is pulled and some commercial ways to protect against it. Or you can wire the mechanism inoperable with several loops of safety wire.

slide lock - this photo is from the Internet. Ours is similar but simpler.

 

[Jeepster04]

Can you describe how someone can get into a garage with the pull cord if they are outside of the garage? Bust a hole in the garage door and pull the cord or?

Homelink works with the vehicle off. The key does not need to be in the ignition.

 

[Rewind97]

When away on trips I disconnect the opener and lock the door. But for day to day I took the visor opener and hid it under the dash of my truck. Just reach down an hit the button to open the door.

 

[CrackedHead]

They don't happen to have an app like that for old Craftsman Garage door opener s do they.
This came with the place was not working, I got it working.
It's the kind d that don't have electric eye sensors.

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

I had a craftsman 2 wire system. I put one of the new MyQ plates on the wall where the old button was. With the internet gateway in this kit now I can open it from my smartphone. The app is a free download.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C1CF1S6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

$88 and free shipping. But you won't be able to use your old garage door remotes to open it, or your PIN plate on the outside of the garage if you have one. This is a new system and you would have to buy new remotes for your cars.

 

[TCB]

Here's an interesting article covering garage door security, including a link on how to secure the emergency pull cord

 

[Rag Roc]

I have a timer that the opener plugs into. It's off at night, and set to operate when we are the most active. Can be a PITA, but helps me sleep better.

 

[rlitman]

...With the remote sitting in my truck all it takes is someone busting into my truck and having full access to the garage. It's happened to my neighbors next door already.. I've also heard of it happening at airport parking lots. People take your garage door opener and find your address from your registration sitting in the glovebox...

It happens. At least your truck offers some security. The airport parking lot issue only happens with remote fobs. If your vehicle has a built-in remote, then at least that issue is solved.

I have a convertible, where only an idiot would keep a garage door remote in one.

One option is to hide the remote. That's not really an option for me though.

Another option is to use one of the remotes meant to be mounted outside your garage with a keypad. Yeah, they're a little large, but they require a pin code to be entered instead of just pushing a button, and they're designed to be put in an insecure location.

 

[kbuhagiar]

Security is a concern. When we get home for the day we use the lock button on the wall pad to disarm the remote. When we go away on a trip we don't tell anyone but one neighbor we trust, and we use the mechanical lock, which is a rod that goes thru the runner and use a pad lock thru the hole on the rod so it can't be unlocked mechanically. All that said, if your emergency power out pullcord is functioning someone can get into your garage without a remote in about 5 seconds. We wire ours locked using safety wire. The neighbor next door got hit about 4 months ago - the person tried our garage too but could not get in. Steel garage door and steel side door. You choose how much security you want.

This...plus optionally power down (unplug) the opener for long absences.

These are usually crimes of opportunity, so the best deterrent is to make your place less attractive/more inconvenient than others in the neighborhood.

Of course, as stated previously, if someone wants in bad enough they will get in. You just want to deter the amateurs.

Good luck!

 

[bubinga]

It happens. At least your truck offers some security.
Another option is to use one of the remotes meant to be mounted outside your garage with a keypad. Yeah, they're a little large, but they require a pin code to be entered instead of just pushing a button, and they're designed to be put in an insecure location.

I have one of those, got a 2nd hand opener, guy said he never used it. Looked new too.
Only paid 20 or $25.00 for it. was missing the electric eye(s), got those new, other on e bay for $20.00.
But the opener you enter the code into was with it too, and one for in the car, and a nice one for on the wall.
Those openers you enter the code into are about $50.00 at sears.
It's a Craftsman screw drive, It's pretty nice.
Guy happened to work in my town, didn't have to travel far (This time)

 

[6PKRTSE]

More than one person simply unplugs their opener when they are away from home on vacation or when they don't intend to park their daily driver in the garage for a while. I am thinking about wiring in a wall switch controlled outlet for the opener.

I have this very thing done for my opener when I go in the house I flip all of the switches, it kills the power to the lights & the opener. No one can open it from the outside. Also have two padlocks in the tracks on each rail (track) from the inside so the door can never be lifted if they want to.

 

[Stuart in MN]

People take your garage door opener and find your address from your registration sitting in the glovebox.

I don't do it for this reason but I keep my registration card in my wallet, there's nothing left in the car with my address on it.

 

[Rewind97]

I don't do it for this reason but I keep my registration card in my wallet, there's nothing left in the car with my address on it.

You're car tag.

 

[steveo1o9]

I bought an unoccupied foreclosure last September with an attached two car garage. No garage remotes in the house so I had to buy new ones. Followed the instructions I had found on the internet to program the new remotes and exterior key pad. I had thought that I cleared all previous codes but had no way to check it. Fast forward to a few weeks ago we come home to find an old door opener sitting on the front steps (not one we bought) and it still worked on one of the doors... So either a neighbor or previous owner found it and stopped by to give it to us and never left a note or anything. It scared the **** out of me that old remote codes didn't actually fully clear out and someone had access to the house for the last 6 months. Now I am **** about turning off the openers at night and even mechanically locking the doors if we we plan to be away for more then a day or so.

Regardless I think it would be pretty simple to bust out a fiberglass panel if someone truly wanted to get in. And just the other day I thought how silly it was to park a car with the remote in it right outside. Very simple to break into a car and have free for all.

 

[SGKent]

Can you describe how someone can get into a garage with the pull cord if they are outside of the garage? Bust a hole in the garage door and pull the cord or?

Homelink works with the vehicle off. The key does not need to be in the ignition.

No - use a coathanger thru the top of the door to snag the cord or lever. It takes only 5 seconds and all pull cords are vulnerable unless someone has taken steps block that access.

here is a photo from the Internet of the six second process. That is why our pull cord is disabled. Go break into your own garage in under 10 seconds and you will disable your pull cord too. I was stunned when I heard about this on TV about 10 years ago. It explains how my cousins garage was broken into back in the 90's. Apparently it has been around a long time. It is the same kind a thing a guy who served his time for car thievery told me once about some nice rims I had locks on. He said get two locks for each wheel. I asked why. He said, any wheel thief knows that to remove a rim with one lock take the other 4 regular lug nuts off and rock the car or lever the wheel. That will snap the stud with the lock on it. People who want your things are quite creative.

 

[Jeepster04]

Wow, I need to make sure the rope is long enough to bottom out on the door before the coat hanger can grab the handle. Suppose not having a window makes it harder... Sometime to check!