Garage Door Security

[CyberWizard]

I was an alarm installer in a previous life and I used a LOT of those Amseco type magnetic reed contacts shown by the OP. The one with the aluminum bracket. They work really well at both the bottom and top of a rollup door but up at the top sure makes life a lot simpler when it comes to protecting it from damage. They're armored but not indestructible.

That being said, a lot of doors are sloppy and can cause alarms in a breeze if the installer can't adjust them correctly. A Magnapull like ratdoggy suggested works great in a garage where you don't need to gain access through the rollup door from the outside, like via your remote opener.

The motion sensor recommended by spv is a great idea. It makes for a simple install and isn't as exposed to damage. When it's a multi-tech unit like a PIR/Microwave combination you can avoid the obnoxious falsing when PIR detects rising heat from a warm engine on a cold day. The snag there is that many models of dual-tech motions can be overwhelmed. Detection by PIR and Microwave is required BUT "x" number of triggers from the Microwave alone can cause the sensor to register a valid alarm anyway. In a small garage it's pretty easy for a microwave sensor with a 30' range to pick up things going on outside your walls.

I've use all of the above, including gatchel's method of lacing the door itself (in some cases even lacing walls behind the drywall to cover the whole place for a really paranoid customer). Kynar wire-wrapping wire works well for that as it breaks pretty easily. The best solution is always the one that suits how your using your garage. Security is a really funny thing, and is different for everyone. If you need to use your remote to drive the car in, a magnetic switch is a good start but make sure that you have sufficient time to turn the system off when you pull in. An extended delay zone can make that work. That'll give you loads of time to get out of the car and that time will shorten when you break the interior door zone to get into the house. Back that up with motions and/or acoustic detection if you have another exterior door or window. Put magnapull's on your rolling tool chest or vehicle to ensure that you have additional coverage on anything that can be hauled away.

 

[Vinko]

That's because you live in Alaska. Store some whale blubber in there and I bet
you'll change your tune.

. . . . . .


@CyberWizard: I've seen the AMSECO's (or along the same lines), like those posted by the OP, with a variation: solid hi-impact plastic molded to the alum. bracket that have held up better than the long thin plastic/rubber strip tied to the alum in the photo.

 

[spv]

@CyberWizard: I know the garage PIR breaks the rules, but the Bosch tri-tech sensors are extremely good. I have had zero false alarms since I put one in the garage. My garage is by no means air tight (the opposite) and it also has a window and gets cold at night. I heard the issues with a draft etc, but I do not think this affects the Bosch modules as I also have plenty of draft. They are extremely reliable. The price hurts, but they really do a great job.

 

[Garage Doors Toronto]

My family is what is important in my home.

I agree with jrmylmach1. Safety for your family is always important and any precautions that you take towards that should be considered. Better to be safe rather than sorry. You hear of so many stories of break-ins, burglaries or worse, and that's due to the fact that people overestimate the security of their home.

- Rick from Garage Doors Toronto

 

[Robbo]

Probably an easy question to answer but I'm ignorant on garage door hardware.

I have a sensor like the one on the right in the first post. It goes to one of the "automatic shut" sensors that shuts your door if you leave it open. I would like to mount it at the bottom corner of the door, but it will stick out far enough to trip the door safety beam at the bottom. Are there "longer" brackets that would hold the little beam sensors an inch farther away from the tracks? Are those something I would find in the garage door area at Ace Hardware or the like?

I'm sure I can find this all out tomorrow by going there... but was trying to put the sensor up today after hours and ran into this. Thought I'd post the question on this thread since it's like the sensor in the first post.

Sorry for the thread drift.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[popcorn-guy]

Re: kicking in doors. I have as many exterior doors as I could install that open towards the exterior of the house and new shop. Ever tried to kick a door through the door stop? Especially metal doors. My metal doors swing out and have a window that's 4" wide X 30" high and the glass is the security type with wire in it. Two of those are on my metal bldg as personel doors and one is a personel door on my attached garage. If it weren't for the safety factor all of these doors would have dbl cyl dead bolts. Yes, they could come through the windows but they would play hell taking my roll aways with them. Garage doors have the power cut to them when we are gone and padlocks just above the rollers or clasped at the bottom.

Where are your keys to your tool boxes? Do you use them, tie your boxes together with steel cables and high security padlocks and keep your cable cutters locked inside one of the tool boxes? Pretty damned difficult to roll all of them out at the same time. And time is the enemy of burglars.

Bottom line, burglars will get in one way or another if they have a mind to, but if you make it really difficult and if you actually have installed an electronic "reporting" alarm system have you placed the authorized decals on your windows and doors? Even the good old fashion motion detector exterior lighting is worth the money and conveniece for yourself at night to get to your detached shop/garage. Light is another enemy of burglars. Especially if it trips some lights on in the house at a small delayed time.

I'll be using IR motion detectors in my new shop as they can double as a fire alarm. Using rapid rise dectectors will accomplish that. My shop is metal and concrete, tight from critters and my pets do not , so far, enter the shop. I do have one advantage that many don't, and that is I live in the country and have farms surrounding our dead end street with 25 homes on it. An unusual set of circumstance, but it doesn't lend itself for burglars to want to drive down a dead end street out in the middle of the country when there is almost always someone out on the street taking notice of strange cars. Also, too many retired folks on the street, which means many eyes. Circumstances change, subsequently I have working experience that lends me to take many precautions that most do not. Just have to still train my wife to follow the basics of our security after 33 years yet.

Have I ever lost anything from my garage (attached), you bet. Not while I was gone, but having workers at the house and not being able to keep an eye on them every minute of the day. Lost two tools. Most likely I'm lucky to have only lost that. I have new rules now with work being done in and around my home due to the previous losses.

Bye the way, glass makes a lot of noise if not broken in the right way and even when it is, it still makes more noise than a lot of burglars will put up with and will leave to find an open door or window at the next house they have scoped. Lock things up tight, it's a very good deterent.

 

[JimTressel]

I had an incident once when I lived on campus where the burglars slid a prybar in along the side of the door, bent the track off to the side enough that the door popped off the track and they could squeeze in. I was pretty upset to find my air compressor, my tool chest, and about $2,000 worth of tools gone.

The fix: Replace the rinky-dink L-brackets on the sides of the track with 1/4" thick angle iron. It won't bring your tools back, so do this before they're gone.

I also ended up picking up a couple 110db alarms that have a telephone cord-type cable. I riveted the alarm panels to the sides of my locking steel cabinet and ran the cables through anchor pads and the handles of my new tool chest and air compressor. The cables are easily cut or unplugged, but if you do either, all hell breaks loose.

 

[MPH]

It has been mentioned many times in this thread, alarms, locks, etc. are just to make it harder for someone to get in. If it is too hard to get in, they will just move on to an easier target and the next opportunity.

We live a little ways out on some acreage. We have a some neighbors across the way and we both have houses and 3000+ sqft shops. Both our houses and shops have alarm systems in them with outdoor sirens and strobes so that either of us can tell which building's alarm has been activated. Someone is always home, if not at both houses, at least at one of the houses and the reality is.... the alarms are pretty much just used for early warning systems because by the time the police get out here it is too late. The alarms are really used to give us enough warning to arm ourselves and protect what is ours. Between my neighbor's and my arsenal, I would hate to be the one on the receiving end. The bad thing for the thieves is, both wife's know how to handle themselves as well, if not better then the both of us.

It is just too bad that we even have to have a thread of this nature.... don't you think?

 

[Vinko]

@popcorn guy: good, useful post. Esp. on the doors. I'm a huge fan too, of serious, steel door frames.

 

[E30bimmer]

We have detached garages here in Chicago they're all at the rear of the lot and open onto the alley. This Spring I was working in the garage with the overhead open since it was nice outside and went inside to pee. I came out to find my bicycle gone. Lucky that was it I guess, but it sure pissed me off. Learned my lesson though--shut the overhead no matter how long I leave for. Garage thefts are huge here to put it mildly.

My wife was in a hurry yesterday and failed to wait and verify that the overhead door closed before driving off. Luckily I was home and my neighbor happened to return home within a few minutes and alerted me so no loss this time, but I can't take chances. Considering this and wondering if anyone has one?

http://www.safemart.com/Automation-...utomatic-Garage-Door-Closer-Garage-Butler.htm

Thought about the alarm that alerts a receiver in the house if the door is opened, but that doesn't do me any good if I'm not home.

 

[sheslostcontrol]

Only takes the right opportunity to be ripped off. My dad used to leave his garage door open during the day while he was home until someone stole his whole tool chest right out of his garage.

Someone opened my truck door and stole my GPS while I was working 25 feet away.

If I leave my house even for a few minutes, I lock the door behind me. Same with the garage.. never leave the door open unless I am physically in front of it for the duration.

As for security, the lower level has no windows, one steel entry door and one (somewhat cheap) garage door. I keep the garage door locked and use the entry door.

I'm working on wiring the garage now, and like some of the ideas posted earlier (especially about the zig-zagged alarm wire along the sheathing).

 

[Bostonbmw]

I live in an apartment in an urban area, my garage is about 600 feet from my apartment. I am looking for something that will alert me if my door is open. I purchased a Skylink Household Alert GM-434RTL its advertised range is 800'. I tested the units max range and I am getting 350'. I need something that can easily go 600' that will let me know when my garage door is open.


Thanks,
Brian

 

[28HopUp]

For those with attached garages, it's also important to secure the man-door going into the house. How many of you keep that door deadbolted all the time?

Since we go in & out of our garage constantly (rarely use our front door), I needed a lock on the man-door that would keep out unwanted people if we leave the garage door open (like when working out back), but didn't want the hassle of grabbing a key every time for entry. So I installed a Schlage electronic door lock -

We use the keypad all the time. Yes, the steel door could be kicked in with enough effort, but the idea is to slow intruders down so they'll move on to something easier.

 

[stellar91]

I guess I have been extremely lucky in the past. Although a few of my vehicles have been broken into, nothing has ever left my garage. I had a detached garage on a corner house lot where the garage faced the side street 70ft from the house. I lived just outside of Detroit and on multiple occasions I have left for work in the morning and found that I have left my garage open all night with 14 ~ 4' flourescents blazin away and the radio on . Well over 15K in tools and not one taken , Considered myself lucky . Won't take security quite so likely at the new place even though it seems like a much safer neighborhood.

 

[oldgoat]

My daughter and son in law bought a home lately and he was wanting to replace the door between the house and the attached garage. I was like Popcorn guy and suggested that he change it to a door that swung out into the garage instead of into the house. Not only does it make a lot harder to break into, but also since the door was opening into a hallway where there was also the entrance to the basement it eliminated a bottleneck.

 

[gatewaysysop]

For those with attached garages, it's also important to secure the man-door going into the house. How many of you keep that door deadbolted all the time?

When I had our locks redone, I had a commercial grade deadbolt and doorjamb reinforcement put in place on all the exterior doors, especially the man-door from our garage. Lock it out of habit, even if I'm going back out there and the garage door is down and locked.

I think our habits are what bite people the most with security stuff. If you get used to not locking it, say when you make quick trips back and forth, you'll occasionally find that you get distracted and forgot to go lock it.

I'd rather forget and have it be locked than forget to lock it.

Case in point - I use a locking gas cap on my truck. Wastes a few extra seconds putting it on and taking it off, but after 5 years living here, some ***** tried to steal my gas the other day and wasn't able to get it.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I think our habits are what bite people the most with security stuff. If you get used to not locking it, say when you make quick trips back and forth, you'll occasionally find that you get distracted and forgot to go lock it.

Good point. I got into the habit of always locking the doors no matter what, and now it's a reflex action.

 

[cowboyjosh]

My daughter and son in law bought a home lately and he was wanting to replace the door between the house and the attached garage. I was like Popcorn guy and suggested that he change it to a door that swung out into the garage instead of into the house. Not only does it make a lot harder to break into, but also since the door was opening into a hallway where there was also the entrance to the basement it eliminated a bottleneck.

Yeah but a mechanically inclined thief could easily pop the hinge pins and remove the door; it happens all the time on such applications.

My security includes MEDECO lock cylinders which are hard as hell to bump. I also have a kick *** security system; as well as security cameras that are recorded and I can also view the cameras on my Iphone. I don't live in a high crime area by any means, but I sleep better knowing I have the best I can afford; I also like to keep a shot gun close to the bed in the event of a break in attempt overnight.

 

[gatewaysysop]

I don't live in a high crime area by any means, but I sleep better knowing I have the best I can afford

Same here. For me it's about peace of mind as much as it is deterrence. I know a lot of people in the area would think I'm overdoing it, but my stance is that I'd rather be mildly paranoid than be a victim.

 

[tig]

Old thread, but on a topic I've been pondering...

I have a pretty sophisticated (probably an understatement) home control system. I have designed it so that for the garage doors I have the following:

• Ability to actuate the GDOs by the control system. E.g. from a touch-panel, mobile phone, etc... Underlying code would be 'Home.UpperGarage.WestDoor.Trigger = true'
• Sensors on each door wired into the security system indicating open/closed state. Thus I can tell if a door is opened or closed.
• A power relay that disables power to the garage door openers if needed. For example, when on vacation we set the alarm to "Super Away Mode" and there is no power available to the GDOs. Thus if someone hacked the RF signal they still could not open the doors.
• Security cameras that show each door from either the inside or outside.

Here's a picture of the mobile phone UI I have built that lets me control the garage doors:



One thing that has always bugged me is the fact that the system cannot know whether a door is IN MOTION. It can only know if the door is open (even partially) or closed. So if I choose to close door remotely I have no guaranteed way of knowing it's actually moving...until it closes all the way. I currently use the remote video feed but I've been places where network bandwidth was not good enough.

What I'm looking for is a sensor that would (in order of importance):

1. Indicate the garage door is moving.
2. Indicate the % open/closed state of the door.

Anyone seen such a thing off the shelf? I've considered fabricating something. One idea would be to use a voltage sensor wired over the garage door motor to detect whether the motor was running. This would address #1 but not #2.

Any other ideas?

 

[gatewaysysop]

Definitely digging the app and the I also interested in the sensor to detect the door is moving or % open/closed. If you track one of those down, definitely update this thread about it because I can't be the only person that would find that useful.

 

[nate379]

I honestly have never seen a lock on the door between the house and garage.

For those with attached garages, it's also important to secure the man-door going into the house. How many of you keep that door deadbolted all the time?

Since we go in & out of our garage constantly (rarely use our front door), I needed a lock on the man-door that would keep out unwanted people if we leave the garage door open (like when working out back), but didn't want the hassle of grabbing a key every time for entry. So I installed a Schlage electronic door lock -



We use the keypad all the time. Yes, the steel door could be kicked in with enough effort, but the idea is to slow intruders down so they'll move on to something easier.

 

[tig]

I honestly have never seen a lock on the door between the house and garage.

I honestly have never seen one without. CO, AZ, WA. Every house I've lived in had one.

 

[slimpickins]

TIG, that's a neat application. Is that an iPhone? For an "in motion" sensor for a garage door you could also use a reed switch and magnet(s) to create a series of pulses when the door is in motion. A good place for this might be the tension spring assembly that rotates as the door goes up and down. You could then count the pulses to give you the % open or closed.

I agree totally about deterrence. I live on an acreage as well, but unlike MPH I don't have 25 neighbors around. We live on a busy highway which means that people pretty much ignore what ever might be going on. The day I moved in 10 years ago I had someone drive up my driveway asking to borrow a jack to change a flat tire. I decided right then that I had to install a gate to keep the riff raff out, and that I better get an alarm system. I've since installed both. I used to have two or three people a month stop and ask for help or directions - the gate has been wonderful for stopping that.

On the security side, I bought most of what I needed from smarthome.com and a couple of other security stores. Smarthome's competitor (smarthomeUSA) also has similar products. The sky's the limit - there's 1000's of security products at these sites. If you're looking for security ideas, these sites have a wealth of info and products.

For example: Install a wireless outdoor motion sensor (no light) linked to a light in your garage. Someone trips the sensor and the light in the garage comes on. Then its not obvious that the sensor turned the light on. If you want to get even more advanced, you can program modules to turn on another light somewhere else in the house ten secs later, etc.

 

[trbomax]

I have 3 single shot 12 ga shotguns w/barrels cut off 4" in front of the chamber. They are mounted to the backside of the 3rd door panel so that only a small hole shows to the outside. There is a rod with a flat shoe that contacts the floor when the door is closed,open the door and its over because the spring tension is removed from the rod and it pulls the trigger thru a belcrank arangement.If you go in thru the service door and pin the rods the door opens normally !

 

[qwaszxpolkmncvb]

Loking at the video, this might be another reason for jackshaft operners, such as Liftmaster 3800. Not only is it a "non standard" opener, it also puts a locking pin in the way of a roller.

I have used the magnetic sensors just like the first one's shown for over 10 years. Never had a failure or false alarm. Mounted on each side of the door so it can not be pryed from the corner without detection.

Sorry if I'm repeating anyone. I didn't have much time to read everyone's comments. The guy I've quoted was dead on with the Lift Master 3800. That jackshaft opener would be suitable for anyone who wouldn't want to replace their garage door with a commercial one. It incorporates a electronic deadbolt on your track. They're only for sectional doors that are equipped with torsion springs. I'm a repair man so I can point a few things out that may save you some cash.
1. If your door has a twist latch and a opener either remove it or reverse the latches. It should've been removed when the opener was installed.
2. If you do decide to keep them or lock your track up with something unplug your opener. If something were to activate your door opener it would wreck your door, possibly the gears in the opener on a chain/belt drive or the trolley on a screwdrive.
3. If your door has a alarm delay the zone, make sure they stay secured to the door and the floor and keep them clean & close. They also shouldn't obliterate each other when the door shuts. Police can refuse service if the alarm keeps tripping so it's definitely a concern.
4. Your door is the weak link. If it has glass someone could break it and pull the door release. Even just push the door till it buckles and comes off it's rollers or out of the track. As far as locking the door the opener should be doing the work if you have one. If you have a doorbell for a button get a real one with a security lock feature to turn off your remote receiver when it's not needed. If it's old disable the internal receiver (if equipped) and install a modern external receiver. If it's external update it if needed. The idea is to steer away from a fixed frequency (code) to something that switches it up. I've seen people's remotes open neighbors doors a few times. On a modern setup the only way this can happen is someone spying while you program remotes. Older "dip switch" setups it's fixed so all they've got to do is broadcast that frequency and open sesame.

 

[Higgins]

You can install the sensors yourself. Just take a little time and patients when your installing the windows!

When installing the sensor, you can install the wired end a little higher on the jamb i.e. 12" and then install the sensor magnet at 12" and then at ~ 6" from the bottom. That allows you to have the window open at night, and be able to alarm the system.

Alarm monitor companies are a dime a dozen and they don't care who installs the system!

 

[darkk]

My garage security is pretty good. We have Liftmaster door openers and they come with auto actuating electric door locks. The door can be disabled with a code, we also have the added manual slide locks that use a regular padlock. No windows, only one outside door and that's a steel fire door. Access from inside the house is through another lockable steel fire door. Last but not least is my 100lb + Rottweiler. Plus I'm retired and here 97% of the time and I"d get real pissy about people trying to break in....