Zip-tie fix for garage door security

[Walt Dockery]

I apologize if this is a painfully stupid question, but:

I'm trying to do the zip tie trick to secure the manual release on my garage door. It looks like my opener is a bit different than some pictures, and I can't see a place where I can slide the zip tie through. Opener is a Genie Pro screw drive.

Picture attached.

I appreciate any help. I just finished tinting the windows in my garage door so people can't see my stuff, and wanted to finish the job off by securing the garage door as best I can. If I'm not able to secure with a zip tie, any other options to secure?

 

[ddawg16]

If you have windows....just put a frosted film over them so they can't see what they are doing. If you don't have windows....it's going to be real hard to fish a wire in there to catch the release.

 

[dcovey]

Drill a hole above the lever for the tie..

Dave

 

[NUTTSGT]

Are you still using the door daily or is this on a "shop" garage that doesn't get used all the time.

 

[Walt Dockery]

Drill a hole above the lever for the tie..

Dave

Doh! Yeah I figured it would be something I'm stupid for not figuring out

 

[Walt Dockery]

Are you still using the door daily or is this on a "shop" garage that doesn't get used all the time.

It's my daily use garage. I have already covered the windows with dark privacy tint, I did that yesterday, mostly so people can't see when I'm home.


Another alternative to drilling and using a zip tie ... maybe use a hack saw and a dremel to work that lever down to a nub that can't be manipulated with a hangar?

 

[battmain]

I've seen some metal fixes for this issue. You shape the metal into a u shaped thing that blocks the 'fishing' wire from catching on the lever. Could use the existing spring rivets/pins too, but might require finding a little longer ones at your local HW store.

 

[Walt Dockery]

Thanks for the help guys ...

I drilled a hole, which must have been a fraction of an inch from where it should have been because a zip tie didn't quite offer the resistance (I could just barely engage the release). Instead of a zip tie, I used a small bolt, which seems to work fine:

 

[nate379]

Anyone want to fill me on on why this would be needed? Wouldn't they just open the door with the button?

 

[Walt Dockery]

It's a response to this video:

 

[Stephenw]

There is wood trim around both of my garage doors. The trim is tight to the door when closed and there is no "give" to the door. No way you could insert a wire as shown in the YouTube video.

 

[HemiRambler]

The video I saw - they pounded a wedge in the door - after that (took seconds) snaking the wire in there was no problem. You may want to rethink that. or not.

 

[Stephenw]

The video I saw - they pounded a wedge in the door - after that (took seconds) snaking the wire in there was no problem. You may want to rethink that. or not.

Pounding a wedge would make noise. They could also cut a hole in the door with a holesaw. Where do you stop?

 

[Stephenw]

Years ago, when I was working as a mechanic, there was a customer car with the keys locked inside. I got the "slim jim" from the parts room, but had no idea how to use it. I asked the Mexican lot attendant if he'd show me how to use it. He said he had no idea how it worked, "We always just threw a brick through the window."

 

[Andy4639]

I had my garage door put in with no windows and no windows at all in the structure for this reason. If they want in bad enough they will get in.
As the saying goes all the locks are for honest people!

 

[mkdive]

never thought to zip tie it.....i guess it would be pretty damn quick and simple for someone to drill a quick small hole and open a garage door. hmmm guess I will be fixing this today on my garage door!

 

[Steevo]

This is one reason I won't have a door opener on my shop.
I have sliding door stop bolts that are manually shoved through the tracks, making it impossible to raise the doors until they have been slid back. The man door has to be breached first, before anyone can get in and un-lock the roll-up doors. With enough force, anyone can battering-ram open a man-door, but where do you stop?

 

[dumper]

Years ago, when I was working as a mechanic, there was a customer car with the keys locked inside. I got the "slim jim" from the parts room, but had no idea how to use it. I asked the Mexican lot attendant if he'd show me how to use it. He said he had no idea how it worked, "We always just threw a brick through the window."

Let me guess... you were in Mexifornia at the time? Hahahaa. They don't mess around!

 

[green.bubbly]

Any concerns about getting out of your home during a fire?

 

[Walt Dockery]

Any concerns about getting out of your home during a fire?

No. Through the garage door would be an unlikely exit for me, and the bolt can be removed in about 1 second.

 

[e-tek]

I went out to my garage and looked at this. I guess now that a lot of people know about it, it could happen. Not easy without windows in the door, but possible. The only reason I am gonna consider this an entry point is that someone could come in AND exit without trippping my alarms (which are all on doors with a motion detector in my big shop). I'll be using a twist-tie AND adding a contact on the attached garage door.

Any concerns about getting out of your home during a fire?

I was thinking of using a zip-tie that would thwart a wire/coat-hanger, but still break if you reefed hard on the handle....

 

[GuardDawg]

All over the internet there's a cheap solution to secure the automatic garage door release to prevent break-ins. The use of simple plastic zip tie-wraps. To use the zip tie, the release cord and handle is removed so to thread the tie into the hole there, thus defeating the whole purpose of the EMERGENCY RELEASE.

If you ever need to raise the door manually, like in an house fire emergency, you must remove the zip tie to release the lever and the door. THIS IS THE WORST SOLUTION EVER!

 

[rsanter]

Just FYI....
The things you learn on GJ
My neighbor locked himself out of his house. I remembered this thread from here and gave it a try. Took me about 15sec to open his garage door and I had never done it before.

I did the zip tie fix with a small zip tie. The zip tie is small enough that is I yank the cord the tie will break. But strong enough that a wire through the gap will not have enough leverage to break the tie

Bob

 

[Charles (in GA)]

My release is 14 ft off the floor. I have used it several times during power failures. I take a iron rake and use it to hook the T handle on the cord and pull it to release. Given its height, I expect someone to attempt to break in some other way.

Charles

 

[DMaxRocks]

All over the internet there's a cheap solution to secure the automatic garage door release to prevent break-ins. The use of simple plastic zip tie-wraps. To use the zip tie, the release cord and handle is removed so to thread the tie into the hole there, thus defeating the whole purpose of the EMERGENCY RELEASE.

If you ever need to raise the door manually, like in an house fire emergency, you must remove the zip tie to release the lever and the door. THIS IS THE WORST SOLUTION EVER!

How I fixed mine, I put in a small tie-wrap that would not allow a wire to hook the release. However, the tie-wrap is small enough that with a tug on the release rope, the tie-wrap will break and you can manually open the door. I tried it several times till I got the right size tie-wrap.

-Mark

 

[Moose02]

my doors do have windows but they are at the top of a 10 ft door so if someone brings a ladder to do a break in a i get to keep the ladder after 2 german shephard ****** the perpetrator out

 

[dfiler2]

All over the internet there's a cheap solution to secure the automatic garage door release to prevent break-ins. The use of simple plastic zip tie-wraps. To use the zip tie, the release cord and handle is removed so to thread the tie into the hole there, thus defeating the whole purpose of the EMERGENCY RELEASE.

If you ever need to raise the door manually, like in an house fire emergency, you must remove the zip tie to release the lever and the door. THIS IS THE WORST SOLUTION EVER!

I would guess there are lots of solutions for this problem by now, except for today the latest post here was sept of 2010. Although maybe it is still a problem for some people.

 

[Twisted Sid]

All over the internet there's a cheap solution to secure the automatic garage door release to prevent break-ins. The use of simple plastic zip tie-wraps. To use the zip tie, the release cord and handle is removed so to thread the tie into the hole there, thus defeating the whole purpose of the EMERGENCY RELEASE.

If you ever need to raise the door manually, like in an house fire emergency, you must remove the zip tie to release the lever and the door. THIS IS THE WORST SOLUTION EVER!

This guy is either

or
I guess it could be a coincidence that there is a company out of Tucsun, AZ named guard dawg, that sells garage door security locks to stop this type of break in from happening. No, I am not posting a link the site.

 

[socjiuyon]

You shape the metal into a u shaped thing that blocks the 'fishing' wire from catching on the lever.

 

[fattogatto]

You do have an alarm system in the garage, no?