Garage door security

[transatlantic]

I'm looking to add a deterant to garage door to deter would be thiefs from breaking in. It's an old up and over type door, and the garage floor has a half inch step up from the outside floor. I usually park the car right up to the door during the night, but I need something for while I'm away too.

The door itself has a lock that works, but it's still very easy to break in. I had to break in myself as I initially installed the lock on upside down :roll: , so that when I closed the door to test it, the key could only rotate clockwise, where as it needed to rotate anti-clockwise (or maybe it was the other way around). I essentially locked myself out. Yes. I'm not a smart man. Took me a while to figure it out, but all I had to do was use a thin stick to flip the mechanism at the top of the door.

So I'm looking at the locks you mount onto the floor, which would prevent the above hack. There are lots avaliable, so I'm looking for some advice. I want something that is very easy to lock and unlock as I need to do it from a wheelchair, so something I can do one handed would be great.

 

[Rorschach]

I am assuming you don't have alternative access to the garage other than the main door?

 

[transatlantic]

I am assuming you don't have alternative access to the garage other than the main door?

Nope - no other doors or windows

 

[Rorschach]

I am assuming you don't have alternative access to the garage other than the main door?

Nope - no other doors or windows

Ok no worries, my suggestion won't work then.

 

[NazNomad]

My garage door is similar, you can open it by sliding a ruler in the gap either side and opening the catches.
I glued & screwed a 1'' x 1'' strip of hardwood to the frame to cover the gap, job done.

Also, do you have any way to lock the door halfway up the runners, rather than trying to reach the floor.

It may be as simple as drilling a hole in the door runner to clip a padlock through, preventing the door rollers going up the channel.

 

[transatlantic]

My garage door is similar, you can open it by sliding a ruler in the gap either side and opening the catches.
I glued & screwed a 1'' x 1'' strip of hardwood to the frame to cover the gap, job done.

Also, do you have any way to lock the door halfway up the runners, rather than trying to reach the floor.

It may be as simple as drilling a hole in the door runner to clip a padlock through, preventing the door rollers going up the channel.

I'm not sure how your suggestion would work as the runners are internal, I don't see how a lock would fit, but I have just come across 'Garage Bolts' which allow you to lock from the sides, which would be higher than the Garage Defender and make it easier I guess.

 

[NazNomad]

Any method of locking the door to the frame halfway up has to be easier for you.

 

[whiskywill]

Any method of locking the door to the frame halfway up has to be easier for you.

But that would lock him inside as well. :shock:

 

[transatlantic]

Any method of locking the door to the frame halfway up has to be easier for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn5qd-_1JC8

Yep - they seem pretty easy to install too. My only concern is that the door is probably very easy to drill through (as seen in the video). So a thief could easily drill over the bolts using a hole saw, and in a matter of minutes, they'd be in.

So not sure if its much of a deterant.

 

[novocaine]

drop in driveway bollard with an internal lock tight against the door.
those garage keep things put the look in a vulnerable place and can be defeated with a long enough lever behind bar.
you can always put a u shaped loop that it passes though on the door too so it stops it moving both ways.

you also need to add a plate along the top of the door so the original lock mech is protected, but that's another story.

 

[Setch]

Pacri garage door bolts. Easy to fit, and about as secure as possible, given that the door is basically heavy gauge silver foil!

If some one really wants in they'll get in, but pacri bolts will make it more difficult than the next garage door, and they like the low hanging fruit.

 

[NazNomad]

Any method of locking the door to the frame halfway up has to be easier for you.

But that would lock him inside as well. :shock:

Nuts... That'll teach me to read posts properly. I have access to mine from the house.

 

[sunnybob]

Enfield garage door locks.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Enfield-100-G ... SwZJBX-kYh

You can mount them at any height in the sides of the door, unlock from the outside.
Nothing will stop a determined thief, even a brick wall can be easily defeated nowadays, but these will definitely deter the walk by thief.

 

[transatlantic]

Nothing will stop a determined thief, even a brick wall can be easily defeated nowadays, but these will definitely deter the walk by thief.

Sure, but as mentioned above, these seem rather easy to drill out in a few minutes? where as the floor mounting system seems far more difficult?

I'll have to weigh up the convenience of the bolts against the robustness of the defender. Hmm

 

[finneyb]

Locksmith recommends Garage Defender https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1vS4l0VkCI - but he sells them.

Personally I'd go for heavy Duty Brenton bolts http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p26380 with padlocks on each side near the bottom and reinforce the door with metal or even plywood epoxied to the back of the door around so that its difficult to prise off.

Brian

 

[deema]

When I had my workshop in the garage, I took some advise and then fitted a proper industrial roller shutter door. I was amazed that it was actually cheaper than a domestic roller shutter door, and equally powered coated slats looked just like a normal domestic roller shutter door.....except the slats are steel and weigh a ton. There is no way the door can be lifted with a normal length crow bar. I also asked for bolts to be inserted (interlocked) into the runners that secure through the door just for belt and braces. Fully installed, galvanised and coated, internal conopy and electrical operated in came it at about £1200 for a double garage. When I build my new workshop about a year ago, prices hadn't changed much. I upgraded for a fully insulated door.....well worth the extra for both heat retention and sound suppression

 

[sunnybob]

Its easier to cut a hole in the door than drill out dome head bolts.

the only deterrent to theft is the noise of the machinery used. If youre in a remote location, nothing will stop a thief.

Plan ahead, take photos of everything in the workshop, record the serial numbers of every tool and keep them elsewhere. Make sure its all listed on your insurance, and fit the locks that your insurance company specifies. Anything less is money wasted.

 

[transatlantic]

Its easier to cut a hole in the door than drill out dome head bolts.

Cut a hole in the door?

 

[NazNomad]

Its easier to cut a hole in the door than drill out dome head bolts.

Cut a hole in the door?

... if you're a burglar.

 

[sunnybob]

Battery powered disc cutter. Cut a walk in hole through a garage door almost as fast as it can be unlocked.