Garage Door Openers: An Overlooked Security Risk?

There are a lot of myths surrounding the effectiveness of many of the devices we use to secure our homes. And not knowing the truth about the safety of our devices can actually compromise our security in the long run.

The garage door opener is one device that appears to be surrounded by lots of controversy. Some say that the garage door opener and its remote devices are safe. Others say that these devices have some of the worst security ratings ever.

The History of the Garage Door Opener

The garage door opener was invented using technology from World War II. In the beginning, the remote controls for garage doors would use radio frequency signals to beam the 'open' command to the receiver. Of course, this wasn't the most secure way to go - many a garage door was opened accidentally by neighbors.

In response to the unintentional garage door openings, manufacturers tried a new tactic: the dip switch. This allowed over 250 different codes to be generated. Unfortunately, this wasn't foolproof, as it allowed thieves to drive through neighborhoods and scour homes for identical codes. As well, 'code grabber' technology was available, which allowed thieves to obtain a code as a homeowner opened their garage door, and record it for later use.

It wasn't until the 1990s that rolling codes were introduced, which generated a new code every time a garage door was opened. This technology provided the homeowner with much more security, as millions of possible codes could be generated.

An Alternative Breaching Method

Despite both the convenience and security of today's garage door opener technology, there is still a way to gain entry into a home via the garage door. And it's surprisingly non-tech.

Every garage door opener has an emergency release lever, which allows for the manual opening of the garage door in the event of a power outage, or if you accidently lock yourself out of your house. But to a thief, it's a way to gain entry. And all that thief needs is a clothes hanger. A simple insertion of the hanger from the outside to the inside, and then pulling down the emergency release lever is all it takes, depending on the system you have.

Increasing the Safety of Your Garage Door Opener

If you are keeping your garage door opener, you can increase its safety by disabling the emergency release lever. While it will prevent thieves from using the clothes hanger trick above, it will also mean that you have no alternate means of entering your home should you forget your keys or the power goes out.

You can also remove the cord that's attached to the emergency lever, as this can make it easier for a thief to get hold of with a clothes hanger. Thinking like a thief can also help; no thief will want to spend a lot of time trying to break in, so making their job as difficult as possible is a good idea. If you have any windows which allow you to see inside your garage, it's important to ensure they're covered so that thieves can't see what they're doing.

You may want to consider where the photoelectric eyes on your garage door opener are located. These eyes are installed on all opening systems sold in the United States after 1993. Installed near the floor, they automatically reverse the opening of a garage door when the beam is broken. For these eyes, the six inch rule should apply. This means that photoelectric eyes shouldn't be installed any higher than six inches above your garage floor. Any higher, and animals or people can easily bypass the beam and enter your garage undetected.

Other tips involve knowing where your remotes are located at all times, and waiting to ensure your garage door has completely closed before going on your way. There are many suggestions for increasing your safety where your garage door and its opener are concerned. And the more you apply, the safer you and your family can be.

Citations: Home security

Guest author Emma Prior writes on a variety of topics, but is particularly well versed on home security systems. She recommends The HSS Geek as a resource for consumers looking to educate themselves.