Use an opener with rolling code, keep remotes out of parked cars, and lock the door between the garage and the house. Make the emergency release hard to reach from outside, but never remove or disable it. A technician can check the opener's security features and the release.
1Where garage doors are weak
A garage door is a large opening, and many people leave the door from the garage into the house unlocked. Most of the weak points are small: a remote left in a car, an old opener, a window that shows the release cord, or a door left open.
Nothing here makes a home impossible to enter. The aim is to remove the easy chances.
2Remotes and codes
DASMA's article on the opener and home security explains that rolling code was developed after thieves started capturing the fixed signal of older remotes. A rolling code opener changes the code each time, so a captured signal does not work again. LiftMaster describes its Security+ 2.0 system as sending a new code to the opener with every click.
If your opener is old and you do not know whether it uses rolling code, check the model label or manual, or ask a technician. See remote and keypad problems in Texas heat if a remote is acting up.
3The emergency release
The red cord and handle let you open the door by hand when the power is out. DASMA's article describes how a thief can slip a bent hanger between the door and the header and hook the release to pull the door off the opener. It also reports a manufacturer saying this is not something that happens on a regular basis, so the risk is real but small.
The article lists ways to make the release harder to reach, such as hiding the cord from view with frosted glass. It also warns that altering the cord can cause a major safety problem if the door must be released in an emergency, so do not cut, remove or disable it. Wall-mounted openers have no trolley rail and no dangling cord, and one maker's side-mounted cord releases only on a straight pull.
4Checklists by interval
Every day
- Close the garage door when you leave, even for a short time
- Lock the door between the garage and the house
- Take the remote out of the car if you park outside
Every month
- Test the reversing system with a 2x4 laid flat under the door, as DASMA advises
- Check that the release cord hangs where you can reach it but a hook through the door cannot
- Look through any garage windows from outside and see what is visible
Every year
- Replace remote batteries and delete lost remotes from the opener
- Confirm the opener's security features are still on
- Have the door and opener inspected. See a Texas garage door maintenance checklist
5What you do and what a technician does
| Task | You | Technician |
|---|---|---|
| Close and lock the garage door and entry door | Yes | No |
| Check whether the opener uses rolling code | Look at the label or manual | Confirms the model and updates it if needed |
| Delete lost remotes and reset codes | Often, from the opener's learn button | If the steps do not work |
| Frost or cover garage windows | Yes | Replaces glass or panels |
| Move or change the release | No, leave it in place | Checks it and advises on options |
| Springs, cables and track | Never | Always |
Never adjust a spring or cable yourself.
6Smarter features on newer openers
LiftMaster lists an automatic garage door lock that bolts the door each time it closes, a timer-to-close setting and motion detection that turns on the opener light, and notes that not every feature comes with every opener. If you want one of these, ask when you choose an opener. See opener repair for what we check and remotes and parts for replacement remotes.
7Who to call
Emil Garage Doors repairs garage doors, springs, cables and openers and installs new doors in Texas, including Houston, Pearland and Conroe. Call or send your details with the make of your opener, and we will tell you what security features it has and what can be added.
Questions people ask
Can someone open my garage door from outside with a coat hanger?
It has been described. A thief hooks the emergency release through a gap at the top and pulls it. Industry sources say it is not common, but you can reduce the risk by hiding the cord from view.
Should I remove the emergency release handle?
No. The release lets you open the door by hand in a power outage or emergency. Altering or removing it can create a safety problem.
What is rolling code?
It is a security feature where the remote and opener change the code every time you press the button, so a captured signal cannot be used again.
How do I know if my opener is secure?
Check the model label or manual for rolling code, test the reversing system monthly, and ask a technician about the security features on your opener.
Services that fit this problem
Garage door and gate help near you
We repair and install in these cities. Each page has local notes, prices and reviews.