The tips for buying a garage door lock
Your garage door is often one of the first things a visitor sees when approaching your house. Whatever the style and construction, it plays an important role in keeping your possessions secure, even more so if the garage has a connecting door with the house. So, it's vital to maintain it well and keep it locking securely. Here are some tips for buying garage door locks.
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Check the hinges
Before thinking about buying new door security locks however, you will do well to check all the existing hinges first. Traditional, side-hung doors are often fitted using gate hinges, screwed on the outside of the doors. Even with a combination of bolts and locks securing the doors from the inside, these kinds of doors are vulnerable to intruders, as the hinges can simply be unscrewed to release the doors.
Fit heavy-duty hinges
Therefore, you should consider replacing the hinges with conventional butt hinges fitted within the frame. You'll need at least three heavy-duty hinges for each door to carry the weight, but these are much harder for an intruder to break through.
Secure the locks
Whatever style of garage door you have, if your garage has a connecting door with the main house, it makes it an attractive entry point for a burglar. Make sure that your garage is as secure as you can make it by fitting high-quality locks. Furthermore, you should consider the options for installing additional locks directly onto the frame, or a bar that locks to the ground in front of the door to prevent it from being opened. These bar-type locks are often known as garage door defenders.
The internal door
Next, take a look at the connecting, internal door. Do what you can do to make this as secure as your front door. At the very least, fit deadbolts at the top and bottom that can only be opened from inside the house and that will protect the door against someone trying to force it open. Endnote If worst comes to worst, you may even have to consider getting a replacement garage door. There are plenty of companies out there that offer discount garage doors, garage door handles and locks and numerous other items of garage door hardware.