Commercial buildings tend to house high-value equipment, vehicles, tools, and inventory. Because of this, garages that belong to or are attached to commercial buildings are the favourite target of thieves. Your whole business can be jeopardized if your garage is not secured. Break-in could result in massive losses, delayed operations, and increased insurance rates.
To help protect your assets and workers, your business garage needs to be made more secure. The following are essential anti-theft suggestions for keeping your garage secure and safe.
- Improve Your Opening System with New Technology
Old garage door openers are very easily bypassed by burglars of today. Investing in a smart garage door opener or one with advanced security features offers a solid level of security. Smart openers offer advantages like real-time notifications, smartphone app control, and automatic locking. Most new systems are also harder to hack because they include rolling code technology, which creates a different access code with every opening.
If your opener is older than 10 years, it’s time for a replacement. Investing in a new opener isn’t just paying for convenience—it’s keeping burglars out, as well.
- Install Lighting Around Your Garage
Lighting is a simple but highly effective security element. Burglars prefer to work under cover of darkness so they can’t be seen. Position tall, motion-activated lights on your garage and the adjacent property. Have the lights pointing in every direction—entrances, exits, corners, and blind spots.
LED floodlights are energy-efficient and durable. Install them high to prevent tampering. The mere lighting can discourage a thief from breaking into your property in the first place.
- Regularly Check Your Locks
Locks are your initial defence. If your garage door has old padlocks, deadbolts, or electronic locks, it’s imperative to inspect them. Locks, over time, can deteriorate, rust, or become damaged without your awareness.
Mount heavy-duty commercial locks. If there are windows or side doors in your garage, do not forget to secure them too. Installing additional locking devices such as latch guards or slide bolts, gives an additional safeguard.
- Restrict View into Your Operations
If a burglar can glimpse expensive equipment or stock in your garage, they will have a higher chance of stealing your property. Use frosted or tinted glass, or even blinds or drapes, to screen the external view.
Covering up your perspective does more than hiding treasure out of sight; it will keep criminals in the dark about whether your company is in operation or abandoned. It’s a cheap and easy change that will make a big impact.
- Check Periodically
Regular checks can be used to uncover weak spots before they become vulnerabilities. Inspect the entire building—garage door, hinges, tracks, locks, windows, and walls. Look for wear and tear, attempts at breaks, or damage.
Make inspections a part of your routine maintenance checklist. A swift visual check daily and a more in-depth inspection monthly can do much to safeguard your assets.
- Keep Valuable Objects Out of Sight
Even if there is limited visibility, always try to put valuable items out of view from the windows or garage door. Lock valuable tools, inventory, or electronics away in cabinets, drawers, or cages in the garage.
The more difficult it is for burglars to observe and access your valuables, the less likely they are to target them for successful theft. Store valuables in clean and organized areas so one can easily determine if an item is stolen.
- Install Protective Window Film
If your garage happens to have windows, they too are areas of vulnerability. A criminal can simply shatter the glass and enter from inside. A protective window film renders the glass shatter-proof, which will slow down or deter a criminal.
Some window films also shield against the sun’s UV and save energy. Choose a high-quality security film designed for commercial use.
- Use a Fence to Secure the Perimeter
Install fences as an added layer of security prior to a criminal even reaching your garage door. Install a strong, tall fence with a gate that can be locked around your home. Use materials that cannot be easily cut or climbed, such as steel or aluminium.
You may also install warning signs, cameras, and motion detectors to add further deterrence.
- Install High-Quality Commercial Garage Doors
A solid door is central to making your commercial garage secure. Thin, worn-out, or old doors are easily breakable or pry-opened. Commercial garage doors with high-quality materials improve security in addition to increasing energy efficiency and aesthetics.
Look for doors made from reinforced steel or heavy-duty aluminium. Choose models with insulation, secure locking systems, and safety features. High-quality commercial garage doors are an investment that pays off by protecting your property in the long term.
- Install Motion-Activated Security Cameras
Surveillance cameras act as a deterrent and as an assist in the investigation of a crime. Place cameras above your garage doors, side doors, and the space around them. Install motion-activated cameras that immediately begin recording when a person approaches them.
Modern systems allow you to watch recorded video in real time using your smartphone. In case of a break-in, footage from the cameras can help police identify the intruder and even reclaim stolen property.
- Rolling Code Garage Door Openers
Most garage openers from years ago employ a fixed code, which can be accessed by burglars using code grabbers. The risk is removed with rolling code technology as it produces a new code each time the door is operated. It becomes almost impossible for someone to replicate the signal.
Most contemporary high-security garage door openers include rolling code functionality. It’s a good idea to make sure your system does, or upgrade if it doesn’t.
- Protect Your Remote Controls
Garage remotes are small but potent tools. Lost or stolen, they could give burglars easy access to your business. Never leave your garage remote in an open car or plain sight.
Instead, use a keychain-sized remote that you can carry with you. Some newer garage systems also allow smartphone apps to control the garage, making the remote obsolete.
- Stiffen the Garage Door
If the garage door is the weakest point, make it stiffer. Use structural reinforcement with bracing kits, especially if the door is large. Install a security bar at the bottom of the door to prevent being pried open.
Also, install a garage door timer that closes the door automatically after a specified time frame. This locks your garage in case someone forgets to close it.
- Maintenance and Inspection
Even the best security systems do not work if they are not maintained. Make sure your garage doors receive regular checks and servicing from professionals. This includes checking tracks, springs, hinges, and openers.
Regular servicing keeps your system in top order, reducing the chance of a breakdown that leaves your garage vulnerable to intruders.
Final Thoughts
Business garage doors are some of the weakest points of entry for thieves, especially if they are old or broken down. With the above advice, you can significantly boost the safety of your garage and your valuable possessions.
From installing new technology and brighter lights to putting the best-of-the-best commercial garage doors, every step makes the property more secure and safer. Taking the time to assess and bolster your garage security today can prevent costly mishaps down the road. Don’t let it come too late—lock your commercial garage now.
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