At some point, we all do it. You pull up to the house in a rush, push the button on the opener, park and then run inside to handle an emergency. Maybe the kids are out playing and need the garage door open, so they can get their toys out and then put them up. Whatever the case, you end up leaving the garage door open overnight. That’s no big deal, right? Actually, it is a bigger deal than you might realize.
Leaving your garage door open for any length of time can be very risky, for several different reasons. In this post, we’ll cover some of the most important reasons that you should never leave your door open longer than absolutely necessary.
You’re Giving Thieves an Eye Full
Think that leaving your garage door open is fine as long as it’s during the daylight hours? Think again. Thieves scope out the homes they hit well before they attempt to break in, and an open garage door gives them all the information they need to determine if they need to come back to your place. With the door open, they can tell exactly what you have to offer. That includes a wide range of things, including:
- Your vehicle(s)
- Lawn mowers and yard equipment
- Power tools and hand tools
- Snowmobiles
- Bikes
- Snow blowers
- Motorcycles
Sure, your homeowner’s insurance will cover at least some of the loss, but let’s face it – it won’t really cover the replacement costs. You’ll get fair value only, which means you will not be able to replace everything that was stolen.
Watch Out for Pests
Human threats are not the only things you should be concerned about. There are plenty of problem characters in the natural world. Racoons, squirrels, mice, rats, even roaches and other insects can easily invade your home when the garage door is up. Perhaps they’re in search of shelter from the cold. Maybe they want to get into that bag of birdseed you’ve got stored in there. Whatever the case, they’ll get in, do a lot of damage, and then attempt to escape again, possibly chewing a hole right through your garage door’s weatherstripping in the process.
Weather Worries
You’ve lived in your home long enough to know that the weather can be fickle. A warm, sunny day can quickly turn dark and stormy. A mild autumn day can turn bitterly cold. If you leave your garage door open, weather fluctuations, even rain, sleet, and snow, can make their way into the garage. Even if you don’t store anything of importance in there, that still makes it harder to maintain the right temperature within your home.
How to Ensure Your Garage Door Is Closed
So, given the importance of keeping your garage door shut and secure, how can you make sure that it is? You have a couple of options.
- A Garage Door Monitor (829LM): One option is to use a garage door monitor that alerts you to whether the door is open or closed via an LED light. You can close the door with the touch of a button, as well.
- Liftmaster’s MyQ Technology: You’ll find that the Chamberlain/Liftmaster company has been offering its patented MyQ technology since 2013, allowing you to connect your smart phone to your garage door and control it from a hand app. You can even open or close the door from wherever you are in the world.
Things to Remember
The single most important takeaway here is this – never leave your garage door open longer than absolutely necessary. From thieves to pests to weather, it can wreak havoc on your life. Even if you don’t purchase one of the monitoring systems listed above, you should make checking the garage door part of your nightly routine.
Interested in learning more about the devices we discussed? Get in touch with us. We have years of experience working with all types of garage doors and we’d be happy to answer your questions. You can also get an email quote if you prefer, or you can stop into our showroom in person.
If you’re thinking about getting a new garage door, we invite you to check out our Design Centre to see what it would look like on your home. You can also check out our image gallery for additional options.
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