Securing a garage with electric openers
Discussion
We have a double garage (2 up and over doors) each with a Hörmann ecostar electric opener. There is no other way into the garage (no side door or window)
I’m thinking of getting an expensive e-bike which will Live in the garage and I want it to be as secure as possible. One solution is to have a gold standard chain and loop inside the garage itself but I wanted to make the doors as secure as possible without compromising the convenience of electric opener.
Most garage locks like the garage defender are physical locks which require removing and replacing. Are there any other locks which would work in conjunction with the Hormann units so that I can still open the garage with a press of a button?
I’m thinking of getting an expensive e-bike which will Live in the garage and I want it to be as secure as possible. One solution is to have a gold standard chain and loop inside the garage itself but I wanted to make the doors as secure as possible without compromising the convenience of electric opener.
Most garage locks like the garage defender are physical locks which require removing and replacing. Are there any other locks which would work in conjunction with the Hormann units so that I can still open the garage with a press of a button?
I gave up on the remote garage door idea because of just the dilemma the OP has. I am mega-keen on garage security and really didn’t fancy the single point of failure of relying on the Hormann lock. I have additional locks on the corners of the doors so having a remote is a waste of time - I still have to manually unlock these. So I just got manual steel rollers.
It depends on how good you are with electronics, etc.
If your door openers have a 12v out, you could put two electromagnets on each side of the door, etc.
There is a bit more to it than that, but it is easy to do.
Or get a simple keypad to control the locks, something like an ACT 5 or ACT 10.
If your door openers have a 12v out, you could put two electromagnets on each side of the door, etc.
There is a bit more to it than that, but it is easy to do.
Or get a simple keypad to control the locks, something like an ACT 5 or ACT 10.
I have a similar set up with a detached garage, for the last 20 years..
It has a wired alarm with magnetic switches on the up and over doors and a PIR inside in case anyone manages to bend up the bottom of the door.
The keypad is level with the drivers window on my car.
It has a wired alarm with magnetic switches on the up and over doors and a PIR inside in case anyone manages to bend up the bottom of the door.
The keypad is level with the drivers window on my car.
Edited by Hol on Saturday 21st December 11:42
What kind of attack on your garage are you anticipating and what do you want in response?
With an electric opener, thieves can only open the door by either breaking the code, or some sort of brute force.
Assuming no obvious flaws like the manual doors you can open with a credit card or palette knife.
E.g., is the 'fail safe' means of disengaging the door from the actuator secure?
You could add another layer of electronics to prevent code breaking attacks.
You can make the door more resistant to brute force, with deadlocks etc, but there's a scale from 'bloke with small crowbar' to 'paramilitary ram raid' to defend against. Up and over doors are inherently weak. Most will either break or bend to the point that locks disengage fairly easily, if the thief has a big crowbar or a vehicle.
In terms of response, a loud alarm which goes off before they're finished ripping the door off might be a good approach.
On the 'code breaking side', even if they've got my remote, they won't be opening the door if there's no power to the motor. That can be arranged with a smart switch or similar.
With an electric opener, thieves can only open the door by either breaking the code, or some sort of brute force.
Assuming no obvious flaws like the manual doors you can open with a credit card or palette knife.
E.g., is the 'fail safe' means of disengaging the door from the actuator secure?
You could add another layer of electronics to prevent code breaking attacks.
You can make the door more resistant to brute force, with deadlocks etc, but there's a scale from 'bloke with small crowbar' to 'paramilitary ram raid' to defend against. Up and over doors are inherently weak. Most will either break or bend to the point that locks disengage fairly easily, if the thief has a big crowbar or a vehicle.
In terms of response, a loud alarm which goes off before they're finished ripping the door off might be a good approach.
On the 'code breaking side', even if they've got my remote, they won't be opening the door if there's no power to the motor. That can be arranged with a smart switch or similar.
OutInTheShed said:
What kind of attack on your garage are you anticipating and what do you want in response?
With an electric opener, thieves can only open the door by either breaking the code, or some sort of brute force.
Assuming no obvious flaws like the manual doors you can open with a credit card or palette knife.
E.g., is the 'fail safe' means of disengaging the door from the actuator secure?
You could add another layer of electronics to prevent code breaking attacks.
You can make the door more resistant to brute force, with deadlocks etc, but there's a scale from 'bloke with small crowbar' to 'paramilitary ram raid' to defend against. Up and over doors are inherently weak. Most will either break or bend to the point that locks disengage fairly easily, if the thief has a big crowbar or a vehicle.
In terms of response, a loud alarm which goes off before they're finished ripping the door off might be a good approach.
On the 'code breaking side', even if they've got my remote, they won't be opening the door if there's no power to the motor. That can be arranged with a smart switch or similar.
To he honest I’m not sure what I’m expecting/anticipating. I suppose there comes a point where somebody who is determined to get in will get in one way or another. An external lock may be a deterrent or it may advertise that there is something worth nicking inside.With an electric opener, thieves can only open the door by either breaking the code, or some sort of brute force.
Assuming no obvious flaws like the manual doors you can open with a credit card or palette knife.
E.g., is the 'fail safe' means of disengaging the door from the actuator secure?
You could add another layer of electronics to prevent code breaking attacks.
You can make the door more resistant to brute force, with deadlocks etc, but there's a scale from 'bloke with small crowbar' to 'paramilitary ram raid' to defend against. Up and over doors are inherently weak. Most will either break or bend to the point that locks disengage fairly easily, if the thief has a big crowbar or a vehicle.
In terms of response, a loud alarm which goes off before they're finished ripping the door off might be a good approach.
On the 'code breaking side', even if they've got my remote, they won't be opening the door if there's no power to the motor. That can be arranged with a smart switch or similar.
Hol said:
I have a similar set up with a detached garage, for the last 20 years..
It has a wired alarm with magnetic switches on the up and over doors and a PIR inside in case anyone manages to bend up the bottom of the door.
The keypad is level with the drivers window on my car.
I’ve got a Texecom system in mine. It’s remote activated using a Visonic receiver which is set as a zone on the alarm as a key switch. No entry delay needed on opening the door - my philosophy is that if the door has been breached then even with the alarm sounding you are already fIt has a wired alarm with magnetic switches on the up and over doors and a PIR inside in case anyone manages to bend up the bottom of the door.
The keypad is level with the drivers window on my car.
Edited by Hol on Saturday 21st December 11:42
ked. Our garage is right off down the bottom of the garden so by the time I’ve got out of bed, got some clothes on and my baseball bat they could’ve got away with a lot of stuff. I’ve got big industrial magnetic sensors (like you see on warehouse shutters) to detect opening plus vibration / impact sensors on each door, an internal PIR plus sensors in the roof space in case someone tries that way in. Twin sound bombs plus a master blaster - it’s LOUD. Basically any tampering with the doors and it’ll go off.
I did have a side window and personal access door too; those have been bricked up.
I’ve also got a Blink camera hidden on a tree trunk looking at the front of the garage and car port, another pointing down the drive from the apex of the garage gable end, and another hidden inside that’s also integrated with Alexa which turns on a floodlight inside the garage.
All my motorbikes and electric mountain bikes are secured with monstrous Pragmasis chains and Torc ground anchors.
I can’t abide thieving and the thought of getting my stuff stolen makes me sick. Modern policing is a farce - the only thing that’s going to protect your stuff is you!
So far so good - the only thing that sets the alarm off are very strong storms, and the cameras just get triggered by cats, deer, sheep (sniffing Lanoguard under the car!), foxes and badgers.
The Three D Mucketeer said:
Besides the alarm on my roller shutter doors , I have SAMSUNG open/close sensors on the doors ;linked to my SMARTTHINGS/ACTIONTILES display . After sunset they also alert me by voice message on my SONOS speakers if the doors open and switch on my security lights.
And how many attacks by the mongol hordes have you intercepted?Back in the day, we had an SMS based alarm on our lock-up premises in the less shiny part of town, no idea if it was any good because nobody even tried to break in. At least my friend's system sent amusing cat pictures now and then!
8-P said:
I have a quality wall anchor, large cables and D locks. I consider this enough. You’d need to be pretty good to get my bikes away having already got through my doors.
Sadly with a cordless SDS someone could just cut the wall anchor off the wall. I think if they're in your garage your stuff is going. Dog Star said:
8-P said:
I have a quality wall anchor, large cables and D locks. I consider this enough. You’d need to be pretty good to get my bikes away having already got through my doors.
There’s a lot of moneys worth of tools etc for me to consider.I know people who've had all their garage security defeated , and all their chains and ground anchors. "secrecy" is the best security.
24lemons said:
There is an emergency release cord which is accessed via a lock in the garage door itself.
I’ve got one of those A large screwdriver will have that out of the door in 10 seconds
I would be locking the bike to the garage.
If you can remove the battery, they won want the hassle of getting a new one.
Wacky Racer said:
Unless someone follows you home, how do they know you have anything valuable in them?
I have two separate garages both with electronic remote control doors. Never had an issue in twenty odd years.
If they really want to get in nothing will stop them if they are tooled up.
This. Also depends on the area you live in. I have a double with 2 doors and rarely leave them open, I’m also in a cul de sac and a low crime area, all these things help.I have two separate garages both with electronic remote control doors. Never had an issue in twenty odd years.
If they really want to get in nothing will stop them if they are tooled up.
Wacky Racer said:
Yes, I never leave them up a minute longer than necessary.
Prying eyes and all that.
I have an electric roller shutter garage door but I expect it could be jacked up with ease.Prying eyes and all that.
The roller shutter saves a huge amount of space inside the garage compared to an up and over.
Since having problematic electric garage doors in my last 2 properties I try to minimise use to about one a week
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