A garage holds bikes, tools and vehicles, and in an attached garage it is also a door into your house that often gets less protection than the front door. Securing it comes down to four things: the overhead door and its opener, the door between the garage and the house, any side or service door, and simple habits. This guide walks through each one.

Want a second look at your garage doors? Call (613) 707-4884.

1. The Door From the Garage Into the House

This is the most important door to get right, because anyone who gets into the garage can work on it out of sight. Many are fitted with only a knob lock, or are left unlocked because family members come and go through the garage.

  • Fit a quality deadbolt and lock it at night and when you are away, just like the front door.
  • Use a solid door rather than a hollow-core interior door.
  • Reinforce the strike and hinges with long screws into the framing; see door frame reinforcement.
  • A keypad or smart deadbolt here can make locking it a habit rather than a chore.

2. The Overhead Garage Door

The opener

  • Remotes: do not leave an opener remote in a car parked outside; a thief who gets into the car gets into the garage. A keychain remote or app control is safer.
  • Older openers: very old openers with fixed codes are easier to defeat than modern rolling-code systems. If yours predates rolling codes, upgrading the opener is worth considering.
  • Vacation or lock mode: many wall consoles have a lock button that disables remotes while you are away.
  • Lost remote: clear the opener's memory and reprogram your remaining remotes.

The emergency release

The red release cord lets you open the door by hand during a power outage, so it must stay usable from inside. If the top of the door has a gap, a release shield or guard that blocks access from outside while still letting you pull the cord from inside is a good compromise. Never disable the release entirely.

Manual locks

Side-mounted slide bolts or a keyed T-handle lock can secure the door when you are away for long periods, or on a door without an opener. If you use one with an automatic opener, make sure the opener cannot run while the door is locked, or you risk damaging the door or opener. Follow the opener manufacturer's guidance.

3. Side and Service Doors

Detached garages and many attached ones have a side door that is often older, hollow or fitted with a weak lock. Treat it like any exterior door: a solid door, a deadbolt with a reinforced strike, and hinges that cannot be removed from outside. If the door has a window near the lock, consider security glazing or film.

4. Windows and Visibility

  • Frost or cover garage windows so passers-by cannot see what is inside or whether a car is parked there.
  • Secure garage windows with proper latches; see window lock installation.
  • Good exterior lighting and motion lights make the driveway and side door less inviting.

Ottawa Habits That Help

  • Close the overhead door every time, even when shovelling or working in the yard.
  • Check that cold weather has not stopped the door closing fully; ice on the floor seal can leave a gap.
  • Lock up bikes and tools inside the garage, not just the garage itself.
  • When you move into a new home, reset the opener codes and rekey the garage and house doors. Our new home security checklist covers the rest.

What Affects the Cost

The cost depends on which doors need work, whether you are adding new deadbolts or reinforcing existing ones, the condition and type of the doors and frames, whether manual locks are added to the overhead door, and whether keys must match your other locks.

Next Step

If you want the garage-to-house door and side doors secured as well as your front door, see our residential locksmith services or call (613) 707-4884.