From Nosey Neighbours To ASIO: How To Protect Your Garage From Snoops

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They say that a person's home is their castle, and that extends to any activities that are taking place out in the garage. While it is certainly not recommended that you try to be a budding Walter White while you are out there, your garage should still afford you some measure of privacy to do the things you enjoy. Here are three ways to keep the snoops out of your business.

Shut The Front Door!

While letting fresh air into the garage while you are working may be your desire, opening up the front door and leaving it open is an invitation to show off everything that you own to the neighbours, and all those that are driving past. Gold Coast Police recently reminded residents that an open garage door is an opportunity for theft that not everyone will ignore. If you need some air in your garage you have three safer options to consider:

  • Install a stand-alone air conditioning unit in an unused window. These units are small, portable, and will help to keep your garage cool. They can be purchased at your closest hardware store, and do not require experience to install. As they sit on the window sill and are partially outside the house, they will vent into the open air so need no internal ducting.
  • Have a specialist like Aus Secure install a door into the side of the garage. This doorway then becomes home to a steel security door that sits in front of a thick, wooden door. The wooden door can be left open to allow fresh air to flow in as it is protected by the steel frame and mesh of the security door. Make sure the door frame is made of steel as it is a lot stronger than metal alloy and aluminium. The stronger the frame, the less chance a thief has to pry the frame off the doorway.
  • Install skylights into your roof. However, these should not be able to open more than 1 cm. This will prevent thieves from dropping hooks into your garage while they try to pull up items of value such as power tools or electronics.

Protecting The Roof

In an effort to protect their thoughts from being read by the government, some Americans thought that wearing a hat made of tinfoil would give them the ultimate in protection. While it is doubtful that the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation has any interest what you are doing, your roof is still a potential weak point in your castle. However, lining the garage roof with tinfoil is not the answer.

If your garage houses a lot of expensive equipment that you want to protect and you are concerned about the roof being penetrated by thieves, there is a simple solution at hand. Chicken wire! Chicken wire can be purchased either by the roll, or at a set length that you want from a hardware store. It is a steel mesh that has hexagonal gaps spaced 2.5 cm apart. When stretched across your roof rafters and nailed into place, chicken mesh becomes a barrier that stops a thief from dropping down into your garage after removing a roofing panel or two.

Wrap The Window

The final spot where snoops may try to see what you are doing is through your windows. However, you still need light to partake in your garage activities, and natural light is best. One way that you can allow the light in, but keep the prying eyes out, is to invest in privacy window films.

Privacy window film still allows natural light to pass through the window, but anyone outside cannot see into the garage. This allows you the privacy that you want, and keeps the snoops at bay. Privacy film can be purchased online through a security provider, or at your hardware store. Care needs to be taken when the film is applied so that bubbles do not get trapped between the film and the glass, however security specialists can take care of the application for you.

The more precautions you take to keep the contents of your garage private, the less likely you are going to be the victim of privacy invaders or thieves. These suggestions can all be done over the space of one weekend, but will provide you with many weekends of peace of mind.

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25 February 2015

Open Chat: Making A Statement With Garage Doors

Welcome all. I am a builder by trade and I specialise in home renovations. The garage seems to be one of the most popular rooms for renovation as people seek to incorporate new uses such as a billiards room or party area. I reorganise storage space and brighten the walls and floors. Of course, all this costs thousands of dollars, yet many clients insist on keeping their old garage door. I find this very frustrating because the right door can change the whole appearance of a home and provide so much more functionality for the garage space. After speaking to clients, I realise that many people just don't know the options available. Whether you are renovating or building a new home, my blog may be able to help you choose a garage door that makes a statement and suits your needs. I hope you like browsing these pages. Thank you.