While it’s common to see overhead garage doors left partially open, especially in the summer, we often don’t consider how safe this practice really is. In this article, we discuss the benefits of a partially open garage door and the reasons why you may want to avoid leaving it open while unattended.

The Potential Risks of Leaving a Garage Door Open

Each time the garage door is left open or partially open, the chances of experiencing the consequences below increase.

Infestations – Insects and Vermin

An open garage door can attract various vermin and insects, including rats, birds, bugs, and mosquitoes. Pests may identify your garage as a secure location for nesting and reproduction. Unfortunately, these small animals can introduce various diseases and cause damage not only to your garage but also to your entire home. Furthermore, once these pests infiltrate your home, removing them becomes challenging and often necessitates professional help.

Burglary and Home Invasion

When moving into an affluent neighborhood, some may assume a reduced risk of burglary; however, this is not necessarily the case. Regrettably, residing in a nice neighborhood does not exempt us from the presence of thieves; in fact, it can attract their attention. Thieves often observe wealthier neighborhoods to identify potential targets, and if they spot an easy entry point, they may take advantage of the opportunity.

Taking Huntington Beach as an example, the property crime rate is 21.68 per 1000 residents. In 2020 alone, there were 480 cases of burglaries and 3,007 cases of theft per 100,000 residents, according to City-Data.

This reality is underscored by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, which has issued crime prevention tips emphasizing that thieves can steal items from open garages in less than 30 seconds. A poignant example is a 31-year-old Anaheim resident who managed to sneak through an open garage door and swiftly steal an Olympic gold medal.

In another incident reported by Irvine police, a residential burglary took place. While the article did not explicitly mention the entry point, it appears that the burglar gained access through the garage side door, potentially exploiting a partially open garage door. Stolen items in this case included a cellphone and laptop. Following the incident, Irvine police issued a reminder to the local community, urging residents to always close and lock home windows, garages, and doors, even when the residence is occupied.

Nothing Beats a Failure but a Try – A True Story

When Paul, a homeowner in Long Beach, took his car to the dealership for servicing, he never expected what would follow. One hot summer afternoon, he opened his garage door slightly to let in some cool air, leaving it partially open while he went back inside.

About an hour later, while relaxing and watching TV, Paul heard his car’s engine start and the garage door opening. Rushing outside, he discovered a young man attempting to drive away with his car. Paul shouted, startling the intruder, who fled on foot, leaving the car behind.

When the police arrived, they collected fingerprints from the scene and eventually tracked down the intruder. Surprisingly, the person worked at the dealership’s repair shop where Paul had serviced his car. It turned out that the intruder had made an extra car key while the vehicle was at the shop overnight and had access to Paul’s information through the auto shop’s files.

Days later, the intruder seized the opportunity and visited Paul’s home, waiting for the garage door to be partially open. Taking advantage of the situation, he crawled underneath and accessed the vehicle.

Compromised Garage Door Opener

Leaving your garage door partly open might expose you to a more sophisticated scheme. It’s surprisingly simple for an intruder to crawl through the gap, reach the electric garage door opener, and access the opener’s code by programming their own remote-control device. Once accomplished, they can return at their convenience and gain access to your garage and home.

More Frequent Repairs and Maintenance

Even in the modern era, garage doors come with a limited lifespan and will require maintenance and repairs over time. Each time you open your garage door, you add wear and tear to the door’s mechanisms, such as springs, rollers, bearings, hinges, etc. The increased usage accelerates the wear on these mechanisms, leading to more frequent repairs and visits from your local garage door repair company.

So, Why Should You Leave Your Garage Door Partially Open?

Typically, people crack their garage doors open to improve ventilation or let cool air in during the summer or allow their pets to move in and out. Without the help of a proper ventilation system, garages often become stuffy and uncomfortable to work or spend time in, potentially impacting the temperatures inside the house.

A Partly Open Garage Door: Does It Make the House Cooler or Hotter?

A partially opened garage door can cool down your garage and improve ventilation. While it may help lower the temperature in both the garage and adjacent rooms by allowing cool air to flow through the gap, insufficient ventilation could lead to heat rising and entering the rest of your home. So, how can you efficiently regulate the temperatures in your garage and home?

1. Proper Insulation

Depending on your location, controlling the temperature of your home, especially your garage, can be challenging during the summer months. Having well-insulated garage walls and roof, double-pane windows, vents, and installing an energy-efficient or insulated garage door with a decent R-value can make a significant difference while avoiding the aforementioned risks.

2. Improve Ventilation

You can utilize the principle of convection to more efficiently ventilate your garage and home. As the temperature in the garage increases, the hot air molecules gain kinetic energy and begin to move faster, causing the hot air to rise as it becomes less dense.

Roof ventilators can significantly improve air circulation and ventilation in the garage. These ventilators will facilitate the flow of hot air out through the garage’s ceiling. Allowing the hot air to escape will not only improve ventilation but also create suction to pull in replacement cooler air through your partially open garage door.

How to Leave a Garage Door Cracked Open

If you have an electric automatic garage door, you can leave it partially open by pressing the opener’s wall button or remote control until the door reaches the desired position, then press the button again. Note that you should do this during an opening cycle. Pressing the opener’s wall button or remote control during a closing cycle (while the door is closing) will cause the garage door to open fully. Alternatively, you can manually open the garage door to the desired position using the emergency release pull.

Mitigating the Risks of an Open Garage Door

For many of us, our garage is more than just a place to park our cars; it serves as a barrier, an entryway to our homes and a storage space for both invaluable and valuable items. Although leaving your garage door partly open might seem like a completely normal thing to do, this habit can result in various issues.

To help mitigate the risks, modern overhead door systems offer a variety of security features. Many garage door openers come with a built-in camera or a Wi-Fi connection that enables you to add a camera. These smart garage door openers also allow users to program a pre-set schedule to open or close the garage door, as well as alert the user if the garage door is open for too long. This not only helps in securing your garage but also contributes to keeping your family and home safe.

If you suspect that your overhead garage door or opener has been compromised, consult a licensed garage door repair company as soon as possible.