You just get back from driving to the grocery store and you realize that the garage door remote isn’t where its suppose to be. Panic sets in…

Currently, in the US, even though burglaries have been minimal, the average amount of money stolen has gone up. Illegally entering someone’s home by stealing garage door opener remotes is on the top of the list of all the methods burglars have been using.  They have been going into unlocked cars at homes,shopping centers, schools, etc. to grab those remotes.

Is there something you can do when you know that the remote has been lost or stolen? How can I prevent this from ever happening again?

Disable the remote

Here is how a garage door opener works: according to Wikipedia your remote sends off a signal and the opener listens and responds by opening or closing the door. What can be different is the type of code programmed and the frequency it uses.

Disabling your remote… how? There are a few ways to do it:

• Depending on the brand, there is a red, orange, green, purple or yellow Smart Button located on the motor housing.

• Pushing on this button for a couple seconds to deprogram all the remotes and keypads that you have in the house. This way, even if a remote has been stolen, it won’t be able to be used to open your garage door.

• But what if I just unplug the opener? Won’t this clear the settings and keep anyone form entering? unfortunately the answer is No. There are some garage openers that can use a battery and it store the codes so that you don’t have to reprogram if there is a power outage in your area.

Be proactive and cautious!

• Always lock your car doors, period.  Even if your car is parked in your driveway it could be the next target. You’d be surprised how many remotes are stolen at night in neighborhoods.

• Never place your remote in plain sight in your car.

• Always keep your registration hidden in your car not in the typical place like your glove dept. box. That’s the first place buglers look.

 

Can someone help me? I know nothing about this…

Following the loss of your garage door remote control, if you still have questions that haven’t been thoroughly answered, contact A Team Garage Doors.

To replace a remote that has been stolen, be sure you have the other remote you use on hand. You will need to give the model number and year of your door opener. You can also send a request for an online quote.

Lastly, if you are planning on changing your garage door in the near future, try out our design center, and create your own garage door.