If your garage connects to your house, what do you do about security?

[LivingInABuildingSite]

Our new side extension will be part garage/shed (not actually big enough for a car but we keep calling it a garage) and part utility.

So, if you get into the garage, there will be a door into the utility and then into the rest of the house.

If you can get into your house from your garage, what do you do about security? What locks and keys, which doors are locked with what, etc?

I have to have garage doors that look like old wooden doors, probably with glazing in, to fit in with the area.
So can’t have a rolling metal garage door.

Thinking a Yale lock, same as my front door?
Should I put a lock on the door into the utility too? Could be a faff taking out several keys in bike rides, etc.

[PigletJohn]

not now, but when I did:

heavy fire door between house and garage, opening into garage so it can not be kicked in

mortice rackbolts top and bottom of door

hinge bolts

weak doorhandle so if person yanks on it the handle will fall off rather than the door being tugged open

and today I would add a British Standard mortice deadlock or sashlock. I have them on the (three) doors at the back of the house, all suited to the same key so I don't need to carry a jangle of keys around with me.

Current garage has intruder alarm sensors on vehicle door and personal door.

If anybody gets into a garage (garage doors are very easy to force) they can then close it and work away unobserved. The garage will probably have plenty of housebreaking tools in it. It may also contain power tools or other things that can easily be sold for cash

[LittleOverWhelmed]

We just had an extension that joined the back of the garage to the house via a door (it is a revelation! Great move).

The door connecting the garage to the utility is a fire door with a 5 lever mortise lock.

We did get a new garage door: electric roller door with a built-in intruder alarm.

We also have a house alarm with a sensor in the garage facing the garage door.

[LivingInABuildingSite]

Thanks both.

PigletJohn - I am worried about someone getting in and then hiding behind a closed door to spend a long as they need to get past the next door.

I’m thinking of getting made (somehow) some thicker than average doors with lots of strengthening elements added, with double glazed glazing units rather than traditional single glazed.

The idea of the inner door opening outwards is good too thanks.

I was thinking suited keys for garage door and inner door - but in theory you could get stuck in the garage if you came out of the utility, shut the door and forgot your key! You could leave the garage and wait out the front for someone to come home I guess.

Currently the front and porch door are suited. Could /should I get matching suited ones for the garage and inner door? Then it’s just one key to carry for all four.
Doesn’t help the getting stuck thing though.

Or digital keypads? I know I don’t want those key safes as they’re too easy to crack.

Will be having the alarm system extended to cover the extensions, not sure on details yet.

LittleOverWhelmed - so what do you do if you come home into the garage? What if someone else has locked the inner door and left their key in it on the inside?

Trying to think of every variation.

I want to come in on my bike, and go into the house from the garage but not with loads of keys, or the risk of not being able to get in.

[saleorbouy]

These are great locks for up and over garage doors.

www.amazon.co.uk/Schlosser-Technik-Enfield-Garage-Bolts/dp/B075QHDK29/ref=asc_df_B075QHDK29/?hvlocphy=1007901&linkCode=df0&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=214440742293&hvdev=m&hvtargid=pla-421873003138&hvrand=16975979201367211384&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[PigletJohn]

I suppose you could conceal a key somewhere.

If you have deadlocks, the door won't lock itself without a key just by being shut.

I wouldn't have had glazed doors.

you can have laminated glass fitted if you want, with glazing tape which has a sort of glue to make it very difficult to get the glass out, even if broken.

You won't find a better lock than BS3631

If you want to use it as an entrance door, bolts would be unsuitable as you can't undo them from outside, so I have two mortice locks on my back door.

you will need an extra keypad in the garage to unset the alarm if you use it as an entry door.

It might be simpler to use the front door as your point of entry.

[LivingInABuildingSite]

Thanks saleorbuoy but I can’t have up and over doors.

Hadn’t thought of another keypad in the garage for alarm, good point.

Don’t want to take my bike through the house ideally. (Although currently living in the hallway.) could just not set it while I’m out riding - which is not as often as it should be anyway. Yeah can’t have bolts inside.

Also planning on getting a dog once building complete, and was envisaging going through the garage to the back with muddy dog.

Not sure I can get away without any kind of glazing as it is shown on the plans. Likely to get complaints from some fussy residents if we put the wrong thing in.

Lots to think about thanks, will discuss again with the builders and see what they say.

Could be a case of normally having the inner door locked with a deadbolt, but leaving that way on a bike (which I probably would anyway) or with the dog.

[TwoLeftSocksWithHoles]

On wooden garage doors we had a big wooden beam (5 foot) that was bolted to one door and rotated to slot into a bracket on the other door. A bit like a medieval castle has!

[PigletJohn]

Yes, you can still buy "barricade brackets" quite cheaply.

[didireallysaythat]

We have a steel security door between our garage and kitchen.

[Xenia]

The door from our garage to the house is the thickest door I have ever seen in a house so may be it is very strong security door. Originally the garage had a separate additional alarm system too (the last owners had a Bentley in there!) Whenever I leave the house I always look the mortice lock to the kitchen without fail and it would be one of the hardest doors to get through.

Mind you there is just about nothing to steal in the house so any burglar would be very disappointed anyway which he could probably asses just by looking at our old second hard cars and instead go to much richer neighbours near by