what sort of door do you have between your garage and house?

[poocatcherchampion]

we have a normal house door with a key lock and a not very secure up and over garage door.

it strikes me that it is basically and open invitation into the house and we need to improve.

Is it a case of a new door? if so what sort and where from/who to fit? and while we are at it is there an easy way to improve the security of the garage?

thanks oh wise ones..

Same as us & I think it is very secure as long as both garage & internal doors are locked ( we have sensor for burglar alarm on our internal door)

We have a fire door, which looks like a normal boring flush door but is v heavy, with a good lock on it. I thought a fire door was a legal requirement for an integral garage but I guess I'm wrong!

I've seen many up-and-over garage doors secured by bolts added to the bottom of the door.

The door between my garage and the house is a thick door (fire door?) with automatic closure. It only has a standard lock though. I imagine it is easy to improve security by simply installing a better mortice lock. And using it!

I thought a fire door was required by law too. Even when I was a child our garage door was a heavy fire door.

hmmm.. i'm pretty sure it is not a fire door. but that is maybe easy to change with a trip to b&q. and some locks and bolts i suppose

a fire door is very heavy. Typically 40kg. If it is protecting your house with burgalrs then as well as a 5-lever mortice lock, it should have rack bolts (mortice bolts) top and bottom.. The frame should be sealed into the wall with expanding foam, fire-proof grade. As well as preventing smoke and fumes, this also holds the door more firmly into the brickwork It is quite easy to apply once the architrave is of, though you may have to chip of some plaster.

Being heavy,fire doors usually need a matching lining (frame) and three suitable hinges (preferably lift off for ease of future maintenance). They ought to have furry intumescent smoke strip in the groove, which also stops draughts, but is made so it will swell up in a fire. Garages usually contain petrol, paint, oil, white spirit and other flammable materials.

Because they are so heavy, it is best to get a joiner to fit them. They are available in numerous sizes and styles, including panelled and boarded. The paint grade ones are much cheaper than veneered. Avoid the ones with a fake woodgrain as they are revolting.

Because garage are so easy to break into, and anyone in the garage can work out of sight and use your tools, the house/garage door needs to be especially secure and preferably covered by your burglar alarm. You can fit padbolts at the top, bottom and sides of an up-and-over door to make it less vulnerable.

We have just had the door to our garage replaced (access from utility room). Now have a panelled fire door with 5 lever lock and mortice bolts top and bottom. Our joiner fitted it and it has been well worth the money. Is now all draught proofed as well so the utility room is now warmer as well.

sounds just the ticket. Another advantage of fire doors, being so solid and well sealed, is that they blot out noise much better than ordinary doors. Have you noticed that?

may I ask what it cost?

this is very helpful! anyone recommend a joiner in south Birmingham?