What Happens If A Garage Is Left Open?
Leaving your garage door half open could be an invitation to intruders
An open garage door can let burglars and unwanted animals into your home.
You could spend more on energy bills with an open garage door.
Open garage doors have a shorter lifespan.
Your HVAC system could overwork itself if you leave the garage door open.
Keep your home secure, private, and protected by closing your garage door.
It’s a hot day, and what better way to vent your garage than to leave it open just a crack, right? Not so fast. While it may seem practical to leave your garage door slightly open, doing so can have major negative consequences that impact your home’s security, appearance, and safety. Let’s get into what happens if garages are left open and why you should keep them closed.
1. It Increases Your Risk of Burglary
An open garage door is an open invitation for burglars to enter your home and take possessions that you keep in your garage. Some crafty burglars might even scope out your garage for days to plan the perfect theft and find vulnerable entry points beyond your garage. Closing your garage door is a simple way to prevent this type of crime from occurring.
2. Higher Energy Bills
Even if your garage door isn’t insulated, it’s better than nothing. Garage doors offer insulation from cold and hot temperatures, and while you may be tempted to crack open your garage door just a smidge to vent the area, the best method for venting your garage is to install vents.
3. Negative Environmental Impact
If you’re into eco-friendly living, leaving your garage door open doesn’t just increase your energy bills. It also increases your carbon footprint. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, air conditioning units release more than 100 million metric tons yearly and are major culprits for increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. By keeping it closed, you can do your part to lower your carbon footprint as much as possible.
4. Decreased HVAC Lifespan
Unsurprisingly, less insulation means your home’s internal temperatures could be higher or lower than if your garage door were closed. This leads to an excessive strain on your HVAC system as it works to maintain inside temperatures, decreasing its lifespan and leading to premature HVAC replacement costs ranging from $5,000 to $12,500 on average.
5. More Exposure to the Elements
Don’t be fooled by a beautiful day—your garage door can malfunction from all kinds of weather. Sunlight that hits your garage door sensors just right can prevent them from operating, while rain, hail, snow, and wind can all cause damage to your garage door, garage door wiring, and the belongings inside your garage.
6. Shorter Garage Door Lifespan
Again, leaving your garage door open can damage it or wear it down faster from weather exposure, but another issue that can arise is increased strain on your garage door mechanisms. A garage door that’s slightly ajar works harder to maintain its placement, which can cause it to become misaligned, damage the rollers, tracks, or cables, or break a spring—all of which can be dangerous hazards.
If your garage door needs replacing or repairs, you should contact a garage door company near you to handle the job. Garage door repairs cost anywhere between $150 and $375 on average, depending on the garage door parts that need repairing. For instance, garage door springs cost between $150 and $350 to replace, so if your garage door needs other repairs from being left open, you could end up spending more than the average.
7. May Increase Risk of Injury
Speaking of safety hazards, you, your loved ones, and your pets can all get injured by an open garage door. You may use the door as a shortcut inside, or children could play underneath the door, which could be dangerous if a spring or cables break and the door collapses. Garage doors are extremely heavy, weighing between 80 and 500 pounds, so it’s bad to leave a garage door half open when not in use due to potential injuries.
8. Invitation for Pests
A visit from your neighborhood rodents, raccoons, possums, insects, and snakes can be a major surprise when you enter your garage after leaving it open. But these critters can all find comfort in a cozy room. Some pests can damage your property, cause a racket, spread diseases, or hurt you, making it important to click the garage door opener and keep it shut when not in use.
9. Less Privacy
A garage full of storage boxes can make anyone walking by a little interested in what’s inside. It can also detract from your home’s curb appeal. While not everyone has intentions to steal your possessions, feeling like your home is constantly being watched can turn a safe home into an exhibition for curious eyes.
10. Voided Insurance Claims
Lastly, one area that is easily overlooked is the impact leaving an open garage door can have on your home insurance policy. Insurance companies are always looking for ways to get around paying for property damage, and if they discover that the cause of your damage was due to leaving your garage door open, they may refuse to cover any losses that occurred. You’d then have to pay for any garage door repairs or stolen belongings.
