I came across this video today, talking about how burglars are using a wire hanger to trip the emergency garage door release to break into homes.

Being a victim of a couple of Garage break ins over my lifetime, I thought their solution was elegant while not adversely impacting the feature of the emergency release.

http://www.kcci.com/entertainment/1-zipt...m_campaign=kcci

Is there anything that can't be solved with duct tape and zip ties? I think not...

I thought this sounded familiar. Personally, I had a little chuckle when I found that I mentioned this same technique a couple years ago in this post--and I was also responding to one of your posts, RNewcomb! I guess our fates are linked.

I'm glad that in that TV news clip you linked to, they put a big emphasis on making sure that anyone who zip ties the garage emergency release to prevent unauthorized entry can still break it when needed. It *is* an emergency feature, after all, and is there for a reason.

And they didn't play up the scary aspect of the story, making everyone think that there are hordes of people running around popping open people's garages using this technique. I hate how TV news has shifted more and more away from informing the public, to having to drum up ratings with sensational and emotionally charged stories.

After examining my automatic door opener, I see that it's possible for a hanger to catch the latch even if the rope is entire removed. I may have to install a zip tie. Another solution is to block the gap somehow, maybe with a rubber band, duct tape, or something like that.

It would be more fun to electrify the latch. But make sure your emergency release cord is non-conductive!

If you're building a garage or replacing an old/damaged door, get the new one without windows. The were breaking a window to reach the release with the hanger when I saw this locally several years ago.

Another thought--since many people don't actually use their garages to park their cars, they don't actually need to open the door often, particularly from the outside. In that case, some garage doors have a built in lock that you engage from the inside. Mine has a spring-loaded bolt that you can use to block the track that the door slides up and down on. Press a lever on the lock and the bolt springs out of the way.

Or there may be a spot on the track you could use a long shackle padlock to prevent the door from moving up, even if the emergency release were pulled from the outside--although this would be even more of a safety hazard than using a ziptie to keep the emergency release closed.

Vice-grips clamped to the rails do a good job of keeping those little wheels from rolling in their tracks too. You can also drill a hole in the track right above one the wasit-high wheels resting point when the door is closed and put a bicycle U-lock in there. You don't need (or even "want to") lock it. Just thread the U part through the hole and let it hang there without the locking bar in place.

Well, while this COULD happen at my house, there's a hell of a lot more than a garage door between my living space and garage. But it's a neat solution for an imaginary "trend"

I've long used a bent piece of rebar through the rectangular holes in the track also.

It is not an "emergency" feature at all. It is there in case the door opener fails so you can open it up like people did before there were garage door openers.

Short of busting a window in your garage door or making a hole in it, I don't see how you can get the coat hanger to the release latch.

Most garages, especially detached ones have side doors that can be opened a whole lot easier than going to that kind of trouble. A lot do not even have deadbolt locks on them. A screw driver will pop them open in about 2 seconds.

If the sensors that are supposed to detect obstructions, like your child, fails, how are you supposed to prevent the door from squashing your child? Google "garage door crushes" and you'll find any number of examples of people being injured or even killed when a closing garage door sensor failed to reverse (even adults). If the motor or mechanism gets jammed by the obstruction that is being crushed, how else can you lift the door if there isn't a release?


There are any number of videos demonstrating the technique, like this one.

The manual release still has to function, that's not in question. The question is being able to release it quickly in the event that the garage door sensors fail in such a way that results in crush injuries.

Since we all carry pocket knives (right?!?) the simplest solution is to back the spring with a piece of cord and cut through it if required. Zip ties are a PITA to cut with knives.

Personally, I'd use an autolocking biner and cord loop. Easy to open by hand, but impossible with just a coat hanger hook.

If there is room, put the knife through the zip tie loop & twist to where the knife cuts the tie.

Edit to add: One side of the tie braces the back of the knife blade to let the edge cut it. This is a lot easier to demonstrate than explain in text.

If you watch the video clip in the OP, the emergency release is secured with a zip tie and they show that it can be easily broken if you have the grip strength to pull down on the release cord with some help from your bodyweight. So, for most folks, tools are not necessary if you need to pull the release in a hurry unless you're using some heavy duty zip tie.

It probably helps to have the zip tie oriented so that the release lever presses directly against the "buckle" part of the zip tie as you're pulling down on the cord. I can't be sure from watching the video, but I think you just need to break the tiny locking tab inside the buckle, rather than trying to snap the strap itself, to free the release lever. Using a knife, you're basically trying to cut through the strap, which is probably the strongest part of the zip tie.

You're right that they are easily broken & very easy if you can apply the force to the little tab. This is actually the method I use when dealing with zip tied packaging.