Technology finally saved my butt...

Sigarms · Mar 7, 2020

VERY long story short (with multiple cars, keys and 2 -15 year olds and my 88 year old father), locked out of the house going to our dinner reservation.

I had to use my boys phone outside of the house in the driveway (I left mine in the house as I didn't think I'd need it) to call my wife who is in Charleston for the week.

She was able to use the App on her phone to open the garage door in South Carolina, got back into the house and was able to take another car.

I'm not one for home automation via using your phone (actually don't care for it at all), but I do have to say it was nice that my wife was able to open the garage door out of state.

Got the new garage door installed a couple of years ago and did download the app because it's nice to go for a walk with the phone and not have to carry house keys (which are with the car keys). With multiple cars (sore point with my wife), she had the one garage door opener on her car in SC and my father had one in his car locked in the garage.

psvfd · Mar 7, 2020

Sigarms said:
VERY long story short (with multiple cars, keys and 2 -15 year olds and my 88 year old father), locked out of the house going to our dinner reservation.

I had to use my boys phone outside of the house in the driveway (I left mine in the house as I didn't think I'd need it) to call my wife who is in Charleston for the week.

She was able to use the App on her phone to open the garage door in South Carolina, got back into the house and was able to take another car.

I'm not one for home automation via using your phone (actually don't care for it at all), but I do have to say it was nice that my wife was able to open the garage door out of state.

Got the new garage door installed a couple of years ago and did download the app because it's nice to go for a walk with the phone and not have to carry house keys (which are with the car keys). With multiple cars (sore point with my wife), she had the one garage door opener on her car in SC and my father had one in his car locked in the garage.

That is why I have an opener on the outside of the garage and a set of house keys in there. No internet app needed.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Liftmast...MIv-zn6MCI6AIVApyzCh2O6AIQEAQYAiABEgLC__D_BwE

old and tired · Mar 7, 2020

That's why I have hid-a-keys... I would be too worried that someone in India could also open my garage

Bocephous · Mar 7, 2020

Would the garage door have opened if there had been a power outage? I keep a house key hidden outside for such times.

Jchonline · Mar 7, 2020

Hide a key and have a garage door keypad.
The last thing I would trust is the internet and an app.

fried1765 · Mar 7, 2020

Jchonline said:
Hide a key and have a garage door keypad.
The last thing I would trust is the internet and an app.

^^^^^^AGREED!!!

Jstpssng · Mar 7, 2020

That sounds like a good ending to an oh-**** moment. The last time that I hid a key I found a place where nobody would think to look. That was in 1995 and I still don’t know where I put it.

ericm979 · Mar 7, 2020

Jchonline said:
Hide a key and have a garage door keypad.
The last thing I would trust is the internet and an app.

I design data security products for businesses. It turns out that many of those apps and their back end servers have poor security because the product managers did not want to put in the effort. I avoid internet connected things.

The older pre-rolling code remote opener protocols like some garage door openers use are not that great either. The difference is that an attacker has to be at your house in front of the garage door to execute an attack on the opener while an internet connected thing can be attacked from anywhere.

Code54 · Mar 7, 2020

A lot of the new openers have battery backup. I find it a great feature - my shop does not have a backup generator but since the garage door opener does have the battery it still lets me get the truck in and out if the power is down for a bit. If I recall at the time then I bought the opener, it was about 10 bucks more for the one with the battery and it has been working great for 4-5 years now.

EddieWalker · Mar 7, 2020

I made the mistake of telling my wife where the key was hidden. One day she locked herself out and used the key. And then one day I locked myself out and the key wasn't there anymore. She doesn't remember what she did with it after using it.

If you are relying on a hidden key and you live with others, be sure to have TWO hidden keys. One for you and one for them to lose.