No more of a security risk than all your other entry doors. Ours is tied into the house alarm system. We use ours to get to our large trash/recycle/green bins that are in a walled area next to the garage.

Add the door. especially if you keep your trash cans outside or take the dogs in and out via the garage. or have kids. or... or... or... It's super cheap to do DURING the build. Not so much after.

Of course, add a human-oriented door! :-)

If you decide not to do the man door, have the proper framing for one done.

Easy to add one later if desired.

If you don't add the man-door, plan to hang a kickboxing bag in the garage. This way in the future, you can take out your frustrations on the bag every time you wish you had a real door :)

Just to be a counterpoint to popular opinion...I have had man doors on three houses I have lived in and they were never used. Everyone just used the main garage door(s). I have not missed not having a man door on the other houses I have lived in either (obviously, since it was not used when I had one!). Not adding one to current build either because it is a snout house on a narrow lot, so a man door would either have to lead into side of the neighbor's garage or straight onto our front sidewalk near where our main front door is.

I have just never felt one was more convenient than the nice big regular garage door, myself. Our garbage containers around here for example (the ones required by the city for street pickup) are big cumbersome two-wheeled things that are easier to wheel straight out of a big garage door and straight forward down to the street than through or over the threshold of a man door, which would also require a 90 degree turn once out of the man door down to the street (with the way any of my houses have been oriented).

We do mostly use our garage for parking though, and storing kayaks and bikes and other larger items where using the big garage door is convenient. If you are someone who uses their garage for a lot of other storage, or keeping yard tools and such, a man door might make more sense for you.

If I had a lot where there was a large yard space behind the garage or something, I would probably add a man door as it might make sense for me then to have access. As it is, it just does not :)

But, I will say if you are in doubt about it, add it. It is, as someone said, cheap to add during a build. And maybe you will be someone who gets a lot of use out of it!

Add the door. Better to have it and not use it than to not have it and wish you had it.

Depends on your lot and how your garage is oriented. Mine is a corner lot and the garage doors are oriented towards the back which means if we had a man door, it would go out to the front of the house or to the side of the house. Would have looked more awkward and wouldn't have really added any functionality.

Should we add a side entry door? Yes, it is a pain to have to open the overhead door every time you want to get to the outside from inside the garage.

Is this a security risk? Yes, but it can be designed and located in a manner that will reduce the risk.

Do not add? No, you will be glad you added it.

Will we really miss not having one? Yes

Our garage (in the alley - detached) has a man door. It's SO convenient. We've always had man doors, though - as others have said, it's there if you need it.

Depends on your lot and how your garage is oriented.

I was going to say the same thing. A door that opens into the back yard, of course, would be useful. A door that opens to the side yard -- eh, not so much.

Ours is opened to the side, we don’t use it much.

We use our man door all the time. I had house without one and really missed it.

"man doors"?? Tsk! Tsk! By order of our great and good photogenic Prime Minister, they're called peoplekind doors here in Canuckistan. The one time I put one in, never used it and lost the key.

Why do you guys call it a “man door”? We aren’t talking about doggie doors here......is it a Southern thing?

Agree, it depends on how your garage is oriented on the lot. Interesting question. In the mid 1970’s, most homes were built with a people door. Not so much anymore. Most new homes being built have three stall garages, one double door and one single door. People use their single garage door as there people exit.

What will the door be used for?