Garage Doors & Security – Which one is best?

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With the domestic garage containing thousands of pounds worth of expensive equipment such as bikes, tools and vehicles it is essential that it is well protected against thieves and criminals trying to make some easy money.

As such here with the help of leading UK supplier Roller Doors Ltd we take a look in more detail about what different types of garage door are on the market today and how they differ in terms of the level of security that they can offer.

Up & Over Garage Doors

This type of door was for years the most popular on the market. Consisting of a single piece of steel, timber or ABS they lift up on tracks into the horizontal position when they are open. Whilst this design is tried and tested the lack of a quality locking mechanism does mean that the level of security they are able to provide is somewhat minimal. Often all that is required to break into one of these doors is to smash the lock off and pull the locking bars on the inside.

To try to counteract this problem some manufacturers have introduced multi point locking systems but because many homeowners now prefer to automate their garage doors this lock must be disabled (if the motor powers up with lock in place it would destroy the motor and probably cause damage to the door).

The problem with this is on some cheaper models it is possible to push the top of the door inwards so it bows slightly. In turn this means that a piece of wire with a hook on the end can be manoeuvred into the manual release toggle that is fitted to the motor and once detached criminals will be free to manually open the door.

Side Hinged

By far the most basic of all garage doors the side hinged option is both simple to break into if secured using a single lock and almost impossible to break into if fitted with multiple locks. So unless your door already has the facility to hold both leafs firmly secure when closed we would recommend making some upgrades as soon as possible otherwise you might just find the criminals have paid you a night time visit.

Sectional Garage Doors

Rising in popularity due to the many safety and security aspects a sectional garage door is one of the most secure options on the market. Featuring a double skinned steel panel the door is extremely rigid meaning anyone trying to force it open will struggle as lot. In addition to this because of the vertical lift design and the fact the panels overlap the back of the opening anyone trying to gain unlawful entry will have minimal leverage point they can use to gain access. Finally, as most homeowners choose to add an electric motor to this type of door the handle is not fitted to the outside face of the panel which removes the possibility of somebody gaining entry by breaking the lock.

As such all these features combine to create a strong, durable and reliable physical security solution that will easily protect your homes valuables against the hands of criminals.

Roller Garage Doors

The problem with a lot of roller garage doors on the market is that they are only as secure as their weakest part. In most cases this is the locking straps that connect the curtain to the barrel. These work like an elbow does in that once the door is closed the straps push straight and simply hold the door closed using resistance alone. Due to this if the door is forced hard enough from the bottom the straps can be snapped quite easily leading to a total loss of security.

To counter this some manufacturers now use a metal connecting strap as these will not snap like the cheaper plastic versions do. In addition to this some companies will also fit a special locking mechanism into the endplates of the roller mechanism that further secures the curtain against intruder penetration.

Secured By Design Garage Doors

Although not available on all models and designs within the UK market some garage door manufacturers now offer a limited range of roller, sectional and up and over doors that have met “Secured by Design” status. This is a nationally recognised standard approved by the Insurance industry and the Association of Chief Police Officers meaning that any door with this rating will offer the most secure levels of protection that is available.

In closing, whilst the topic of garage doors may not be very interesting, when you consider the value of the contents within the building they are securing there is no reason that they should be overlooked in terms of the level of security that they can offer.

Whilst 2 doors can look identical they may offer 2 completely differing levels of security so please do not make any purchasing decisions based purely on price alone as things that are cheap are also often inferior in quality, durability and performance.