The Definitive Guide to Choosing the Right Garage Door Locks

There are many ways in which burglars are known to enter homes. The most common way, believe it or not, is through the front door. But not too far behind are windows and the garage door. Perhaps the most shocking statistic, however, is that more than 25% of burglaries escalate into personal assaults and so the notion of the gentlemanly cat burglar is largely a myth. With this in mind we’re going to take a look at garage door locks, the different kinds, their advantages and disadvantages and which one is right for your home.

Our Garage Door Repair Experts Talk Security

We do a lot of garage door repair in Loveland and vicinity and we know that unless your garage door security is up to speed, all the state-of-the-art security measures on your front door and windows won’t mean a thing. Even if a burglar can only get into the garage chances are you have valuables there like power tools, bikes and maybe even an expensive motorcycle that you could lose. So choosing the right lock for your garage door is crucial. Here are some common types of garage door locks.

• The T-Handle - T-Handle locks used to be more popular than they are now and that’s because, while they’re great at securing the garage, they’ve been pretty effectively overshadowed by other more high tech security options like the ones we’ll outline below. They also, like every other type of commercial garage door security device, require you to get out of your car to open the garage door. Still, they represent a relatively secure method of locking the door whether you’re at home or away.
• Digital Keypad Lock - With keyless digital locks you enter your code into a keypad which unlocks the door. This code can be changed whenever you see fit and it’s probably a good idea to change it regularly. There’s no picking a keyless digital lock and as such they provide a high degree of security. However, as we alluded to above, you’ll need to exit your car to enter the code into the keypad.
• Fingerprint Lock- Like the keypad lock the fingerprint lock is very secure. Since your fingerprint is unique it’s impossible to mimic it or to guess or steal the right code. Also, multiple fingerprints can be programmed into the system for the various people in the house so you have total control over who gets in this way. The advantage is that you won’t have to be constantly reprogramming a PIN access code. The disadvantage is that these systems can be expensive.
• Side Door Bolts - No one on the outside can see if your door has a side door bolt so even if the burglar realizes one or more are in play he’ll have a hard time determining exactly where it is. This type of lock is used after you arrive home and the door is closed behind you. The advantage is that it’s a simple solution that will go a long way toward securing your garage after you’ve come home. The disadvantage is that while you’re out your door may be vulnerable.

Which Type of Lock Does a Garage Door Repair Company Recommend?

As the area’s most experienced garage door repair company we would recommend a fingerprint lock system on your garage door and a deadbolt on the door connecting the garage to the living areas of the home. This two-headed approach will, in our opinion, provide you with the highest level of security. And even though you’ll need to step out of your car to access the fingerprint entry device we believe it’s worth the bother.

If you wish to make your own determination it will likely come down to 2 factors: convenience and price. Some homeowners don’t want to give up the convenience of being able to drive straight into the garage without getting out of the car. For them the options are fairly limited. They can either:

1. Install side bolt locks that are manually activated after they come home along with a deadbolt on the door between the garage and living spaces, or
2. They can try and install their own automatically retractable garage door dead bolts, which is tricky but not impossible. Attempting that, however, may wind up necessitating Broomfield garage door repair or general garage door opener repair. Or finally…
3. They can forego the garage door lock altogether and concentrate on securing the door to the living areas of the home.

Others who are willing to get out of their car to interact with a locking mechanism will most likely be driven primarily by cost considerations. In that case the keypad entry system may be the best combination of high security and relative cost effectiveness; as it’s typically cheaper than the fingerprint lock system.