Three Garage Door Lock Types and the Benefits of Each

Whether you only use your garage to keep your car safe or you store tools and other valuables in it too, the type of lock you have fitted should be strong enough to prevent burglars from gaining entry. As garage door repair and installation specialists, we have seen many different types of locks being used over the years but there are three types that stand out in terms of security and durability. If you want to ensure that your car and other valuables are safely locked up at night, we recommend you consider having one of these three lock types installed.

Three Effective Types of Lock for Your Garage Door

If you are looking for the best type of lock to install on your garage door, any of the following three options is worthy of serious consideration. The one that is most suitable for your garage door may depend on the way in which you use your garage and your personal preferences but any of these three should provide you with a decent level of security:

A Keyless Lock

The most modern solution to garage door security is a keyless lock: a lock with a keypad, fingerprint reader or remote control. The biggest advantage of this type of lock is that it cannot be picked in the conventional way as it has no keyhole. And because it is keyless, you don’t have to worry about what you’re going to do if you happen to lose your keys one day.

On the negative side, keyless locks are not normally a good choice for DIY installation and they can be quite expensive. However, if you like the convenience factor and you are happy to pay a professional to install it, a keyless lock could be an excellent option for your garage door.

If you are planning a new garage door installation, you can arrange to have a keyless lock fitted at the same time as your door, which will probably work out a little cheaper than having one installed separately. If you live near one of our depots in Parker or Bromfield, or anywhere in between, you are more than welcome to call and request a quote for a new garage door lock installation at any time.

T Handle Lock

T-handle locks have been popular for many years in the USA and with very good reason. They are easy to install, relatively inexpensive and quite effective too. If you have never seen one before, they are normally fitted in the center of the door and have a T-shaped handle, after which they were named.

While T handle locks are simple to fit and quite effective, they do not provide the same level of protection as the other locks in our list when used alone. The reason for this is the fact they are quite susceptible to peeling and prying, and they can also be broken when enough force is applied to the handle. With this in mind, if you like the idea of T-handle locks but you need extra security, we would recommend that you consider installing more than one in your garage door. In this way, you can create an effective barrier that most burglars would find too time-consuming to try breaking through.

If you decide to install multiple T-handle locks in your garage door, don’t forget that you can install one on each side of the door to create an effective dead-bolt system that is widely considered to be an effective security solution. As with keyless locks, you can arrange to have T-handle locks installed at the same time as a new garage door installation, reducing the overall cost in most cases.

Garage Door Defender

Garage door defenders are external devices that are designed to block the path of a garage door, or any other type of overhead door, when the barrier is in place. If you choose this type of lock, you will need to install it right in front of your garage door, which may be a problem for some but not for others. They don’t take up a great deal of space and they are quite easy to install if you know your way around a toolbox.

As they are external devices, garage door defenders act as a visual deterrent to burglars as well as a strong physical obstacle. The padlock they are secured with goes underneath the metal casing, protecting it from brute force attacks by potential intruders.

Many people elect to install a garage door defender as an additional security measure, after installing conventional locks in the door itself. When used in this way, you can create a formidable defense that local criminals are unlikely to want to attempt to break through. However, you will need to remove the barrier part of the lock every time you want to use your garage door opener so it may be better employed when you’re on vacation, or away from home for any other reason.

Choosing the Perfect Lock for Your Garage Door

If you are not sure which one of these lock types is the best choice for your garage door, you are more than welcome to call and speak to one of our experts. In addition to garage door repair and installation, our Parker and Broomfield teams can also fit new locks and will be more than happy to help you choose the best one for your needs.