When it comes to choosing the best garage doors option for your home, the main focus of your search should be security. That is why we invest in garage doors in the first place, is it not?
To protect our vehicles and belongings. You have probably heard a lot of hype and acclaim about electric roller garage doors, but are they as secure as they are cracked up to be?
Can they be easily hacked and broken into? Are they more secure than other types of garage doors? We are going to answer those questions in this post.
Are Electric Rolling Garage Doors Secure?
That depends. There is a huge difference between a simple entry-level electric garage door that has the most basic operators that do not provide much in the way of security.
When your electric garage doors consist of one piece, whether they are side-hinged, sectional or up and over doors, rely on the electric motor holding the panels of the garage door closed with just a metal towing arm on the operator boom keeping the door closed, you are in trouble.
Really whether an electric garage door is secure or not does just come down to it being electric and not manual. There is more to it.
The most secure electric garage doors on the market are effective as protective elements because of the specific security features they have.
The specific design and build of the electric garage door can have a huge bearing too, as sectional and roller garage doors are considered more protected against forced entry than over and up to style one-piece (as noted).
This is because both ends of the roller are housed within the frame always, making it tougher against any use of force.
At Affordable Windows, we are happy to give you a no-obligation free quote on a stylish brand new, state-of-the-art garage:
Can Electric Garage Doors Be Hacked?
It’s fair to say that garage doors have come on leaps and bounds over the last couple of decades when they started becoming more popular.
Unfortunately, just as the electronics and digital equipment and systems at work in these garage doors has improved, so too has the practices and techniques of thieves looking to gain access to your car, belongings, home or even business premises by hacking their security systems, and this may include electric garage doors.
It really depends on the technology on the roller garage doors, but generally, an electric roller garage door will be more secure than a non-electric roller garage door.
It's always worth having other deterrents like alarms and cameras fitted to add a second or even third layer of security to put off potential thieves.
Are Electric Garage Doors Easy to Break Into?
It depends on the quality and complexity of the design of your electric garage doors and the systems used to secure them.
In some of the more basic and rudimentary setups, the majority of up and over garage doors, whether they are manual or electric, are easy to force open, even when they are locked.
For example, they can often be bent out and away from the corner or their locking mechanisms found on the sides can be rendered useless by forcing some kind of hand tool down the sides.
The more complicated and comprehensive security features you use for your electric garage doors the better.
We would recommend, for instance, having robust and durable deadbolts installed on each side at the bottom of the doors.
Are Electric Garage Doors More Secure than Other Garages?
Any door that has electric elements and motors to close and hold them in place is more secure than old-fashioned manual doors.
However, there are some types of garage doors that electric options are securer than.
For instance, the very nature of traditional up and over doors makes them more susceptible to forced entry and less secure compared to roller doors.
Part of the reason for this is that they have highly visible handles and locks that act like open invitations for even the most inexperienced and opportunist thief.
These act like signs directing them to the weakest points in the garage door.
Then, if they are only secured at one central location and made from very flimsy material, a pull or push at the right spot can render them useless.
When you invest in an electric garage door, specifically one with a more complex design and construction and an alarm, you are making the job of breaking into it much harder.
This is more likely going to mean that any thief that is just trying to push their luck will walk away and not even try to gain entry.
Summary
Rather than it being a cut and dry thing that an electric garage door is more securer than the alternative, it comes down to the quality of the build, the type of garage door and the different security measures that are in place.
As we have shown, while a motorised garage door offers greater protection against theft, it is not a complete solution.
You need to make the right choice when it comes to the type of garage door.
While one-piece garage door constructions are not considered the best, sectional and roller options are favoured, with up and over considered the easiest to break in.
If you have any doubt, think of it this way - the more locks and measures you have in place, such as alarms, the better the chance you will have of stopping thieves in their tracks before they even attempt to gain entry.
At Affordable Windows, we are happy to give you a no-obligation free quote on a stylish brand new, state-of-the-art garage:
