What You Should Know About Securing Garage Service Doors

Most garages also have standard doorways as points of entry either into the garage itself or from the garage and into another facility. These service doors permit access to garages without having to open the main door and can also lead as throughways to other areas.

While these “main doors” are important to secure when it comes to residential properties, they’re arguably more important to properly secure for businesses. After all, a thief that gains forced entry could potentially steal a lot more than just equipment, but the confidential information of a company’s clients as well.

So, what is the best way to secure these types of doors?

What You Need to Secure a Garage Service Door

Any side door on your commercial property or entry door between the garage and business are considered prime targets for burglars and break-ins. These access points are often less important for business owners, both in terms of the quality of hardware installed and locking habits. Plus, these doors are often hidden from plain sight and not easily viewed from the street which gives criminals greater opportunity to find a way gain access to the house.

For these reasons, security is extra important for doors around the garage.

Standard Lock and Deadbolt

Minimally, any type of garage security should consist of at least a standard lock and deadbolt. Combining a cylinder lock with a deadbolt makes them more secure.

Keyless Locks

As technology has advanced, so have locks – and the technological advancements of locks can be seen in keyless models. These types of locks are extremely convenient for commercial facilities because employees don’t need to carry another key and it alleviates worries about lost keys and copies. Plus, the door locks automatically upon closing.

Certain models are programmable with rolling codes, which ensure that the same code is never used twice. They can be easily equipped with an alarm for an incorrect access code or entry attempt. Many can also be operated or monitored via a mobile app, and be programmed to integrate with the main garage door itself.

Learn more about keyless smart garage locks.

Lock Reinforcer Plate

While this qualifies as more of a lock accessory than an actual lock, garage service door locks can be reinforced to further prevent unwanted intrusion. This is simply done with a lock reinforcer, which is a metal sleeve that essentially wraps the strike plate as well as the areas in the door around the knobs to provide extra strength and security from tampering. These reinforcer plates also usually come with screws that go much deeper into the door itself compared to the standard, shallower screws out of the package.

Door Sensors

A small add-on device can be a great security booster for doors that are rarely used by employees. Magnetic door sensors sound an alarm whenever the door is opened. They can easily be installed to a door frame by any business owner and are a cost-effective solution.

ANSI Standards for Lock Grades

Before we get into specific types of locks, it’s worth mentioning that ANSI (the American National Standards Institute) has come up with three grades of door locks to better help consumers select the appropriate one for their application. In grading locks on criteria, ANSI puts them through rigorous testing that spans many categories, such as security, weight and cycles. Here’s a brief overview of the three ANSI lock grades when it comes to door locks and deadbolts, according to the Standards Institute:

Grade 3

Considered to be “good,” these locks and deadbolts are more intended for residential properties, as they meet such building requirements. Specifically, they provide the minimal amount of security compared to ANSI’s other two grades. These types of products can withstand 200,000 cycles (i.e., one turning of the knob), two door strikes and a 150-pound weight test. In order to qualify as ANSI Grade 1, deadbolts have to be able to endure at least 100,000 cycles and two door strikes.

Grade 2

Considered “better,” these types of locks and deadbolts are designed to meet the requirements of most commercial properties. ANSI Grade 2 knobs can withstand 400,000 cycles, four door strikes and 250 pounds, and deadbolts can withstand 150,000 cycles and five door strikes.

Grade 1

These are the best types of locks and deadbolts available that offer the highest level of security. These grades of products meet all commercial needs. Specifically, knobs can endure 800,000 cycles, six strikes and 360 pounds of weight. ANSI Grade 1 deadbolts can endure 250,000 cycles and 10 door strikes.

Comprehensive Hardware & Locksmith Services

As you can see, when it comes to garage security, the main garage door isn’t the only door you need to be serious about safeguarding – you need to properly secure any service doors as well. For more information on garage service door security, contact Great Valley Lockshop today.