Security of Garage Doors Should Be a Prime Concern for Homeowners

A cursory survey of recent trends in garage doors shows that people lean heavily towards looks that enhance kerb appeal of the house. Security takes a backseat when it should also be a prime consideration in the selection of doors for garages.

What Do The Trends Say?

Lightweight aluminium panel garage doors do look good, especially when they have glass windows. The looks are priceless and trendy. Another style that is in vogue is the steel frame reinforced glass door that allows privacy as well as lets in light. Wood has never gone out of style and the choice for many house owners is a door made of steel panels but with a permanent wooden finish that does not require any maintenance. Steel will not warp, rot or crack and it is also ideal from a security point of view, especially if it is double panelled and insulated for energy efficiency. Solid doors made of real wood are of course timeless and should be the first choice not only for looks but also for insulation purposes and to act as burglar deterrents.

Security Is the Key

Studies show an increasing trend in burglaries across the UK. About 32,000 homes are burgled each month, and in majority of cases, the burglar has shown a marked preference for garage doors. Most house owners take precautions to make their front entrance doors highly secure and install security devices but they will neglect their garage doors. The doors may be kept unlocked or may be made of flimsy materials that a burglar can crack in less than a minute. In order to be burglar-resistant, a door would have to be rated FD30S but not many door makers offer this extra feature. It may not be necessary for a maker of garage doors Shropshire to offer doors of this specification, if he takes precautions to design and manufacture a door that makes life difficult for burglars. The doors can be secure as well as trendy to suit changing tastes of house owners in Shropshire.

Most house owners will focus on the looks of a garage door. Simply specifying to the manufacturer that the door should also have added security features will take care of the issue of security. It is easy for a manufacturer to incorporate additional accessories like secure locks and deadbolts in the door and design the frame in a suitable way to deter burglars. That takes care of security without marring the look.