When it comes to home security, many people understandably focus on those more obvious entry points, such as the front doors and windows, without giving too much thought to the garage. However, as garages typically contain vehicles, tools, and other valuables, they’re just as big a target for thieves as your home. In fact, garages can be even more appealing to criminals because garage doors often come with a basic lock that can be easily tampered with to gain entry.
So, the next time you are reviewing your home security and looking for potential weak spots, it’s crucial not to overlook the importance of having a reliable garage door lock, If you want to limit the risk of break-ins and unauthorised entry in your garage, then a mortice lock is the perfect solution, as these strong, robust, and durable, mortice deadlocks provide outstanding security for garage doors, making them a worthwhile investment for any homeowner. To highlight the various advantages of using a mortice deadlock to secure your garage door, we’ve spoken with leading UK mortice lock suppliers Locks & Handles for some expert insight.
Why Criminals Target Garages and Other Outbuildings
Many criminals often target garages because they tend to lack the same robust security measures as houses. The lock on a garage door is often much weaker than a front door lock, making it easier for a burglar to pick or force open and gain entry to the garage. Garages tend to be in darker, less visible areas of your property too, allowing thieves to operate undetected, especially at night.
Garages still contain plenty of valuables worth stealing, including vehicles, power tools, bicycles, sporting equipment, and various other belongings. Many garages also have an internal door linking to the house, which a criminal can use to gain access to the property much more easily than by forcing a front door open or climbing through a window. Despite these security risks, many homeowners fail to secure the garage properly with a suitable locking system.
Benefits of Mortice Deadlocks on Garages
If you are worried that your garage door isn’t secure enough with a standard lock, then a mortice deadlock could be the perfect solution, as these highly secure locks provide a wide range of benefits when installed on garage doors, helping to reduce the risk of theft and unauthorised access for peace of mind.
Concealed Placement
A mortice deadlock provides an immediate boost your garage’s security. The locks are installed directly inside the garage door, and it’s this concealed placement that helps to make them much more difficult to tamper with. The locking mechanisms are inside the garage door, so picking or forcing them open requires a lot of time and effort, increasing the chances of a criminal being caught.
So, the simple sight of a mortice deadlock on your garage door will be enough to deter even the most experienced criminals. Those brave enough to attempt to force it open will likely be caught in due to the time and complexity it takes to pick a mortice deadlock! The integrated design of a mortice deadlock also means that the internal components are protected from the harsh British elements, helping to maintain long-term strength and reliability.
Five-Lever Strength
The more levers a mortice lock has, the more resistant it is to lock picking, with a 5-lever mortice deadlock considered the standard for external door security. Five-lever mortice deadlocks are widely regarded as some of the strongest and most reliable door locks on the market, making them the ideal choice for securing your garage door.
Because the five levers inside the mortice lock must be simultaneously engaged at specific heights to open the door, they’re almost impossible to manipulate with lockpicking tools, so even the most experienced lockpicker will struggle to force open a 5-lever mortice deadlock. These deadlocks are usually made from durable materials like stainless steel, so they’re also built to withstand harsher conditions that a garage door faces without deteriorating.
More Secure Than Padlocks and Surface Bolts
While many people secure their garage door with a padlock or surface bolt, these locking mechanisms pale in comparison to a mortice deadlock. A mortice deadlock is installed directly into the door frame to increase its resistance to picking, drilling, and forced entry. Padlocks and surface bolts are fitted externally on the door, so they have exposed components that are vulnerable to break-in methods. A criminal could easily bypass a padlock with a bolt cutter, while surface bolts could simply be removed by unscrewing or prying them from the door.
A mortice lock uses a thick metal bolt that extends deep into the door frame to make it almost impossible to force open. The locks usually have reinforced strike plates and are made from strong materials, making them much more difficult to force open compared to padlocks and surface bolt locks. Even the strongest padlocks are highly susceptible to lockpicking, too, so a 5-lever mortice lock that is extremely challenging to pick will provide unrivalled protection.
Conclusion
Homeowners looking to secure their garage door should certainly consider installing a mortice deadlock. Made from strong and durable materials, a 5-lever mortice deadlock offers outstanding protection against lockpicking, while its integrated design also helps to reduce the risk of forced entry. When looking at mortice deadlocks for garage doors, be sure to choose one that meets the BS3621 standard, as these have been extensively tested to prove their resistance against the most common break-in techniques.