Additional Features That Can Boost Security for Your Automatic Gate

Automatic Electronic Gates in Dallas Texas

Property crime is the most common crime in the United States, according to the FBI. While you can’t control other people’s behavior, you can control your property’s security.

One way to do this is by installing electronic gates. The simple presence of a gate may deter intruders, but an automatic one has more benefits, such as:

  • Keeping children and pets on the premises – Automatic gates keep unwanted visitors out and also keep children and pets in. Since pets and children have no manual control of the gate, they can’t stray outside accidentally and put themselves at risk.
  • Making access control convenient – You can grant access to your area with a simple switch.
  • Contributing to the home’s aesthetic appeal – Automatic gates come in various styles that can improve your property’s exterior appearance.
  • Increasing your property value – Having an automatic gate increases curb appeal and impresses potential buyers if you plan on selling.

You can also take your property’s defenses further by adding features to your gate.

Security Cameras

Installing cameras is one of the most simple yet effective ways to secure your property. With a security camera and digital video recorder, you can monitor and record suspicious activity. Some systems are even accessible from remote locations, as long as you’re connected to the internet.

If a property crime is committed, you can review the footage to find the culprit. It also counts as evidence that you can bring to the authorities to help with the investigation.

Alarm Systems

If intruders find a way to bypass your gate, a good alarm system will come in handy. Different alarm systems are available, but all types alert you when someone trespasses on your premises.

Some product providers may bundle their intruder alarms with other safety systems, such as smoke alarms or carbon monoxide detectors.

Just like security cameras, modern alarm systems allow you to access them remotely through your phone or a website.

Electronic Gates Locks

Consider upgrading your basic lock with an electronic door lock. These locks were designed to replace and improve the traditional lock and key system. They come in different forms like digital cards, PINs, and more. Most of the time, they do not require a physical key for access to be granted.

Electronic locks also provide convenience. For instance, if your gate is unmanned, you don’t need to wait for a person to open the gate for you. You can simply input the passcode, and the doors will open.

For additional security, you may assign different codes to people so you can identify who entered or vacated the premises at specific times.

Smartphone Control

Today’s technology allows you to integrate your phone into your security system, so you can utilize it even when you’re not on the premises.

With remote control access, you can monitor your property anywhere, any time—giving you peace of mind that you still have full control over your property. However, if you see suspicious activity, it’s best to call the police or have your security system configured for auto-alerts.

It is also important to note that you can connect your system to multiple devices simultaneously, including tablets, laptops, and smartwatches.

Finding the Right Electronic Gates

The electronic gate suitable for you depends on aspects, such as your layout, accessibility needs, budget, and other unpredictable factors.

Reach out to 4 Sure Gates for expert advice and gate installation. With more than 15 years of experience, we help property owners enhance their home’s safety, security, and privacy.

Security & Privacy Solutions for Residential Properties

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Crime in the United States report, there were over a million burglaries in 2019. Data from the FBI states that 37.2 percent of these burglaries happened in non-residential establishments, but the majority (62.8%) occurred in private residences.

Plenty of things contribute to a residential property being burglarized, but the most pressing reasons are those you can do something about: lack of security and privacy.

These two factors often go hand in hand. If your property is more private, fewer people have access to it, making it more secure. As a result, there’s a smaller chance of burglars getting in.

Below, we list down ways to increase both security and privacy in your home.

1. Install Strong Gates & Fences

There’s a lot of things to consider when installing or replacing the fences and gates on your property. But the most important consideration for the right gate for your home should be a combination of curb appeal and security.

A tough gate together with equally tough fences can profoundly fortify your home’s security and privacy. Tall, unscalable gates and fences make it difficult for burglars to find a way into your home. At the same time, these installations would make it difficult for them to stake out your house and gather information about its layout.

Metal gates and fences are definitely durable and versatile, especially with customizable metalwork. Wood gates and fences, meanwhile, are the more affordable option while also boasting of versatility and curb appeal.

2. Utilize Your Landscaping

Gates and fences aren’t the only elements in your outdoor space that could help increase privacy and security for your home. Done right, landscaping can be used to protect your home against burglars.

For example, you can plant thorny flowers and greenery along your fences. They act as beautiful alternatives to barbed wires. Tall plants and shrubs planted at the right angle can also obstruct the street’s view into your home. 

3. Beef Up Your Security Through Technology

Motion sensor lights, security cameras, and alarm systems have helped so many people stop or solve burglary cases. These pieces of technology are accessible and affordable, so you can easily install them around your property.

With motion sensor lights, you get to illuminate spaces where burglars may possibly be moving, making it easier to detect and identify them. Security cameras help with this, too. And with a robust alarm system, you and the police get notified immediately when burglars get into your home.

4. Add Blinds & Curtains

Putting up blinds and curtains is the easiest and most affordable privacy and security solution in this list. While these window treatments work for the aesthetics of your home, they can also serve a practical purpose.

For one, blinds and curtains obscure direct view into your interiors. Apart from this, they can also make getting into your home through your window more troublesome because blinds and curtains are another layer burglars have to contend with to get in.

4 Sure Gates Is Your Partner in Keeping Your Home Safe

Your home should be your safe haven, but it can be vulnerable to burglary. Let 4 Sure Gates help you increase your security and privacy with our gate installation and repair services.

Contact us at (817) 965-7873 for inquiries.

Why Wrought Iron Fences and Gates Give the Best Security

Technology is now big in residential and commercial security. Homeowners and business owners invest in sophisticated alarm systems to keep unauthorized individuals from entering their homes and establishments. If the goal is to keep vandals and robbers out, however, wouldn’t it make more sense to keep them entirely off your property instead of relying on an alarm system to kick in after their first break-in attempt?

If security is what you want, 4 Sure Gates recommends wrought iron gates and fences.

1. Ornamental Iron Gates & Fences Leave No Room for Hiding

Ornamental wrought iron gates and fences have slim bars all-throughout, with curved or spiked tops and a few aesthetic touches like arches, coils, and prefabricated pieces welded into place (e.g., leaves, floral detailing along the top). So yes, your house will be visible from the street; but, you’ll also have an unhindered view of the street from inside your house. You’ll know instantly if anyone is suspiciously loitering outside your driveway.

It’s the same thing with a wrought iron fence. Unless you grow tall shrubs right next to it, there’s no place for thieves to hide.

2. A Fence with Nothing Between the Wrought Iron Bars is Difficult to Climb

The standard design for wrought iron fences consists of horizontal bars in only two areas: near the very bottom and along the top. They are typically very high, too, with the top bars out of reach for the average person. More importantly, the vertical bars have no frills in the middle area. It means there are no footholds that will make it easy for anyone to try and climb over your fence.

3. Wrought Iron Is Incredibly Strong & Unyielding

If you plan to have a gate and fence, it’s best to invest in one that won’t easily yield to vandalism and trespassing. Wrought iron is one of the toughest materials for fences and gates today. It is made of iron alloy and is malleable (hence, easy to form according to a given design and size specifications).

Wrought iron is also more resistant to shock and vibration compared to steel. It can withstand external impact and hold its ground from, say, a drunk driver crashing into your property. It will do a better job of protecting your property from such accidents than wood or aluminum fences ever could.

4. Wrought Iron Is Heavy-Duty

Wrought iron is corrosion-resistant and can withstand heavy usage. It can last years with minimal maintenance despite being exposed to extreme weather. It’s also a heavy material, which is advantageous for fences (they won’t easily fall over or give in to external force). As for the rate of deterioration, it comes slow, unlike steel or aluminum.

With the latter two, the defects tend to appear and escalate immediately, so you’ll have to quickly pay for repairs. Wrought iron, on the other hand, buys you time. The material doesn’t break as easily, so if you spot the defect early on, you’ll have ample time to prepare for its repair or replacement.

High-tech security systems are very helpful, but you can’t depend on them alone. A visible and strong barrier like a wrought iron gate and fence could enough of a deterrent against criminals, and that alone is worth every expense.

If you’re interested in installing a wrought iron gate on your property, call 4 Sure Gates at (817) 965-7873. We can tell you more about your options and give you a quote. Contact us today!

Choosing Gate Designs: Balance Curb Appeal with Security

Black sliding automatic gates in Texas

Metal gates enhance a property’s facade, especially when it is viewed from public access roads. They also protect occupants by keeping unauthorized and unwelcome people from the property.

So when choosing gate designs for your home or property, you have to consider their aesthetic and functional benefits. There has to be a balance between the two so that you don’t fall short on security or curb appeal.

Metal Gate Designs Have Two Main Parts Categories: Opening Mechanism & Form. Let’s Learn About Their Opening Styles:

1. Swinging or Sliding

Automatic swinging or sliding gates are both clean and sleek. The choice comes down to space and preference. Swinging gates require plenty of square footage, whether it’s single-swing or double-swing. These are more common in public gardens, exclusive communities, and interior villa gates.

On the other hand, sliding gates are very space-efficient, although they require a lengthy stretch of adjacent fencing (enough for the gate to slide next to). They are also often very heavy. These are more common in government facilities, warehouses, airports, ports, and other places that admit trucks and other large vehicles.

Compliance with safety standards is a must with automatic gates and is, therefore, crucial when choosing a design. For example, one best practice is to program the swinging gate to stop at least 18 inches away from an immovable surface (e.g., the wall or fence). This gap ensures that if something or someone gets caught behind the gate as it swings open, the risks for injury or property damage will be low. It also means that there must be at least 18 inches of space between the adjacent wall and the gate when the latter is open at a 90-degree angle.

2. Solid Metal or Metal Bars

Solid iron or aluminum gates ensure privacy and heighten security while lending an austere, sleek, and modern look to a property. These gates typically come with a CCTV camera to compensate for the lack of visibility from inside the property.

If CCTV is not an option, the alternative would be to use metal bars. For example, gates made of wrought iron bars can look grand and classic when put together with ornamental metalworks or simple and practical without them. Wrought iron bars can still provide security if not 100% privacy, but this can also be advantageous for property owners. If there are no visual obstructions like shrubbery or low walls, vandals and suspicious loiterers are easily visible from inside the property.

Design Elements that Enhance Security

What’s great about metal gates is they’re very versatile when it comes to design. Modern takes of solid, iron gates, for example, use aluminum panels with custom-designed etchings. These designs can range from clean-cut geometric slats to more intricate styles like bamboo, leaves, and abstract patterns. Strategically positioned etchings allow a property’s occupants to see who’s on the other side of the gate and still get plenty of privacy. If you equate privacy with higher security, this style is for you.

Spikes on the top of the gate are precautionary and aesthetic at the same time. If security is a big concern, it’s better to make sure the gate is high enough that it won’t be easy to scale; more so if attempted with stealth.

If there must be a gap below the gate (which is the case for automatic sliding gates), the space should be just wide enough for the wheels to roll freely through the tracks. Any wider and you’ll run the risk of stray animals — even people — sneaking into your property through the “crawlspace.” Likewise, the gaps between the bars must be narrow and discourage attempts to climb the gate. Solid metalworks interspersed with spikes and narrowly spaced bars is a perfect example of this.

Consult Our Experienced Metal Gate Contractors

Secure your home or property without compromising curb appeal by choosing a gate that offers both. 4 Sure Gates can give you valuable advice on this. We have over 15 years of experience in professional gate installations in Dallas and Fort Worth; if you have questions, especially about automatic gates, we’re the ones to call.

You can reach us at (817) 965-7873 or inquire through our website. Contact us today for a free estimate.