There’s a lot of negative information about electric gates out there. The same for gated communities. A lot of it is quite easily debunked. Everyone is entitled to make their own decisions regarding the installation of an electric gate, but it’s important you don’t decide not to buy or install one because of false information. Only when you’ve got the real facts can you decide whether an electric gate and cellular access technology is right for you. The same goes for all variations of proptech that you might be thinking of installing on your property. Here are some of those electric gate falsehoods debunked.
They’re Dangerous
One of the more popular assertions is that electric gates are too dangerous. While there have been accidents in the past, newer models are far more secure and safe. If you get a cellular electric gate it’ll only open if you command it to do so, meaning you can have ultimate control over the gate. You’ll be able to see what’s around the gate, and whether or not it’s appropriate to open. So although a number plate reader might open on its own accord, a cellular access gate doesn’t have to. You can check if there are children in the vicinity, or animals. There’s a lot of things in the world that are dangerous if not treated properly. If you’re careful around the gate, and teach your family and frequent visitors how to use it properly, they’re a safe element of property technology.
Electric Gates Do nothing for security
The opinion that an electric gate does nothing for security is clearly flawed. The gate blocks entrance to your home, acting as a deterrent to those who’d wish to gain access. It can stop thieves and burglars bringing their vehicles close to the property, making stealing heavy goods untenable. Of course, dedicated thieves might climb over the gate or wall, but it still acts as a deterrent and when combined with other security measures you might want to implement such as:
- A smart doorbell like Ring
- A household alarm system
- Locks on all doors and windows
- A cctv system
- Better security practices (not leaving windows open etc.)
You don’t need all of these, but one or two of them with an electric gate will increase your security by a fair margin. Electric gates do a lot for security, it’s their main purpose. If they didn’t work, there wouldn’t be so many gated communities (around 70 million!).
It Makes You A Target
One of the more misguided beliefs is that electric gates make you a target for thieves and criminals. Some say the gates highlight you as someone of wealth, and someone worth stealing off. However, as we’ve said, electric gates are used by a large range of people nowadays. Not just celebrities and the elite. The amount of people turning normal gates into electric ones is increasing everyday, as is the amount of gated communities. Part of it depends on where you live and the crime rate which exists there, but generally speaking, an electric gate isn’t an element of proptech which marks you out as a high value target. If anything, it’s a deterrent.
Cellular Access Can Be Undermined
Essentially, this belief runs that if you have a cellular access system, someone only needs to steal your phone to be able to access the gate. While this might be true, nowadays smartphones are pretty hard to crack if you’ve got a password attached to them. You can also track them when they’re stolen and have them disabled. On that basis, cellular access is unlikely to become undermined, especially when smartphones are a guarded possession. Even if it is misplaced or stolen, the phone itself won’t be easily accessed meaning your gate entry won’t be compromised. At the same time, you can use another master key holder to revoke access, so you know for sure the thief won’t be able to access your home or the community.
They Break Down
All machinery with moving parts carries a risk of malfunctioning or needing a service. If you get them installed by a quality installer and make sure they’re looked after, the chance of the electric gate system malfunctioning is low. Accidents happen, someone might reverse into it, or really bad weather may damage them but in terms of wear and tear they’ll last a long time. The convenience and safety they provide far outweigh any notion of them breaking down as they occur so infrequently. So long as you use them properly, and respect them, you’ve got nothing to worry about.
They Annoy Staff
Many businesses use smart gates on their property, and some like to say they annoy the people who work at the respective business due to the gate slowing down their arrival and departure. The reverse is true. An electric gate provides security to the business, it also means that employees’ cars, bicycles and motorbikes are secure while they work, giving them peace of mind. So long as the busy times (the start and the end of the day) are managed well, they won’t annoy staff. It might be worth setting your gate to a timer so they remain open when they’re at their busiest. Other than that, they’ll be able to protect property all day long. They can even improve productivity. The workforce won’t be worrying about where they can park, or whether their property will be safe while they work.
The main falsehoods about electric gates are just that: falsehoods. They sound a little scary, and maybe daunting, but if you really think about it and do some research, they’re usually just plain wrong. Don’t let them put you off buying, or at least looking into a cellular smartgate. If there were any specific worries you had about buying a smart gate give us a call, we’ll be happy to put you at ease. Or, you can find out more about smartgates and their usage by browsing our blog. The testimonials page also shares how others have fared since installation, which might put your mind at ease.
