Choosing the Right Commercial Gates for Your Facility
Need to keep your facility secure? Getting recommendations for commercial gates is one of the first questions many storage operators ask.
Getting the correct gate can be daunting, and having access control that is sufficient for your needs is also very important to the security and safety of your building.
So, where do you start?
To answer this question, we will go through what to think about when looking at gate access — from beginning to end.
Different Kinds Of Automated Commercial Gates
Out of all styles of gates, there are three that stand out (or rather are most commonly seen).
These are vertical pivot gates, swing gates, and slide gates.
In some places, you may also see barrier arms. Barrier arms are often used to stop tailgating into secure areas and to monitor the flow of traffic.
If your facility is dictated by climate control, having secure entry points is vital. In the case of elevators, you’ll need a provider that can give you easy to control card readers or keypads.
What Exactly Is Access Control?
On top of installing secure gates, an access control system is very important to go along with them. Essentially, access control allows you to control who can come in and out through the gate. This is often done via the use of a keypad.
With self-storage, it is important to provide gate codes for people renting out spaces. This allows renters access when needed but prevents unwanted entry from miscellaneous individuals or tenants that are not paying adequately.
You can also get security systems that can talk with the software of your facility management.
In doing this, you can revoke access automatically and assign new codes without any input yourself.
Even more sophisticated is cloud-based access control. Cloud-based access control is different from standard access control in that an on-site computer is not needed to sync data.
Conventional access control systems do require a computer on-site that is running software.
Syncing with facility management enables you to grant access to the facility and restrict access with relative ease. Before choosing what gate you want and the relevant access system to go along with it, there are some things you should think about.
These factors are particularly important and should be researched thoroughly before making any judgments.
1. Look At Your Competition
If you’re unsure of what features your gate and access system needs, then you can check out the systems that your competitors are using.
If other companies are making use of high security and digital access for their gates, you need to keep up to stay in the running and hoping to serve clients.
Even if your competitors are not using the latest technology, it could be a definite advantage if you go up and above what is being offered by other companies.
Investments for this kind of technology might be more significant, but having the upper hand in security and access will allow you to charge even more for your services.
2. Look At Gate Providers
Of course, before you can install a gate, you need to take a look at which one suits your company best. In essence, this comes down to your budget, the security needs you have, and the physical attributes the gate provides.
If you have a driveway placed on a steep incline, using a swing gate might not be the best for your layout. In this case, installing a pivot gate could work better for you.
Remember that there is a wide variety of choices available to you. Some of the features available on the gates you plan to install are genuinely innovative. For example, you may be able to install solar-powered gates or ones that are sturdy enough to withstand vehicular impact.
To ensure that you have more safety and also to provide convenience, you can install a gate around the side just for people on foot. This allows pedestrians to enter without having to go through the vehicle entrance.
A gate on your perimeter can be particularly useful in areas where there are a lot of people walking.
3. Look At The Needs Of Your Facility
The security system that you put into place will be determined by your competitors and also the trends of crime in the area.
This will give you an idea of the things that are imperative for your security system to have.
This list can include such things as fencing, keypads, cameras, and also many other options that are reliant on your particular situation. Including alarms for doors and locks can also be quite handy.
This will enable you to monitor individual storage units. However, doing so can be burdensome on your facility system. It is wise to not make any rash decisions before seeing how much your circuit can take.
If you are becoming the owner of her already existing facility, look at the power requirements to ensure that anything you add won’t put undue strain on maintenance.
4. Check Access System Requirements
When controlling the gates of your building, it is vital that your software and hardware can work cohesively. Cloud-based access, while very advanced, may not be suitable for every facility.
It is important to remember who your customers are when looking at system access. Making sure they have adequate safety and inconvenience is imperative.
There are a whole plethora of features that you can add to your gate.
Things such as key card access, video monitoring, intercoms, and Bluetooth readers are all some of the options you can expect. Which of these you want depends on how your facility’s layout and how comfortable your customers are with the technology.
How To Pick The Right Gates
When installing commercial gates at your facility, there is a wide range of options you can go for. Making sure you take the time to research what is best for you and your facility can save you a lot of time and hassle.
Need a hand finding gates for your facility? Feel free to get in touch with us.
