The access control decisions you make are vital to securing your self-storage property, but security isn’t the only factor that goes into the equation. In fact, there are pros and cons of vertical lift gates and cantilever slide gates that you’ll want to think about as well as questions you should be asking yourself to get the right fit for your facility.
Get the Right Fit
Many properties are getting tighter on space as land costs go up, so a gate that works within those site constraints is crucial. In addition, customer experience is something everyone’s striving for because tenants expect smooth, fast access. If a gate is slow or unreliable, it reflects poorly on the facility, which should prompt operators to compare vertical lift gates versus slide gates.
When comparing, the experts at Access Control Technologies (ACT), a sister company of Janus International Group, suggest you keep these 4 points in mind:
- The first is space—what clearance do you have?
- Second is climate. If you’re up north, then you’re going to have snowstorms and ice that can affect the ground and can lead to more maintenance and downtime if you don’t have the right gate
- And if you have high-tenant traffic, you want to find a gate that will cycle fast and be reliable for 24/7 access
- Lastly, what’s your budget and ROI you’re looking for?
Get the Right Security
In terms of security at the main point of entrance, this is a must-have today. If a site doesn’t have a gate, tenants are thrown off and likely to look somewhere else just because of that. Both the vertical lift gate and the slide gates are top of their game, but the vertical is typically faster at 8 seconds to completely open versus approximately 24 seconds for the slide gate. At ACT, we also tend to see the need for more repairs with slide gates because tenants think they can outrun the gate and instead hit it. Overall, if security is your top priority, a vertical lift gate is often the superior choice.
Get the Right Reliability
Operators want gates that stay running with little maintenance, and the downtime does differ between the vertical life gate and slide gate. For minimal downtime, the vertical lift gate gives you the edge. Slide gates have more down time, and the repairs are more costly to fix when it comes to getting the parts and time onsite. The downtime could be days or even weeks versus just a matter of hours for a vertical lift repair.
Get the Right ROI
If budget is your biggest concern, then the slide gate is a great option. But for long-term value, the vertical lift gate brings you greater ROI. Overall, ACT sees storage sites that prioritize security like cameras and vertical lift gates with 30% faster lease-up rates, up to 15% higher occupancy and up to 25% higher rent per unit.
The Bottom Line
There’s good, better and best with any product in any industry. And in the self-storage industry, the slide gate is better than others, and the vertical lift gate is the best. If your facility demands fast, reliable and secure access control, a vertical lift gate is likely your best investment.
And at ACT, we’re experts at helping you find the right solutions for real value for your sites, whether that’s access control, surveillance or gate systems like vertical lift or slide gates. Learn more here.
Source: Janus International
