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A garage door lock is continually assaulted by rain, snow, humidity, UV rays, salt spray and drastic temperature changes. Standard locks built for benign indoor use deteriorate very rapidly when used outdoors on a garage door. Corrosion jams moving parts, plastic brittle and tears rubber seals allowing water into the lock which can then cause the lock to fail in multiple ways and also compromise security of the garage door itself. Taking all of this into consideration, manufacturers are now developing specific weather-resistant technologies for use on garage door security locks and four new trends in this category are examined here.
Marine-Grade Stainless Steel and Advanced Die-Cast Alloys
The most fundamental area of improvement in weather-resistant technology is in the selection of materials used. Existing lock components made of standard steel and primitive zinc alloys are unable to withstand months of exposure to road salt, the air along the coast or just high levels of humidity, and so they start to rust. Now marine-grade materials such as 304 and 316 stainless steel forgings and corrosion resistant aluminum/zinc die-cast alloys have become a fundamental element of these weather-resistant locks.
MeiGu Lock Company have been making extensive use of these kinds of materials for some time now. Their 316 stainless steel forgings use molybdenum to significantly increase corrosion resistance especially relating to pitting and crevice corrosion which will be very important for coastal applications and applications on roads that are salted. The improved non stainless die-cast parts MeiGu uses is in fact zinc and aluminum die-cast alloys that contain reduced levels of certain impurities ( copper,iron etc.) and have undergone specific plating processes. These new die - cast alloys prevent the intergranular corrosion that causes ordinary zinc alloy parts to develop white rust and crumble away. If you purchase a new lock kit that has 316 stainless steel parts or these specialized die-cast alloys, it can be thought of as being a good indication of the quality of the lock and it's intended long-term performance in external conditions.
Fully Sealed and IP-Rated Lock Mechanisms
Water intrusion is the leading cause of lock failure. Moisture enters through keyways, handle pivot points, and mounting screw holes, then freezes, rusts internal springs, or causes electrical shorts in smart locks. The latest trend is fully sealed lock mechanisms with published Ingress Protection (IP) ratings. An IP65 or IP66 rating indicates that the lock is dust-tight and protected against low-pressure water jets or heavy seas.
The biggest failure associated with locks when used in an outdoor application, is water ingress. Moisture will enter at any points where there isn't a properly sealed system; at the keyway, on rod pivot points, or screw head fixings. This then freezes within the lock, causing internal rust of springs, or in the case of electronics, short circuits. New fully sealed lock systems and IP-rated locks are the latest approach. IP ratings refer to the Ingress Protection levels, and are generally denoted by numbers like IP65 or IP66. A rating of IP65 or IP66 suggests that the lock is dust-tight, and protected from low pressure water jets, or indeed heavy sea, depending on the IP classification.
MeiGu's cylinder locks, for instance, that have achieved a rating of IP65 have built in multiple seals against moisture ingress. O rings are incorporated around both the cylinder and at the keyway, a silicone washer sits underneath the fixing points for the lock, and the bearing in the rotary part of the handle is sealed. When referring to rod control swing handles, a similar principle applies; there are rubber boots used to seal rod entry points and sealed bearing in gearboxes. For smart locks/electronic locks this applies to sealed computer boards and sealed battery compartments, this will mean no water ingress at all. A weather resistant lock with a rating that has passed tests to qualify for IP rating means that there is something specific written down rather than just claims. It will mean that if you have a garage door in a potentially wet area and need a weather resistant lock, and it has an IP rating, then IP65 or IP67 will have to be the minimum required rating.
UV-Stabilized Seals and Gaskets for Long-Term Flexibility
Even though they may have achieved this newfound resistance to internal rusting and corrosion through both new alloys, and sealing, this does not guarantee protection from other forces. Over prolonged periods, rubber seals and gaskets used within all these types of locks become degraded by ultraviolet light. A standard rubber EPDM or nitrile based gasket can be brittle and crack and hence allow water through after only 1 or 2 years outside and the newer materials available are as stated, specially developed silicones, fluoroelastomers and UV-stabilized TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) rubbers and gaskets that have been tested to last between 5 and 10 years outside.
MeiGu's range of hook/accessory locks all feature weather resistant gaskets. The fitting gasket at the base is typically of a closed cell neoprene with added UV stabilizers to prevent water ingress between the fitted lock and garage door surface. Their cylinder locks feature silicon dust caps for key ways, as do their cam locks; these key ways will spring back into place after they are removed to seal against entry of moisture. Swing handles feature a multi-lip design seal that, even over time, is sufficient to maintain its contact and sealing function. These seemingly minor details within a lock mechanism are essential if water is allowed into any part of a lock, it can simply result in corrosion which can then result in a failed mechanism. Advanced weather resistant seals ensure that any fitted locks continue to meet their sealing function for their operational life.
Drainage Channels and Anti-Ice Features for Cold Climates
Apart from simply stopping moisture getting into a lock, these weather-resistant locks also ensure any moisture that may have gotten in will drain back out. There is always the chance that moisture will collect at the base of the lock, particularly where it mounts onto the garage door frame, if there is not adequate drainage, then these locks would just be sitting in pools of water. Some advanced locks may feature anti-freeze technology built in, to prevent the lock mechanism freezing solid during the winter months.
The swing handle and rod control devices manufactured by MeiGu feature a specific design of case and this can contain small channels so that the moisture runs out at the lowest possible point within the system without compromise to the actual safety aspect of the lock. For use in cold weather conditions, many of their more advanced locking components are treated with lubricants with low friction cold weather ratings. so for instance molybdenum disulfide is often used and this remains effective down to minus 30 degrees centigrade, and on some higher end systems, it can remain effective to minus 40 degrees C. Locks that utilize padlock fixings typically use higher temperature padlocks. The advanced weather resistant lock components can feature additional seals, like covers that physically exclude snow and ice from entering a keyhole and would make an effective system in snowy areas where ice build-up could easily jam a standard lock mechanism.
Conclusion
Weather resistant technology in garage door locks has certainly come a long way from simply being coated in chrome plate and now includes marine grade stainless steel parts, or alternatively properly selected and tested die-cast alloy components, IP rated fully sealed units, specialized UV treated rubbers and intelligently placed drain holes and ice free functioning components. As we can see, MeiGu lock Company has a 15+ years of expertise inCNC machinery, die casting, surface treatments etc. and makes all these modern design aspects come together in their locks. If it is an IP rated cylinder lock that is required, then one of their 316 marine grade stainless steel swing handle and rod controls, or a full weather resistant locking system designed for offshore/coastal use that's required, it's probably time you visit MeiGuLock.com.