When starting a new enterprise, the tendency is to try and take care of everything simultaneously. We understand your desire to greet new customers as soon as possible. Of course, there are so many details to keep in mind, missing something would be natural. There certainly are no unimportant details regarding the security of commercial property and if something is missing it could lead to unpleasant consequences. Maybe not today, not tomorrow, nor this month, but someday in the future, you might regret that you didn’t pay more attention to the security aspects of your workplace. Sure Lock & Key Locksmith and Security with over 35 years of experience, is available to assist in any and all capacities. We have just completed work on a new guide that will be useful even for those who have been in business for many years but have now decided to make some renovations. This guide focuses on how to choose the right locks for commercial doors.
Commercial Grade Lock
The best way to find the most suitable lock for your specific needs is to become aware of “Commercial Grades”. This grading system helps you to choose the right lock. They certify the durability, strength, cost, level of security, etc. It’s a shortcut to get the needed lock without spending a lot of time obtaining information that the grading system affords you. How do commercial locks get their grades? Well it’s quite simple, manufacturers open each of them, applying the same force for the same number of times.
Locks with Grade 1 are created to stand nearly one million cycles. That feature is crucial for commercial property. We lock/unlock our home lock approximately twice a day. At the same time, a commercial one is usually used dozens of times by different people and, unfortunately, not all of them may do it carefully.
Locks’ sustainability decreases in descending order. 2 Grade locks are suitable for commercial and residential use. You may get one for your business property and get the middle level of protection, or you may use it for your home and get a high level of security. 3 Grade is used to protect residential property only and installing it on your commercial property may be a bad idea.
Wondering where to look for this information? Check the ANSI/BHMA certification number. You may easily find it in your hardware information sheet or ask a salesperson or locksmith before buying a new lock. Naturally, getting yourself a 1 Grade lock may be the wisest investment in your business safety.
Types of Commercial Door Locks
There are many types of locks widely used for commercial property. Each has its own features and advantages. There are also those that are not compatible with certain needs at all. That’s why it’s so important to analyze each detail of your business and property to understand how to choose the right lock. If you don’t have the time or you would rather allow professionals to do a proper analysis than it would make sense to go for a security audit to exclude the possibility of mistakes and protect your business from theft to the greatest degree possible.
Ok, the next logical step from here would be to try to better understand the task ahead of us. It would be advisable to now go over the most popular commercial door lock types to understand their purpose and functionality better.
Commercial strike locks allow you to let your customers in. People first need to ring a bell or call you via the intercom and announce themselves. The standard strike plate is replaced by an energized and modified one. When you activate this door (by simply pressing a button), this changed side of the plate swings and the door can be opened. This type of commercial lock is perfect for doctors’ offices, law firms, daycare centers, or everyone who wants to control the flow of customers or whose business uses an appointment system for access to your place of work.
Commercial keyless door lock. This time the name speaks for itself. You don’t need keys, but you will need a passcode. If there are no handles or door knobs, you can get a commercial magnetic door lock. The way this works is that once the entry is permitted, the magnet “stops'' and you may come in. However, these locks have some features you may need to consider. Some of them do not work if for some reason the electricity goes out. In this unfortunate but rare scenario you will need to lock the door manually.
Commercial keypad door locks are perfect if you want to ease your workers’ lives and know who and when enters or leaves the building. This commercial lock type is perfect for office buildings where the number of visitors is small. However,it would probably be best to get a basic intercom, in order to more readily allow people to enter. To ensure that your lock works as it should and won’t fail you at the most inconvenient moment, it would be wise to choose qualitative commercial door hardware.
The restricted key systems drastically reduce the possibility of key duplication. Usually, only a manufacturer can make a copy of this key. Everyone else who doesn’t have permission violates the law, which can withhold people from even trying.
The master key system authorizes access to certain areas. That is a perfect solution for companies with lots of rooms. Having one key that allows you to open every (or almost every) door in the building saves you time and eases the tracking of your keys. Which in itself can become a logistical nightmare.
Summing Up
Security is a “Priority One” consideration. However, when we speak about commercial property security, we need in some ways to be more attentive and more prudent. Whether you prefer a commercial glass door or a commercial metal door to meet all of your expectations, the truth is that the lock matters most. The right choice of your commercial door lock not only works to secure the safety of you and your employees, it can also greatly enhance your customers’ comfort. Making your visitor uncomfortable or embarrassed by a strange entry system can cause a customer to change their mind about using your services. With almost four decades of experience in the Locksmith and Security industry, Sure Lock & Key is, of course, happy to help you make your commercial property as safe as possible. After all, this is what we do. We’re ready to help with all aspects of Locksmithing and Security including new installation as well as commercial door lock replacement. Let us make that old lock a new one. You will feel the freedom of a new sense of safety and security. In fact not only will you feel the difference but so will your employees and clients.
