Five Types of Commercial Locks

If you own or manage a commercial property, then you’ll want to make sure you have the most secure locks you can get. These will be different from the types of locks you use on your home. Let’s examine different commercial locks that you may want to add to your business.

Panic bars/Crashbars Install these for ease of use and exiting a building, which is what they were designed for, as an easy way to get out in case of emergency. If you don’t know what these are, they are the long bars that you push to exit from inside the building. They are very common in schools. These function differently from traditional door locks and are mostly keyless. They operate through the use of a connected handle or bar, and when the bar is pressed, the internal mechanics retract the latch that keeps the door closed. 

Cylindrical Lever Locks These are pretty common locks to use. They are lever door handles that are designed for high usage. The reason they are used for commercial properties, instead of homes, is there is more traffic coming through a business than a residential building. These can be operated with a key or a combined use of a key and push button, that are located on the interior of the door to allow access for people coming into the building.

Keyless Door Locks These are locks that operate with a keypad or an App instead of a traditional key. One benefit of these types is that you don’t have to transfer physical keys between employees or wait for the person with a key to arrive. These are also becoming popular for people to use in their homes as well. For increased security, some keypad locks can be completely keyless, so they cannot be picked.

Mortise Locks These are a common option for businesses due to their strength and reliability. The deadbolt size helps with the durability, and the placement of it being housed inside the lock body, makes it more resistant to forced entry. With the stronger internal components, it allows for higher cycle counts so it will last much longer. They can endure heavily trafficked usage. So if you have a pretty consistent flow of people coming in and out, this is a good option for that.

Commercial Electric Strike Locks These secure, electronic door locks can be used in conjunction with a panic bar and keypad door lock. They can provide access from the inside and outside of the building. These secure locks are good for a company that experiences a lot of people entering and exiting. They are a good option for allowing access to particular locations in the building. These can offer the option of a fail-safe lock and a fail-secure as well. Some things to consider for installation of this lock is the layout of the building, the numbers of employees, and your emergency escape routes (you don’t want people to get trapped during an emergency).
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When looking at different lock types, you’ll have to factor in your personal needs for your commercial property. If your business is in need of updated locks or if you want to have a conversation about how to make your business more secure, give us a call at Minnesota Locks today!

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