A commercial door lock is an important investment for business owners. You must protect your valuables and customers while allowing ease of access into your institution. In this article, discover all you need to know about commercial door locks and how to choose the right one for your business.

What Is A Commercial Door Lock?

Commercial locks are typically found in buildings that house businesses, offices, and other high-traffic areas. These types of locks are more durable than the average lock and offer a lot more security. There are certain qualities used to ascertain whether or not a lock can be used for commercial doors, and these include:

• Strength
• Efficiency
• Material evaluation and external finishing
• Operational cycles (number of uses a lock can withstand before replacement)
• Security

What Are The Different Types Of Commercial Locks You Can Find?

Certain locks work better in commercial settings than residential buildings. Some of the different commercial locks you can find include mortise locks, cylindrical lever locks, panic bars, keypad locks, and electric strike locks. Let’s take a look at these locks

Cylindrical Lever Locks

These types of locks are widely used as commercial door locks. Cylindrical lever locks are manufactured to cater to increased usage. Typically, commercial doors are more prone to high volumes of traffic when compared to residential doors.

A cylindrical lever lock can be operated through the combined use of a push-button and key or just a key. The push button is usually situated on the interior with the keyed end of the lock determining who can access the building from the outside.

The main components of cylindrical lever lock include:

• Latch
• Chassis
• Inside and outside levers
• Inside and outside rose
• Cylinders

Mortise Locks

Mortise locks are a popular type of commercial door lock. They are preferred for their reliability and strength and have been in use for years. Aside from their strength, mortise locks do well in commercial settings because they can withstand consistent and constant use. Mortise locks are perfect for locations with high traffic, prompting the lock to be in use a lot.

A mortise lock has several key elements working in conjunction with one another to provide security. The key features of a mortise lock include:

• Lock cylinder
• Through spindle
• Strike plate
• Lock body
• Lock handle
• Hard collars
• Faceplates

Mortise locks have bolts sized for durability. Their deadbolt is contained within the lock body, making it more resistant to forced entry and less accessible. Also, mortise locks have a higher cycle count due to how strong their internal components are. This means that mortise locks will be in use for a much longer time.

Keypad Door Locks

Keypad door locks are used commercially due to their unique set of features. These features make keypad locks perfect for commercial buildings that cater to many people without sacrificing security.

With keypad door locks, multiple users can gain entrance without necessarily having a key. This eliminates the problem of key management and control, reducing the chance of people gaining unauthorized access. Certain keypad door locks offer complete keyless entry. This means the lock cannot be bypassed, picked or bumped via traditional methods. A lot of these keyless entry keypad door locks incorporate biometric features.

Panic Bars

Panic bars are widely used in commercial settings. They are designed to increase the ease of access when exiting a door. Panic bars have a different system from traditional commercial locks. This is because panic bars are keyless entries and do not require any rotary or cylindrical action. This makes access to doors with panic bars a lot easier. You do not require any special skill or much exertion when using a door with a panic bar.

The panic bar is also known as a crash bar and is operated via a connected bar or handle. Once this bar or handle is pressed, the internal mechanics and the panic bar cause the latch to retract, preventing the door from closing. Panic bars are found in different commercial buildings, and their placement is usually strategic to aid exits in emergencies. They make the evacuation process a lot more streamlined and easy.

However, it is important to note that panic bars require maintenance. This is because improper handling and maintenance can cause fatal accidents.

Electric Strike Locks

Electric strike locks are electronic door locks. They are a combination of the keypad door lock and the panic bar. An electric strike lock helps provide access from either the inside or the outside of the building.

Electric strike locks are similar to other commercial door lock types. The main difference is in their system of operation. The traditional strike plate is replaced with an electric strike plate. This strike plate is a component within a circuit and is engaged whenever the circuit experiences a break in connection. If you use the wrong keycode, for instance, the door will remain locked.

There are two main types of electric strike locks. These types are:

1. Fail secure locks: in this type of electric strike lock, applying current to strike while closing the circuit will cause the door to be unlocked.
2. Fail-safe locks: in a fail-safe lock, once the circuit is closed, the door will remain locked even if power is being fed to the lock.

The main difference between these two types of locks is how their circuitry operates the lock. To choose the right electric strike lock for your commercial property, you need to consider the following:

1. The type of emergency plan you have so that your lock does not impede escape or reduce efforts
2. The layout of your building
3. The number of employees/building population

Electric strike locks are perfect for commercial buildings with a lot of foot traffic daily. These locks help you funnel all foot traffic through a secure location and are a great way to restrict access.

Deadbolts

Deadbolts are your best bet at protection against a break-in or a burglary. Deadbolts have a special locking mechanism that can resist battering, boring and physical attacks. The deadbolt system is very different from lock bolts that are moved by the turning of a key or knob without a spring. Deadbolts cannot be opened with a hand tool or a knife. Most times, you will find three types of deadbolt locks:

1. Single deadbolt lock
2. Double deadbolt lock
3. C deadbolt lock
4. A single-cylinder deadbolt is simple to operate and can be activated from one side using a key. A double cylinder deadbolt is designed to be used with a key from both sides.

Single, double, and lockable thumb turn deadbolts have a thumb turn that can be locked using a key. This type of deadbolt provides the most security and greater flexibility.

Padlocks

Padlocks are slightly different from other locks discussed above. They are classified under free standing lock. Padlocks are portable, meaning that their use is not restricted to a particular door. You can find padlocks in a variety of models. These models are mainly grouped into two:

1. Keyed padlocks (this category has subtypes such as keyed different, keyed alike, and keyable)
   Combination padlocks
2. How do you secure a commercial door?

Many commercial doors do not have the necessary security improvements to make them as secure as possible. By default, many commercial doors can be bypassed in minutes by anyone who knees their way around. You can improve your commercial door security by following these simple steps:

1. Ensure that you make use of the best commercial grade locks
2. Install security hardware that prevents your locks from being bypassed and protect them from intruders
3. Make sure that your door is reinforced and your door frame is as sturdy as possible

What is a Three-point Locking System?

A three-point locking system secures a door from three independent points. This system can be installed on any door but is primarily used in commercial doors. Three-point locks typically consist of latches, bolts, hooks, mushrooms, and rollers at various points around a door. It is a great option for commercial doors as it prevents their locks from being pried open easily from the outside.

Conclusion

If you are searching for a commercial locksmith in Toronto, you can contact TBC Locksmith for your needs. We are an affordable locksmith company, and our team of skilled locksmiths offers top-notch solutions for car lockouts, homes, storefronts, offices, and so on. Our services include installing new locks, top-notch door repairs, rekeying locks, and making new keys.

We understand that having proper security solutions for your commercial building is very important; that is why we are the first choice for a commercial locksmith Toronto. All our locksmiths are licensed and insured, and we offer you affordable pricing with a 90-day guarantee. Contact us today for all your emergency locksmith needs.