Choosing Between Commercial Door Lock Types

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It may be somewhat surprising to learn that there are different commercial door lock types available to be installed by a professional commercial locksmith in Spokane onto a commercial building for security purposes. There are certain locks that work best when used within residential settings and then there are other locks that are better to be installed within commercial buildings. Commercial buildings have a lot more traffic going both in and out. Commercial buildings may have more assets to protect as well. Most importantly, commercial properties are often required by law to have their buildings protected by a certain standards for fire purposes and other regulations. 

So it is obvious that commercial door lock types are usually much more indestructible, harder to manipulate and longer lasting. The types of commercial locks you probably run into on a daily basis inside of a commercial building are cylindrical levers, mortise locks, keyless entry locks, panic bars and electric strike locking mechanisms. Most often they were probably installed by a professional Spokane locksmith.

Locksmith Spokane commercial door lock types

Cylindrical commercial door lock types

Cylindrical lever locks are widely used as one of many in the commercial category. Lever locks are not exclusive to only commercial buildings. However, they are very rare to find otherwise because these locks are specialized in being able to manage a large amount of usage from in and out traffic.

Mortise commercial door lock types

Similar to the cylindrical lever locks, there are mortise locks. Mortise locks are very common on commercial properties. Not just because they’ve been around forever but because of their fortitude and reliability. Akin to a cylindrical lever lock, mortise locks also stand up strong against high level of traffic that is the norm in a commercial building’s setting. The mortise lock contains enormous sized bolts inside with an interior deadbolt that increases the lock’s durability greatly. Additionally, it causes it to be firmly resistant to any forced entry or manipulation. A mortise lock will last a very long time, even on a commercial property.

Keyless entry commercial door lock types

Keyless entry door locks allow multiple users to gain access without having a key. Many commercial property businesses will incorporate a biometric or a passcode keyless entry lock. This considerably reduces the chance of an outsider gaining unauthorized access. There are plenty of keyless entry door locks that do possess a normal locking mechanism as a backup option if necessary.

Panic Bars commercial door lock types

Panic bars differ from traditional commercial door lock types due to their method of functioning because a panic door lock is essentially keyless. A panic bar locking mechanism is operated through the use of a connected handle/bar. Once this bar is pressed, the internal mechanics of the panic bar retract the latch that holds the door closed. There is also a pair of arms that are attached which rest on each side of the panic bar that help engage and activate the latch retractor, which in turn is what actually enables the door to operate. Their placement within commercial buildings is usually done to aid in emergency situations such as a fire and can often be found in hospitals and at emergency exits.

Electric strike commercial door lock types

Electric strike locks are much like most types of other electronic door locks in a way they operate in a much different manner than the traditional commercial door lock types mentioned. All locking mechanisms installed on a property have a strike plate. An electric strike lock have an electric strike instead. The two main types of electric strike locks are fail-safe locks and fail-secure locks. They are differentiated by the way the circuitry affects the door lock. 

In a fail-secure lock, closing the circuit allows for the door to be unlocked. With a fail-safe lock, closing the circuit will cause the door to lock itself. These locks are perfect for high traffic environments and restricting the access to the interior of a commercial building.

In order to choose the right kind of commercial door lock types for your commercial property, Several different factors are needed to take into account. Additionally, consulting with an expert such as NorthWest Locksmith Spokane is recommended. Some of these factors must include the layout of the building, the number of employees/visitors and also emergency plans in place. The last thing you want to do is to have your chosen door lock impede any rescue or escape efforts that may occur.