Now more than ever, businesses look to control access to their buildings through means other than giving out keys. Doing so can create key-free lock control can add security in many ways. First and foremost, giving out too many keys can lead to issues down the road. Former employees may end up having access to your business well after they should. Additionally, some key-free security measures also grant business owners remote control over their building’s locks. This can add a tremendous amount of security and convenience. Today, we share a variety of ways to add keyless lock control for your business!
First, we’ll provide a couple keypad lock options to help you add this security. Specifically, we’ll look at both standalone keypad levers and electronic keypad locks. From there, we’ll take this security one step further by detailing access control installation. Additionally, we’ll also spend some time looking at buzzer and intercom systems that allow you to remotely unlock doors for visitors. Finally, we’ll wrap up our post with a discussion about smart locks, which combine keypad security with remote unlocking features for tremendous security and convenience. Now, let’s dive in with a review of keypad-based commercial security!
Keypad Locks
Creating keypad lock control addresses many of the security concerns regarding giving out too many keys. In this section, we will examine a couple ways that we create this security. First, we will look at “standalone” keypad levers that we install on doors to allow key-free lock control. These keypads can help lock down more important areas of a business, while allowing authorized employees to use their codes to enter. From there, we will look at installing electronic keypads. These keypads work with electronic locking hardware as a heavier-duty option than keypad levers provide.
Standalone keypad levers, such as this one by Trilogy, give business owners both door security as well as an element of key control.
Standalone Keypad Levers
As you might have guessed by the description, we install “standalone” keypad levers on doors without the need to install additional equipment. These levers have battery-operated keypads that allow users to program multiple codes to unlock a door. Using multiple codes allows business owners to add and delete codes as access levels change or as businesses experience employee turnover. The ability to control access to certain areas of a business while installing as little equipment as possible makes these keypads a popular addition for many businesses. In addition to installing standalone keypad levers, we can also offer key-free lock control by installing keypads and electronic lock hardware to provide this security. Now, let’s take a look at what’s involved in creating this electricity-driven keypad lock solution.
Keypad-Operated Electronic Locks
In some cases, installing standalone levers on doors is not the best option for business owners. For example, in many cases a door has an exit device (often referred to as a “crash bar”) in place rather than just a lever. Many exit devices will not function properly if we attempt to install a keypad on the other side of the door. This takes away the option of installing a standalone keypad. Additionally, aluminum doors often do not have sufficient space to install a keypad lever.
In these instances, we install a keypad that controls electronic locking devices installed on the door’s frame to provide key-free lock control. We can install our keypad anywhere in the vicinity of the door it controls, allowing users to punch in their code and electronically unlock a door without changing any of the hardware on the door itself. This allows for keyless lock control for your business in situations where you don’t have the option of installing standard mechanical keypads. Now that we’ve looked at a couple keypad-related locking configurations, let’s take a look at how access control takes keyless entry one step further!
Access Control
Access control systems utilize the same type of electronic locking devices that we use when installing electronic keypads. However, these systems have a couple major differences. For starters, users generally present a “credential” of some sort, rather than typing a code, to gain access. For example, proximity fobs or cards such as the one pictured make popular credentials. Users scan these credentials in front of a reader to activate the electronic locking hardware and gain access. As an alternative, some readers allow for users to scan their phones as a credential. Additionally, we can also install biometric scanners as part of an access control system. These readers allow users to enter a door based on a biometric feature such as a fingerprint, handprint, or even an eye scan!
Furthermore, we connect access control systems to software that tracks who enters a door, and when. If desired, credentials can also be programmed to only work during certain time frames. The security and flexibility offered by these systems make them a great addition to any commercial security plan. For more information on these systems, check out our post on The How, Where, When, and Why of Access Control. Now, let’s see how buzzer and intercom systems can make office life more secure and convenient for employees.
Buzzer or Intercom Systems with Lock Control
Most of us have likely had to press a “buzzer” to gain entry into an office or school. After hearing the buzzer, someone inside can press a button that remotely unlocks the door. These systems use the same type of hardware that we use for electronic keypads and access control systems. However, a simple buzzer system does not allow for communication between the person outside and the person unlocking the door.
A video intercom station, such as this one by Aiphone, allows employees to interact with and grant access to a businesses’ visitors.
To address this issue, we install intercom systems that create this communication. Audio intercom systems allow visitors to talk to someone inside the office while still outside. We also offer video intercom systems that even allow office personnel to see the area around the door before making the decision to unlock it. This type of setup allows busy workers to answer the door without getting up from their desks. It also creates security by allowing workers to gather information before determining that unlocking the door for their visitor is a safe option. Let’s take a look at one more technology-driven option that offices use to create key-free lock control!
Smart Locks
You may remember our section on smart locks from our Smart Technology Solutions for Your Business. Up to this point, we have discussed locks that require users to be onsite to activate. Smart locks, on the other hand, can be controlled from anywhere. These locks are internet-connected keypad locks that allow authorized users to lock and unlock their doors remotely from a smartphone, computer, or tablet. Business owners can check on their status of their locks and ensure that their property remains secured at all times. Additionally, these locks create the ability to grant contractors or other visitors one-time access to a building without providing a key, a keypad code, or a credential that could be used to breach your security later on. Smart locks eliminate the need to take a trip to the office just to let someone into the building, making them a very popular business security measure!
Putting it all Together and Installing Keyless Lock Control for Your Business
We hope that this post helps you in your efforts to add keyless lock control for your business. As always, we encourage you to contact us if you have any questions about the material in this post. We will happily answer your security concerns, both big and small. Additionally, we also invite you to take advantage of our free site survey program. We’ve long offered security audits and equipment quotes to both new and existing customers alike.
While on site, we can address any all off of your lock and security-related inquiries and address your biggest security threats. Perhaps you have a solid security foundation in place that you wish to beef up. Or, maybe you have very little in the way of security equipment now, and want to get started from the ground up. Either way, we are here to help! Together, we can implement a complete security plan to keep your entire property as safe and secure as possible.