6 Ways To Upgrade Commercial Doors

When the seasons change, it often seems the functionality of residential and commercial doors change too. If the entry/exit to your commercial property is showing signs of wear and tear, it could be time for an upgrade. A complete door replacement is not always the answer. Technology and mechanical solutions can be used to reduce stickiness, drafts, and slamming of doors. Here are 6 suggestions from All Secure to create a more secure and better functioning door.

1. Add abuse protection. Almost every small business has some level of deliveries that come to them, whether it be office supplies or inventory. High traffic entry and exit ways can experience some heavy damage with luggage dents, trolley marks, and furniture scrapes as various deliveries come and go from a business. One way to combat this type of harm is to add doors and locks that have an ANSI/BHMA rating of 1. This grading system is used across many building standards to rate hardware using grades of 1, 2, and 3, with 1 as the highest rating. Reliability and durability are the two areas to research when determining new door hardware to reduce signs of abuse.
2. Add an audit log system. Installing access control systems can certainly enhance security, but this is not the only reason to have one. A great access control system can be programmed using unique codes, biometrics, roles-based criteria, time of day, and so many others to log traffic coming and going from a commercial space. Not only does this let you know who is entering and exiting, it can also let you know when doors are being used to also manage energy consumption, remote locking, visitor tracking, and several other benefits. You can learn more about access control with this link to a previous blog.
3. Retrofit locks. One cost-saving strategy to upgrading commercial doors is to install only the lock trim instead of the entire lockset. Most commercial grade lock manufacturers provide options for tamper-resistant hardware, escutcheons sloped to minimize catch points, and even commercial electronic locks that are stronger than the residential versions from a big box store.
4. Install patented key control. Concerns that duplicate keys have been made when an employee exits an organization can be diminished by employing patented key control systems or restricted key systems. These systems are ultimately agreements between business owner, lock manufacturer, and locksmith that grants authorization to the locksmith to be the sole provider of keys to the lock. This makes making duplicate keys illegal by any other locksmith or the random hardware store clerk.
5. Consider safety and privacy. Many commercial spaces now offer quiet rooms for employees to take breaks that lock to provide additional privacy. Installing a highly visible indicator lock is a great solution for the doors on these rooms so others can easily see that the space is occupied.
6. Install touchless and hands-free solutions. As health concerns for the general population have escalated, the need to provide touchless solutions to entry and exit points has grown. Consider adding in technology for auto door openers which can replace door pulls, levers, and knobs. The traditional push-button door opener can also be used, which can come with new anti-microbial coatings. Go completely hands-free with motion detector door openers and auto-operators.

All Secure has been working with commercial builders, contractors, business owners, and facility managers for almost 20 years to provide great installs and upgrades to mechanical and electrical security systems. If you are unsure of what is possible or need a professional assessment, contact us to schedule a complimentary audit from one of our technicians.