When to Upgrade Your Business Locks: A Security Checklist

Are Your Business Locks Doing Their Job?

Your locks are the first line of defense for your business. But locks don't last forever, and security threats evolve. What was adequate five years ago may not be enough today.

Here's a checklist to help you determine if it's time to upgrade.

The Security Checklist

1. How old are your locks?

• ☐ Less than 5 years — likely fine if maintained
• ☐ 5-10 years — have them inspected, especially exterior locks
• ☐ 10+ years — strongly consider replacement, especially if they're not high-security grade
• ☐ Unknown age — if you moved into the space, assume the locks are old

2. Do you know who has keys?

• ☐ You've tracked every key — great, keep it up
• ☐ Some keys are unaccounted for — rekey immediately
• ☐ Former employees may still have keys — rekey immediately
• ☐ You moved in and never rekeyed — rekey immediately

3. What grade are your locks?

• ☐ Grade 1 (commercial) — excellent
• ☐ Grade 2 — adequate for most interior doors, consider upgrading exterior
• ☐ Grade 3 or unknown — upgrade exterior doors to Grade 1
• ☐ No deadbolt on exterior doors — install Grade 1 deadbolts now

4. Are your keys restricted?

• ☐ Yes, restricted keyway (Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Best) — excellent, keys can't be copied without authorization
• ☐ No, standard keyway — any employee can make copies at a hardware store. Consider switching to restricted.

5. Do you have a master key system?

• ☐ Yes, professionally designed and maintained — good
• ☐ No, but you have 5+ doors with different keys — a master key system would simplify access
• ☐ Yes, but it's old or undocumented — have it audited by a commercial locksmith

6. What condition are the locks in?

• ☐ Keys turn smoothly, bolts extend fully — good
• ☐ Keys stick or are hard to turn — the lock may be worn or corroded
• ☐ Deadbolts don't fully extend — could fail to lock properly
• ☐ Visible rust or corrosion — especially on exterior locks, this is a problem
• ☐ Door frames are loose or cracked — even the best lock won't hold if the frame is weak

7. Do you have exit devices (panic bars)?

• ☐ Yes, tested and compliant — good
• ☐ Yes, but not tested recently — have them inspected for fire code compliance
• ☐ No, but your building requires them (commercial spaces with 50+ occupants) — install immediately

8. Do you track who enters the building?

• ☐ Yes, access control system with audit trail — excellent
• ☐ No, just physical keys — consider upgrading to access control for better tracking
• ☐ Sign-in sheet only — not reliable for security purposes

9. After-hours security?

• ☐ Alarm system integrates with locks — good
• ☐ Locks only, no alarm — consider adding monitoring
• ☐ Smart locks with alerts — good for monitoring entry in real time

10. Employee turnover?

• ☐ Low turnover (under 10% per year) — traditional keys may be manageable
• ☐ High turnover (retail, restaurant, warehouse) — access control will save you money on rekeying
• ☐ Recent security incident with a former employee — rekey and consider restricted keys

Scoring Your Checklist

If you checked any of the bold/urgent items (rekey immediately, install deadbolts now, upgrade to Grade 1), take action this week. If you have 3+ "consider upgrading" items, schedule a security assessment with a commercial locksmith within the month.

What an Upgrade Looks Like

A typical business lock upgrade includes:

1. Rekey or replace all exterior locks with Grade 1 commercial deadbolts
2. Install a master key system if you have 5+ doors
3. Switch to restricted keyway (Medeco, Mul-T-Lock) so keys can't be copied without authorization
4. Add access control on main entries if you have 5+ employees or frequent turnover
5. Inspect and certify exit devices for fire code compliance
6. Reinforce door frames with longer strike plate screws (3-inch minimum)

Cost of Upgrading

A full business lock upgrade (8 doors, Grade 1 locks, master key system, restricted keys) typically costs $1,500-$4,000. Adding access control for main entries adds $500-$2,000+. While that's an investment, compare it to the cost of a single break-in — lost inventory, property damage, insurance deductibles, and downtime.

FAQ

Need commercial locksmith service right now? Call (855) 373-1159 and our 24/7 dispatch center will connect you with a licensed professional near you.