If you need a versatile lock system, going with keyed-alike locks may be your best bet. How do you know, though? As a locksmith at Lock & Key, one of Rotherham’s most experienced locksmithing companies, we wanted to address this topic. So, what are keyed alike locks?
With so many different types of lockouts there, it can be tough to know where to start, right? It’s easy to get confused. Especially if you are fitting locks into a commercial setting or a residential building with multiple occupants, you need something that works well and makes life easier for residents, staff, etc. – could keyed-alike locks be what you need? Let one of our experts at Lock & Key Rotherham give you their professional opinion.
What Are Keyed Alike Locks?
So, a keyed-alike lock is a lock which responds to a specific key. Yes, we know that sounds like every other lock – but there is one key (if you’ll pardon the pun) difference. Keyed alike means that each lock will respond to one key.
For example, you could have it so that all of your entrances – front and back door, for example – are locked and unlocked using the same key. Or, you could have it so that certain doors in your building – such as individual offices and conference rooms – all open with the same key.
As you can imagine, that brings quite a few positives. It also brings a few risks. Let’s give you a rundown of what to expect if you choose to install keyed-alike locks.
The Benefits of Keyed Alike Locks
Broadly, we would say that keyed alike locks have more pros than cons. Our experience shows that, generally, keyed alike locks offer:
Key Protections
Are you worried that by having keyed alike locks, your key security is worsened? Don’t worry. With keyed alike locks, you (normally) get what are known as restricted keys. This means that nobody could clone your key without direct authorisation from the property owner – in this case, you!
So, don’t worry about your keys being duplicated. Only the authorised individual can have keys cut or duplicated.
Ease of Use
Most importantly, though, keyed alike locks are convenient. Instead of having multiple keys to open each door, you have one key for as many doors as you need. That means less space taken up in your bag or pocket and simpler access to each room in your building fitted with matching keyed-alike locks.
Reduced Costs
If you have five different doors and they all open with unique keys, you need to have copies cut for each member of staff. If you have five members of staff, that means twenty-five keys being cut. If anyone new joins your property/business, you only need to have one key for them, too.
The Risks & Considerations of Keyed Alike Locks
While we regularly recommend having keyed alike locks fitted, they aren’t perfect. Some of the main risks we always bring up to potential customers for keyed alike locks include:
Lock Replacement Costs
If a key goes missing or is outright stolen, you only need to replace the keys that go missing, right? Not always. We would recommend replacing all locks, because that lost key could, in theory, be used to open every lock on your property!
Keyed-alike locks are great for people who are safety-conscious and are strict about key storage. If someone loses their key, though, it means replacing all the locks to avoid the risk of that key being found and used to open your doors.
One Key Fits Every Door
While this is highly convenient, it does mean potential security risks. If a burglar happens to snatch one of your keyed alike locks, they can open up every door in your home or business. That’s a serious issue, right? It means you are making criminals’ lives easier. As such, you need to be VERY strict about key storage and security.
Not Every Lock Can Be Keyed Alike
While your standard lock types – euro cylinder locks, mortice locks, sashlocks and deadlocks, furniture locks, padlocks, and secondary locks like night latches – can be keyed alike locks, not every lock type can. For example, certain Euro cylinder locks – such as lever-operated locks – cannot.
You would need to get a professional opinion on whether (or not) your door could be keyed alike. If you need to replace all your doors just to switch to a keyed-alike system, you have to decide whether it is worthwhile.
Keyed Alike Locks For Your Home: A Good Idea?
For households, you can go down the route of having keyed alike locks fitted. This would mean your front and back doors would all operate off one lock type.
However, we would not recommend keyed-alike locks for internal doors in most houses. It would remove any personal privacy in each room and could be a serious issue, especially in homes shared by non-family, i.e., homes of multiple occupancy.
Keyed Alike Padlocks: Worth The Cost?
Lastly, we want to touch briefly on keyed-alike padlocks. Many people use keyed alike padlocks so they can pop open all their padlocks – such as on sheds, bikes, etc. – using just one key style.
While that is convenient, it provides the same pros and cons as we touched on above. There is also the added cost: keyed-alike padlocks cost considerably more because you need to buy them all at once.
Keyed Alike Locks: Are They Right For You?
These quick-fire pros and cons should give you greater insight into whether keyed-alike locks would be right for your business. However, every property is different.
If you are in the Rotherham area, our team at Lock & Key can provide you with a security assessment. We can take a closer look at your property and determine whether keyed-alike locks would be right for you. If not, we can offer more suitable alternatives.
Generally, keyed-alike locks are very useful – but that does come with some important caveats, as we raised above. Consider these carefully, and if you need any help, contact Lock & Key for advice on assessing keyed-alike lock suitability in Rotherham.
