Leigh Donoghue of www.LocksOnline.co.uk, a security retailer based in the UK, discusses methods and means of installing access control solutions in your home.
Control
Not too long ago businesses were some of the only entities that were able to make use of access control. It suits the needs of a wide variety of businesses and generally speeds up many processes such as administration, entry and exits of buildings, security and many more. Access control solution were expensive, not very easy to install, and generally were quite a hassle for the average home owner to install.
Post-2012
These days access control is a much brighter affair. The manufacturers of these products have finally begun designing these systems for general public use on homes, gardens and gates. That makes access control a viable option for securing your home. BUT, what are the actual benefits of a system like Access Control VS a mechanical locking system that most of us already have? The answer is convenience and customization of how you get in and out of your home. A standard mechanical locking solution secures the door to a particular standard and then that’s it, it does nothing more and can in most cases slows down the process of entry and exit when you are attempting to unlock several door locks and a night latch with the shopping in your hands. What Access control does provide security AND convenience.
Access
There are too many variations of access control that can be installed to list here but to give you an example, battery or non battery powered combination locks, electronic keypad entry systems, mechanical combination locks, GSM mobile phone locks, Wireless intercom systems, Biometric fingerprint readers, Card/Fob entry systems, electric strike releases, Magnetic locks, the list keeps going. All of these access control solution have their purpose so it is important to pick the correct type for your application. If you have guest’s that regularly pop over your house like I do, why not get a keypad and give out the code to trusted family members and friends? Access control can also benefit the elderly and disabled by improving entry and exit’s to home, automating doors upon request or possibly buzzing in a family member or nurse.
Conclusions
Depending on your applications the system you require can differ greatly. Installation over the past few years has been made much simpler and requires less effort in my opinion than installation of mechanical locking systems. The level of convenience they provide is unmatched and if you pick the correct models for your application they can provide adequate security for your home without costing the earth. I would expect to see a full conversion to these systems over the next few years, especially considering they are beginning to overtake the level of security an older mechanical locking solution is able to provide. They are also able to integrate into computer systems allowing them to be remotely monitored with the right equipment without you even needing to be at home. So to conclude, Access control solutions provide excellent levels of convenience as well as security, the only thing that is stopping you from having a system on your home is you, so if your door locks look like they are about to rust off I would definitely consider investing in this type of system.
Visit www.LocksOnline.co.uk which has 15 years experience in online retail and their tech team has 25 years experience as locksmiths and installation engineers.
