The magic of master key systems lies on the lock. Not the key. The keys are just cut to lock and unlock the doors. The key feature of such systems is the way the locks are rekeyed. The success of these systems depends on how well they are planned from the very beginning. You see, master key lock systems must follow the structure of the facility, respect the security requirements in the building, and follow the hierarchy of the business. It’s hardly surprising they are tailored to match everyone’s needs! When everything is done by the book, the value of master key systems is great.
The master key lock system explained
In every building, there are several locks and they open & lock with their matching keys. The goal is to reduce the number of keys in circulation in order to better control access, strip from the burden of carrying multiple keys, and cut down the expenses – resulting from key replacement services. All that without losing the protection high-security locks offer!
So, that’s the objective of master key systems: convenience, simplification, reduced expenses, high security.
The philosophy of such systems is to create a design, which will allow some people to have access to all or some of the areas/doors within the building. And so, a design might be as simple as including one sole master key that opens all the doors in the building, while all the doors also open with their individual keys.
Things often get more complex when it comes to big residential buildings or office master key systems. In such cases, you may have:
- one grand master key to open all 100 doors in the building
- master keys that will open the 10-12 doors in each different area in the building
- sub-master keys that will unlock a few of the 10-12 door in each area
- and the change keys that will open each individual door
The locksmiths rekey locks to work with their own key but also with a master key or more master keys. Sometimes, a group of locks are keyed alike to open with the same key, while they can still open with the sub-master key. The possibilities are nearly endless.
Simply put, the key that opens more than one door is a master key. The difference is that master keys may open a different number of doors or groups of doors within the building. And there’s usually the grand master key that opens all doors in any group/area of the building.
The benefits of master key systems
Master key systems allow you to choose which people will have access to which parts of the building and so you can keep things organized and under control. When it comes to businesses, it helps you maintain hierarchy in the group of people working under one roof. In other words, the system represents the structure of the corporation and is designed to expand along with the business.
Residential building master key systems make management a lot easier and spare you from the nightmare of tragedies. With the superintendent having a master key that unlocks all home doors, a sudden flood can be addressed quickly. If a door won’t unlock after an earthquake or during a fire, there’ll be someone with another key to open the door.
In today’s world full of extraordinary high-security door locks, such systems stand at the top of the list. And it’s no wonder. They allow you to make any plan you want and thus are fully customizable. They offer security since there are limited keys in circulation and you know who has which key for which door – hence, full control over your security and management. And such systems are not static, but can grow along with your needs – given that you choose an expandable master key system. So, the benefits are plenty and the real value of master key systems lies on planning in great detail to achieve the utmost.