🔑 Commercial Building Entrance Lock Problems – Why Your Front Door Lock Starts Failing
-
- VIRO LOCK
-
- COMPARASION OF NEW AND OLD
🏢 One of the most common service calls we receive in apartment buildings, condominiums, and commercial properties is a front entrance mortise lock that suddenly stops working properly.
Many people think the lock is simply “broken,” but in most cases it has reached the end of its service life or has been damaged by years of everyday use.
⚠️ Common Signs of a Worn Commercial Lock
❌ Key only inserts halfway.
❌ Key gets stuck inside the cylinder.
❌ You must jiggle the key up and down.
❌ The key must be pulled out slightly before it turns.
❌ The key works from one side but not the other.
❌ The keyway appears upside down or out of alignment.
❌ The key is difficult to remove.
❌ Some tenants’ keys work while others don’t.
🤔 Why Does This Happen?
🚪 1. Pulling the Door Open with the Key
One of the biggest causes is when tenants pull the door open using the key instead of using the door handle.
🔑➡️🚪 This puts sideways pressure on the cylinder while it is turning.
After thousands of openings, the cylinder may skip internally, rotate out of position, or leave the keyway upside down.
Sometimes it happens by mistake—but when dozens or even hundreds of people use the same entrance every day, the wear adds up quickly.
🔄 2. Thousands of Daily Operations
A building with 50+ tenants can easily have hundreds of door openings every single day.
Over time:
🔸 Pins wear down.
🔸 Springs become weak.
🔸 The plug develops internal wear.
🔸 The keyway becomes oversized.
🔸 Precision inside the lock slowly disappears.
Instead of having sharp, precise pin tips, they become flat from years of friction, making the lock harder to operate.
🔑 3. Too Many Key Copies
Another major issue is uncontrolled key duplication.
➡️ Original key
➡️ Copy of the original
➡️ Copy of the copy
➡️ Copy of that copy…
Each generation becomes less accurate.
Eventually these poor-quality copies wear the lock faster and cause sticking, jamming, and operating problems.
🔒 Even High-Security Locks Wear Out
Many people believe expensive locks never fail.
That’s simply not true.
Even premium high-security locks such as Medeco®, Mul-T-Lock®, and Abloy® experience normal wear after years of heavy daily use.
Examples:
✔️ Medeco keys may work from one side but not the other.
✔️ Internal pins eventually wear.
✔️ Heavy-use buildings require maintenance regardless of brand.
💡 High security prevents unauthorized key duplication—it does not eliminate normal mechanical wear.
🛠️ Our Recommended Solutions
🥉 Option 1 – Standard Commercial Mortise Lock
💲 Mortise Cylinder: $50
🔑 Standard Key Copies: $4 each
✅ Advantages
✔ Lowest initial cost.
✔ Keys can be copied almost anywhere.
❌ Disadvantages
❌ Anyone can duplicate the key.
❌ Poor copies eventually damage the lock.
❌ Building owners lose control over key distribution.
🥈 Option 2 – GMS MX10 Protected Keyway ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Our Best Seller)
💲 Mortise Cylinder: $139
🔑 Key Copies: $12 each
This is our most recommended solution for apartment buildings and condominiums.
✅ Benefits
🔒 Protected keyway
🔒 Controlled key duplication
🔒 Better building security
🔒 Affordable replacement keys
🔒 Excellent long-term value
We are one of only four locksmith companies in the Montreal area authorized to use this protected GMS MX10 keyway.
📋 We have an agreement with GMS. If another locksmith produces keys under our protected key code without authorization, GMS may revoke their access to that keyway.
For buildings needing dozens or hundreds of keys, this is usually the best balance between security and cost.
🥇 Option 3 – Maximum Security (Medeco)
💲 Mortise Cylinder: Starting at $350
🔑 Key Copies: Approximately $30 each
✅ Advantages
🔒 Maximum key control
🔒 Excellent pick resistance
🔒 Patented key system
🔒 Ideal for high-security buildings
⚠️ Considerations
💰 Higher installation cost.
💰 More expensive replacement keys.
Many premium systems such as Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and Abloy have become significantly more expensive over the years. While they offer outstanding protection, they may not be the most economical option for buildings requiring a large number of keys.
⭐ Our Recommendation
For most apartment buildings, condominiums, and commercial properties, the GMS MX10 Protected Keyway provides the best combination of:
✅ Security
✅ Controlled key duplication
✅ Affordable replacement keys
✅ Long-term savings
✅ Reduced maintenance
🚨 Don’t wait until tenants are locked out.
Replacing a worn cylinder before it completely fails can save emergency service calls and improve your building’s security.
📞 Need Help?
SERRURIER SHAY LOCKSMITH
📱 514-836-9097
🏢 Residential • Commercial • Condominium • Property Management
⚠️ Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes based on our field experience servicing commercial buildings throughout Montreal. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Medeco®, Mul-T-Lock®, Abloy®, GMS®, or any other manufacturer. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
