Keypad Locks

small-keypad-locksKeypad locks require the user to enter a numeric sequence on a keypad to gain entry to an area. Often used for doors, keypads may be mechanical or rely on electronic circuitry to protect an area. In both cases, keypad locks installed by Gteknologies hold several advantages over traditional keyed locks.

In the workplace, where keypad locks often are used, a strong advantage is that every employee can be informed of the code without having to supply a key for each worker. This strength saves money and helps to prevent employee lockouts from forgotten keys, a frequent cause of workplace disruptions. Keypad locks also are unsusceptible to the crime of lock picking, and avoid the problem of changing locks because of lost keys. Should the keycode be improperly distributed to an outsider, the keycode can be changed in order to prevent a breach in security.

Some keypad locks are mechanical or “digital,” meaning that they use numbers to operate. Such locks use deadbolts or springbolts, much like traditional keyed locks. While simple and reliable, drawbacks to mechanical keypad locks are the limited length of codes, and the lack of a timed lockout feature in the event of successive, failed entry attempts.

Electronic keypad locks come in two main types: motorized locks that combine the security of deadbolt with the auto-lock safety of a spring lock; and an unmotorized lock, in which an electromagnet locks and unlocks the bolt, and a knob or lever is manually turned to move the bolt. Most electronic keypad lock run on batteries, which makes them immune to power failures. In comparison to digital keypad locks, electronic locks can use longer passwords for enhanced protection, and the keypad may include features such as lighting in the dark to aid entry.