A guide to buying an electronic door lock

While locks are not a new invention-dating back before Christ's death, electronic locks are a 20th century invention. While the electronic locks share the same principle of the pin and tumbler door lock, the manner in which to activate them is far different: via a card or pin pad. The combination of mechanical locks and electric lock make them, some argue, more secure. When seeking to purchase an electronic door lock, there are a few details to keep in mind.

Card lock

The card lock is an electronic lock which is often found in hotels. These types of door locks look much like a card reader at a counter at a retail store or turnstile at the underground. To open the key-less lock, one swipes the card through the slot. This allows the device to read the information on the card and open the door. Wear down The drawback with these electric locks is that the strip on the card can wear down over time making it a necessity to replace the cards. Entry to every door Another possible drawback is the master key or card, which allows entry to every door. If stolen, the security of the lock is compromised.

Keypad locks

Keypad locks are another type of lock which allow you a keyless entry through a door. In order to open the door, you will need to enter in a series of numbers to operate the lock. These codes can be changed - in fact, some companies and banks regularly change the codes making it difficult for unauthorised entry. The keypad locks can be for home use, commercial use such as for hospitals, schools, businesses, government buildings and labs, and even smaller ones for cabinets. These locks come in a variety of styles and even colours.

Combination keypad biometric locks

Combination keypad biometric locks are the most secure in that they offer the security of the keypad as well as the collection of other data, such as retinal scans, fingerprint scans, as well as voice print scans. These sophisticated electronic locks are the most expensive of all the electronic locks. With their price comes the additional security in making them more difficult to bypass. For this reason, the combination keypad biometric locks are often used in top secret and secure locations.