Outfoxing Master-Keyed Locks: What You Need to Know

When Americans can rely on Civil War era technology for their safety, something must be working. Such is the case for pin tumbler locks, which still protect the vast majority of buildings in North America. “We’re not discovering new vulnerabilities with a lock that’s been around 150 years,” says Lloyd Seliber, CML and spokesperson for the Associated Locksmiths of America.

Still, the number of people trying to break into every new lock on the market, as well as the old ones, means property managers need to be all the more vigilant. That task is only multiplied when a master-keyed system is in place. Whether mechanical or electronic, many security problems are caused by lack of oversight.

Some breaches are surprisingly basic. “People hand out too many keys because they don’t know what key works for what door,” says Seliber, who deals mostly in new construction. “If you have the greatest lock system in the world and you’re careless about handing out, you’re going to get sued.” While locking systems are becoming increasingly complex, maintaining them doesn’t need to be. There are many precautions that can protect property and avoid the need to reengineer an entire security system.

Here are a few:

• Address any vulnerabilities in the entranceway, like a door that doesn’t always close properly.
• If there is a theft, be able to account for every key to the building.
• Ask local locksmiths about harder-to-copy proprietary or patent protected keys, which vary region to region.
• There’s no formula for when to cross over into electronic systems, but Seliber offers this guideline: Where more than 25 keys are issued for a single door, electronic access should control that entrance.

These days, many builders are turning to card readers and proximity devices, attracted by access control technology and new data storage capabilities. “[New technology] allows them to have much easier key changes. You don’t have to pull out lock and re-pin it,” notes Mike Tierney, standards coordinator, Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association. “But most systems, both mechanical or electronic, have been designed to be reliable.”

However, each system brings its own set of factors to consider. While mechanical master-keyed systems are a hassle to change, newer systems using cards, codes or computer chips are pricey and susceptible to power outages or battery issues. And unlike mechanical locks, whatever backs are built into electronic systems are still unknown.

According to Anthony Sloat, a marketing agent at Academy Locksmith, Inc., in Anaheim, CA, the trend in residential property is to have no master-keyed system at all. “The perception is the people are safer [without a master key]” he says. “The downside of that is if there’s a flood in someone’s basement and they’re on vacation, there’s no way for someone to get in.”

Sloat worries about a possible decline in spending on security among construction companies due to the condition of the housing market. But he is also skeptical of some of the high-tech products on the market and cautions again relying solely on finger print or card swipe systems. “You should still have a locking deadbolt,” he says. “I just don’t think the new technology is tried yet.”

While UL listings and ANC standards are a start, following them alone won’t protect against every threat. A local locksmith, who knows which keys are being duplicated and which locks are being compromised in the area, might help.