A commercial lockout is rarely a lock problem alone. It is a question of who is allowed to open the door, who pays for it and how quickly the business can get moving again. Property managers in Mississauga who prepare a few facts in advance shorten the whole process.
Know who can authorize entry
A locksmith will ask who has the authority to approve work on the unit. In a leased plaza that may be the tenant, the landlord or the management company. Keep a current contact sheet for each unit showing the tenant of record, the person who can approve emergency access, and the after-hours phone number. When the wrong person calls, the technician has to wait for confirmation, and the door stays shut.
Describe the door before you call
Dispatch can plan better when the caller can describe the door. Useful details are:
- Glass or solid, and whether it is a single door or a pair
- Whether there is a panic bar on the inside
- Whether the lock is a key cylinder, a keypad or a card reader
- Whether the door is on a fire route or an alarm circuit
A photo of the lock face and the door edge is often enough for the technician to bring the right cylinder, strike or pivot.
Expect a rekey after a lost key
If a key has been lost, or a former employee has not returned one, opening the door is only half the job. The safer plan is to rekey the affected cylinders so the missing key stops working. In business parks near Meadowvale and the airport corridor, where one exterior door can serve several tenants, plan the rekey with everyone who holds a key.
Keep records
Write down what was done: the door, the new keys issued, the people who received them and the date. A simple register avoids arguments later and makes the next lockout faster. For larger buildings, master key systems and restricted key systems keep the number of loose keys down.
What not to do
Do not let staff prop a fire door open or tape a latch to avoid lockouts. Exit hardware has to work as a life-safety device. If a latch keeps failing, have it repaired, not bypassed.
Getting help
iProtect Locksmith takes calls from 8 AM to 10 PM on 437-295-4001 and travels to commercial premises across Mississauga and the rest of the GTA. See commercial lockout service and commercial locksmith in Mississauga for the details.
More Mississauga locksmith resources
Start with our Mississauga locksmith service guide for local coverage, service categories, and appointment preparation.