Every opening solves two jobs: enable safe egress and control entry. The way you meet those jobs differs by hardware type.
Think cylindrical and mortise sets, deadbolts, and exit devices with mechanical trim. These are durable, familiar to maintenance teams, and quick to service. They operate per door with no network, software, or user database. For many facilities, mechanical door locks remain a dependable baseline where risk is low and user-level control is unnecessary.
This category includes keypad locks, wireless locks, card and mobile readers, electrified trim, smart strikes, and controllers. Electronic sets can tie into access control hardware and broader commercial entry systems, enabling user permissions, schedules, remote unlock, and audit trails. They introduce software and power requirements, yet they unlock capabilities that mechanical sets cannot deliver.
Note: Most facilities blend both. It is common to specify an electronic set with a keyed mechanical override for resilience and service access.
Use these criteria to map capabilities to your real risks and workflows.
Mechanical sets grant or deny access based on a key. There is no way to assign rules by person or to revoke access without rekeying. Electronic sets support credentials for individuals or groups, time schedules, and instant revocation. They also create door-by-door audit trails that answer who, when, and where. If your entrances see constant change in personnel, tenants, or contractors, electronic control reduces friction and increases accountability.
Mechanical sets have fewer components, which means fewer failure points and easy parts availability. Routine service focuses on cylinders, latches, springs, and alignment. Electronic sets add batteries or power supplies, boards, readers, and firmware. Reliability is excellent when power and surge protection are designed correctly and batteries are put on a service calendar. Plan for periodic firmware updates, credential management, and reader cleaning, especially in dusty or coastal environments. Facilities with thin staffing often assign a preferred integrator to handle these tasks on a schedule.
Life safety and accessibility rules apply regardless of technology. On egress, doors must release for safe exit. Panic hardware, delayed egress, and fire-rating requirements dictate specific combinations of trim, power transfer, and control logic. ADA considerations may call for low operating force, proper reach ranges, and in some cases motorized or push-button activation. When you introduce electronics, test interactions with fire alarm and building systems so egress behavior is correct during an event. The more complex the opening, the more important it is to verify submittals and perform on-site acceptance testing.
Mechanical door lock sets win on upfront cost. The tradeoff shows up later when keys go missing, tenants roll over, or staff turns. Rekey cycles, locksmith labor, and lost time can exceed the initial savings. Electronic sets cost more to install, but they cut administrative overhead by centralizing adds, moves, and changes. Over a multi-year horizon, the lower total cost of ownership often shows up in multi-tenant offices, schools, and healthcare settings where user changes are frequent. For stable spaces with low turnover, mechanical may remain the most efficient choice.
Only electronic sets integrate. Tie readers and controllers to your access platform to enforce schedules and permissions. Connect entry events to visitor management for time-bound guest passes and to video for visual verification. Some organizations also integrate with time and attendance. If you need shared reporting or centralized command across sites, electronic is the path that scales.
Need help selecting the right system for your space? Paramount Companies provides expert hardware specification, sourcing, and installation for single doors or entire buildings.
Mechanical remains a solid choice in specific contexts. Utility rooms, closets, mechanical spaces, and other low-traffic openings benefit from simplicity and quick service. Budget-constrained retrofits can preserve existing frames and devices while focusing capital where it delivers the most risk reduction. If you do not need user-level control or centralized logs, mechanical door locks will meet the requirement with minimal ongoing attention. Pair with robust key control procedures and restricted keyways to reduce unauthorized duplication.
High-visibility entrances, shared office suites, and multi-tenant properties gain immediate value from electronic door lock systems. Facilities with frequent personnel changes avoid rekeying and gain centralized administration. Locations with audit needs benefit from door events that line up with video, visitor records, and incident tickets. If you already use an access platform or plan to in the next budget cycle, specifying electrified trim, readers, or wireless locks now will prevent rework later. Electronic choices also improve after-hours support since authorized managers can unlock doors remotely and review activity without a site visit.
Both paths are viable with careful planning. In new construction, rough-in power, low-voltage, and door prep are straightforward. You can specify power transfer hinges, door position switches, request-to-exit, and conduit without compromises. In retrofits, wireless or battery-powered locks limit cabling needs and install quickly, which keeps doors in service and labor contained. Where conduit is required, consider surface raceway and finish expectations. Evaluate frame material, fire rating, and hinge selection early so your hardware schedule matches the real conditions on the wall.
Electronic deployments succeed when credential and role policies are clear. Decide whether you will use cards, fobs, or mobile credentials, and document the process for issuing, revoking, and recovering them. Confirm who approves access to sensitive areas and how you will handle contractors. Align your platform with HR or directory services so adds and terminations sync automatically. Build simple, auditable reports that answer common questions for safety, HR, and compliance teams. Good policy makes electronic control scalable and reduces help desk load.
Electronic sets need stable power and dependable communications. For PoE-powered controllers and readers, size switches correctly and place them near the openings they serve. For battery locks, create a replacement cadence and track it. Add surge protection where loads can spike, especially near large motors or exterior doors with weather exposure. If doors must remain operational during outages, specify UPS or generator-backed circuits for controllers and edge switches, and define fail-safe versus fail-secure states by opening type and code requirements. These decisions determine reliability more than any brand name.
Security that slows people down will be bypassed. Present clear cues at the opening, including reader placement at accessible heights, intuitive lever action, and visible door status indicators where allowed. In public-facing spaces, coordinate with design teams so devices and raceways blend with finishes without sacrificing service access. Train reception and facilities staff to handle exceptions such as lost credentials or stuck latches. The easier it is to do the right thing, the fewer workarounds you will see.
If you need traceability, electronic shines. Events tie a person to a place and time, then match to video and visitor records. Standardize camera placement at key entries to capture faces without glare. For mechanical-only spaces, keep key logs current and label cylinders and cores so investigators can follow the chain of custody. Whether mechanical or electronic, define evidence retention and retrieval procedures now so your team knows exactly what to do when an incident occurs.
Start by mapping risk zones and traffic patterns. Prioritize openings by impact if they fail or are misused. Decide where you need identity-level control, where you only need a lock and key, and where you require integration with cameras, visitor records, or alarms. Model three-year cost including installation, rekey cycles, adds and terminations, batteries, power, service calls, and training time. This exercise reveals where mechanical door locks are the efficient answer and where electronics reduce total effort and risk.
Every facility has different risks, staffing models, and compliance obligations. Mechanical sets continue to deliver value where simplicity and durability matter most. Electronic control offers flexibility, visibility, and scalability for growing organizations and multi-tenant environments. If you are weighing upgrades, retrofits, or new builds, align selection with code, uptime, and future integration plans. When in doubt, phase the rollout. Start with the doors that carry the highest risk and the clearest return, then expand.
Not sure what fits your site or your budget? Paramount Companies helps you specify, source, and maintain solutions that work long after installation.Request a consultation.
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