Commercial vs. Residential: Not All Door Hardware is Made the Same

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By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

One of the biggest requirements that our clients have is their employee and customer safety. This goes hand in hand with the door hardware that is being used. I am going to compare two things in this article; Commercial Grade Hardware vs Residential Grade Hardware and Grade 1 Hardware vs Grade 2 Hardware. All have their proper applications and it’s important to understand when and where they should be used.

Commercial Grade Hardware vs. Residential Grade Hardware

Commercial vs. Residential: Not All Door Hardware is Made the SameCommercial grade hardware is built to withstand areas with higher amounts of traffic than residential buildings require. Essentially what you put on your home isn’t the same as what goes on the front door of a highly used commercial space. Along with commercial hardware being heavier duty,  most commercial buildings have specific requirements when it comes to meeting certain specifications such as UL Listings, ADA compliance, or other life safety conditions.

Residential hardware is made for homes where they won’t get as much wear and tear. Some businesses have used residential hardware in their spaces, but this causes several issues.

1) Warranties by the manufacturer of the residential hardware can be voided because it’s installed in a commercial space.
2) They won’t hold up and will need to be replaced frequently.
3) They don’t meet the life safety requirements of many commercial buildings.

Installing the correct hardware on commercial buildings is incredibly important. The hardware lasts longer, helps with safety and security, and keeps you in compliance.

Grade 1 Lock Grade 2 Lock

Grade 1 Hardware vs. Grade 2 Hardware

When you dig deeper into commercial grade hardware, there are two levels you really want to look at: Grade 1 and Grade 2.

Grade 1 hardware not only meets building requirements for commercial spaces, but it also provides a higher level of security, withstands heavy usage and helps guard against vandalism. Grade 1 hardware can be used anywhere but on exterior openings. They can also be used in doors that protect rooms containing items of high value like IT closets.

Grade 2 door hardware meets light commercial requirements and is a level above residential door hardware. These locks are great for offices, closets and other applications that don’t require heavy usage. Grade 2 hardware is more economical compared to Grade 1, but will last longer than residential hardware.

When selecting the grade of hardware for your facility, your choices may vary from door to door. The type of usage and other factors play into these decisions. It is extremely important to understand where the different grades make good choices. If you have any questions, please reach out to Kenton Brothers so we can help with your facility needs!

Which ADA Operator is right for my business?

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Which ADA Operator is right for my business?By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

An ADA Operator is a device that you install on a door to make it suitable for people who need help opening and holding open a door. ADA Operators come in many styles, offerings, and sizes to help meet the needs of a facilities openings. Operators can be integrated to work with a company’s access control platform and can be set to work on specific schedules.

The question becomes which ADA Operator is right for my business?

First let’s discuss some of the common type of ADA Operators.

Low-Energy Operators, Power-Assist Operators, and Full Power Operators are some of the most common types. Each of these Operators are made for a specific purpose:

Low-Energy Operator

A Low-Energy operator allows users of all types of mobility to select either manual operation or automatic operation of the door.

Power-Assist Operator

A Power-Assist Operator uses a motor driven mechanism inside the device to open and close the door, it senses the presence of a person trying to open the door and assists them in doing so.

Full-Power Operator

Full-Power (Or Energy) Operators use more energy to quickly open the doors with a higher amount of force. They use sensors, guide rails, have variable closing speeds, and other internal tools to help at the opening.

Which ADA Operator is right for my business? Which ADA Operator is right for my business?

Access Control Integration and ADA Buttons

Which ADA Operator is right for my business?Next let’s discuss the integration of the operators.

Kenton Brothers installs hundreds of Operators each and every year, and a large portion of these are integrated with our customer’s access control platform. The benefits are simple: They can be controlled via schedules, they work in tandem with physical door hardware to keep your facility secure, they allow employees and or patrons with mobility issues to gain entry at correct times, and the operators become an integral part of the building design.

I also wanted to mention ADA buttons.

ADA buttons can be hardwired, wireless, and wave actuated. Button selection is determined by many things including wire paths available; do you want people touching the buttons or not, location of buttons, and aesthetics. Buttons also come in different sizes depending on the available space in the location where they will be installed.

If you have any questions regarding ADA Operators and how they can fit into your facility’s safety and security methods, please contact one of our security consultants to learn more.

Organizations Facing Large Rekey Projects

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By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

Large Rekey ProjectsIn a company or organization, it’s up to the organizational leaders to make sure that their people, property and possessions are kept safe and secure. Part of the strategy relies on the keying method used in the building(s). Kenton Brothers has been helping companies with large rekey projects since 1897.

So where does a company start when it comes to large rekey projects? What details are needed? How can they secure buildings and maintain control when handing out keys? Are there different levels of restricted cylinders to help secure the facility? All of these questions and more will be answered as we dive into large rekey projects.

The Rekey Plan

Everything starts with a plan, and it should be a plan that has the end goal in mind. Part of a rekey plan is an evaluation of many things including who should have access, what type of keys should be issued to employees and which keys should not, how should the key system be structured, how do you mitigate liability if a key is lost, how can keys be organized and how do we track who we issued keys to? What level of restriction should you have on the keys and cylinders? Will existing door hardware work or does it need to be switched out?

Large Rekey ProjectsSetting up a master key system for one large facility, a campus environment with multiple buildings, or even a scenario where there are different buildings across the country can all be handled by setting up a master key system that allows for growth/expansion and the flexibility within that system to do so.

A site survey(s) should be done by the company hired for the large rekey project. (Hopefully, that would be our team at Kenton Brothers!) From there, several meetings should occur to discuss the set up of the master key system, discuss the level of security you want with the keys/cylinders and set expectations for the rekey itself.

Organization of the physical keys, cores and additional information can come in many forms, but the three most common we see are:

1) The customer purchases a key management software system. (We have a great recommendation if you are looking…) and manages it themselves
2) Kenton Brothers manages the key system through our software and we handle any change requests
3) The keying system is a factory-maintained system (which comes with its own advantages and disadvantages.)

Once the planning stages have been completed, you will move on to the next step of the process… waiting for parts.

The Waiting Game

Large Rekey ProjectsSo now that a master key system has been agreed upon, pricing approved, and materials are on order, what are the next steps? At this point, you will have chosen the path of how you will manage your key system; either internally or through a company such as Kenton Brothers. 80% of the effectiveness of the new keying system is in maintaining control of the keys!

One of the big things to prepare for is communication to the employees and staff who will be issued new keys. You will want to communicate that this is coming, when it’s happening, set up strict instructions on checking out keys, reporting lost keys and what to do if you find a key laying around.

From the start, it’s important that clear expectations are set because keys are such an integral part of your security plan. You will also be in weekly or bi-weekly contact with a Project Manager dedicated to your project for  planning, when the product will arrive, any last-minute questions, and any pre-install meetings before the installation begins.

The Install

The install itself will begin with a Project Manager (PM) introducing you to the technicians who will be working on the project. The PM makes sure that once on site, the techs have clear expectations of their daily goals, know the location of material being stored onsite (if applicable), and any other project related questions they might have. Then the work begins!

The PM is the point of contact for the project. They need to keep everyone up to date, share milestones that have been completed and work through punch list items as the project progresses. Once the project is complete, there will be a final walk through. When the project is deemed complete as compared to the scope of work, a warranty form should be completed and signed.

Once the project is finished, there will be several documents that need to be delivered by the PM for records. Those documents include the following: A fully completed warranty activation form, any maps/plans used during the project fully marked up to show how things were keyed or installed, keying records if requested, and any other documents deemed necessary for the project.

Recap

Large Rekey Projects can be stressful, take time and require a lot of planning. That said, the end result is worth it.

You now have complete key control over the building(s) that you oversee. You have taken a major step to protect the property, possessions, and people who work/live within the buildings, and you have a plan moving forward that is sustainable and mitigates liability.

If your organization is considering a rekey project and you don’t have a company you trust helping you, please give us a call. We’ve helped thousands of companies over the years with large rekey projects, allowing them to take back control of their security. Get back your peace of mind!

Key Control: Proper Ways of Securing Keys and Accountability

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By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

Key ControlIn several of my blog posts, I have spoken about Key Control, setting up Master Keys systems, accountability of managing keys, and more. What I want to introduce today are the different ways to actually secure and track keys within your facility… physically and through software.

The first topic is how to physically secure keys at your facility.

There are several options out there, including standard key cabinets. There are also intelligent key cabinets such as the one pictured below. Here at Kenton Brothers, we sell and support both options and both options have a place within physical key security.

The most obvious pro for a standard key cabinet is the price. Standard boxes will have a lock, but will always require a paper trail of who has the keys. (The typical procedure is a clipboard managed by someone.)  Typically, companies require another employee to always be there when someone else accesses the box.

Intelligent key cabinets are expensive, but they provide an audit trail. Intelligent key cabinets only allow users who have a card and/or a code to get into the box. This provides another layer of security for key control. This enforces the goal of users having access to the right keys. Reports can be generated to see who has keys that are missing or who used what keys and when.

Every facility has different needs and different requirements. Kenton Brothers will help you choose the best option for physical key security.

Key Control Cabinet

The second topic is securing keys through software.

At Kenton Brothers, we utilize and sell a software program called SimpleK.

SimpleK allows the person administering keys for your company to be as high level or as granular as they want with the information to be captured. When a key is handed out, you can capture information like the following:

  • Name of the person receiving the key
  • The code of the key
  • What doors the keys can open
  • If they are supposed to return the key by a certain date
  • What hardware is on a given door
  • What department the key belongs to

SimpleK captures that data and much more.

If an employee leaves, you have an account of what keys they have. If they don’t return the keys, you know exactly what doors are exposed and the potential threat. You can use the software to track one facility, or if your company has multiple buildings, you can track other sites as well. At any given time you know who has what keys, when they were issued, what doors they’re supposed to be able to open, and what doors they’re not supposed to have access to. This concept is part of a master key plan detailed in a past blog post I wrote called, “What is a ‘Master Key System’ and why should I care?”

SimpleK Key Control Software

Securing Keys in Your Facility

Securing keys in your facility is something that should be at the forefront of the security plan when handing out keys. As mentioned above, you can do this in many ways. You always want to know what keys have been handed out, who has them, and if any of them are missing. The options I’ve outlined will allow you to bring stronger security to your facility and let your employees know that you’re taking key security seriously. This directly impacts their safety!

Let Kenton Brothers, a company with 125 years of experience providing locksmith services, help you decide what type of key security is right for your facility. Give us a call!

Kenton Brothers Lockpicking Contest: Beat The Punisher and win $1,000!

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By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

The PunisherKenton Brothers has created a lockpicking challenge for 2022 called The Punisher!

Lockpicking goes back to when the very first lock was invented and at Kenton Brothers our locksmiths have been picking locks from the start to get our customers into their locked doors. So we decided to have a little fun and come up with a contest for anyone who wants to go through the gauntlet of lock picking that we call “The Punisher”.

The Rules

  • Have to pick a total of 15 locks in under 2 hours. Each lock on level 1 must be picked in 5 minutes or less. All locks on consecutive levels must be picked in under 10 minutes each. You can bank time if you pick a lock in under its required time… this time can be banked towards the next lock. If at any time you go over the time limit at any specific lock, your attempt is over.
  • Must use Kenton Brothers provided pick set.
  • Must be supervised and scheduled at the Kenton Brothers office located at 3401 E. Truman Rd Kansas City, MO 64127.
    Please call our main line at 816-842-3700 to provide name and contact info to schedule your attempt.
  • Must be done from 9am to 2pm Monday – Friday.
  • Each person is only allowed one (1) attempt.
  • Any person attempting can’t be a professional locksmith or a Kenton Brothers Employee.
  • The first person to successfully open all 15 locks under the contest time limit will be awarded $1,000.00.

We’ve been commercial locksmiths in the Kanas City community since 1897. And we are always looking for fun ways to engage with the community. This is a fun and friendly contest to show how hard it is to pick locks and provide a small insight to what Kenton Brothers does on a daily basis. Please give our office a shout today to schedule your time to give your best shot to The Punisher!