There’s a new kind of lock on the horizon, an e-lock, if you will, a blue-tooth enabled lock that comes with an app that will allow you to do all sorts of neat internet-age things. You’ll be able to register who is using the lock and when, or give the code out to say a babysitter that can only be used between a certain number of hours.
Some of these whiz-bang locks, like the Lockitron, are merely devices that sit on top of your existing inside door lever and electronically pushes that lever up and down. The August smart lock is fitted into the rear of your lock assembly. The Goji replaces the entire lock.
Sounds pretty cool, right? We think so.
Just one slight hiccup – if you live in an apartment, you may be asked to remove them.
Or you may not. As it stands, things are a bit up in the air.
Fire exit doors and fire exit door locks have some very specific regulations. 99% of the time the people residing in the apartment building, or that have a business in an appropriately business-oriented building, are concerned about the security their fire exit door locks provide.
It’s because of that other 1% of the time that the regulations exist. Such doors must be easily opened by anyone attempting to escape a fire, or other calamitous event. That generally means no single-owner key locks, or difficult bolt systems.
Speaking of which, East Sydney Locksmiths have over 25 years’ experience in installing the proper fire exit door locks – knob set, lever set, or mortice deadlocks, including the ever-popular Lockwood 001s.
Well no big deal, you say. You weren’t about to go round changing all the locks in your building, you just wanted to change your own.
But here’s the thing – according to building regulations your apartment’s front door is considered a fire door. For a lock to be considered a worthy fire exit door lock, it has to undergo rigorous testing by both private and government authorities.
Furthermore, they can’t be found to weaken the fire integrity of the door as a whole.
And the new locks, which are arriving new to the Australian market as we speak, have not been through those tests.
So if you do install such an untested lock, we’re afraid a fire inspector may have to ask you to remove it.
Or they may not. Here’s the hiccup to the hiccup – there are exceptions to the regulations. In some cases even bolt-type locks can be applied to apartment front doors, as long as that fire-resisting integrity doesn’t become affected.
It’s really all a bit muddy at the moment.
Lucky for you, there’s someone who is ready, willing, and always eager to keep up with the latest on fire exit door locks. So if you’re an apartment dweller, business owner, or building manager, give East Sydney Locksmiths a call and we’ll have all the latest rules, regulations, and the locks you need to keep your doors both fire safe and secure!
