What are Electric Door Strikes, and How Do They Keep Your Building Secure?

Determining who can enter a space and controlling access are central to a building’s security. One of the most common methods of controlling access to a building or space is the electric door strike. Electric door strikes are used frequently in lock hardware.

At Northwestern Glass Fab, we offer customized architectural aluminum products including electric door strikes. But what are electric door strikes, and how do they work to secure a building? This handy guide explains how they work.

An electric door strike allows someone to:

• Limit who accesses a space
• Limit the time of day someone enters a space
•  Provide individualized access
• Monitor who accesses a space

A Simple Solution for Security

An electric door strike is a type of electromagnetic locking mechanism and offers a simple solution for securing a space. They work well in any area that requires a high level of monitoring and can be used with almost any type of metal or wood door and control entry to a space by requiring the locked latch or bolt to be released.

How Electric Strikes Work

In a traditional strike, the standard strike consists of a metal plate with a hole. An electric strike replaces that traditional metal plate with an energized one with a piece of metal that hinges open to allow entrance when activated. Electric strikes are always locked from the outside. They can also be installed with automatic doors to meet ADA compliance.

An electric strike lock can be used with:

• A key card
• An electronic access key
• A keypad

A Simple Security Solution

Electric strikes are necessary with entry buzzers and alarm systems. They provide economical alternatives to security guards and other more expensive security options. They also work well in combination with traditional security systems to offer added security. An added benefit is the ability to control traffic. When combined with an electric buzzer, an electric strike allows a facility to control the pace of entry of occupants.

Fail-Secure and Fail-Safe Strikes

Electric strikes are available in fail-secure and fail-safe configurations. They can also be made to switch from fail-secure to fail-safe and then back again. Fail-safe strikes can only lock the door using power, which means if the power goes out, the door remains unlocked.

Fail-secure strikes, on the other hand, require power to lock the door. This means that they will not allow a building’s occupants to exit the building in the event of a power outage. The type of electric strike a building uses depends on the building’s needs.

Architectural Aluminum Specialists

At Northwestern Glass Fab, we provide specialty architectural aluminum for all kinds of storefronts and doors. Our electric strikes are always in stock and offer solutions for your access control needs. We also offer custom glass fabrication. If you’re in need of customized aluminum, give us a call. To order electric strikes for your customers, contact 763-762-1750, or you can message us at sales@bringlass.com.