Long gone are the days when every home and business had a traditional lock and key. In today’s day and age, security is critical, which is why electronic locks have become more popular. Securing your business with an electronic entrance allows you to know exactly who is coming in and out of your office and when. 

Additionally, it allows you to simply deactivate someone’s permissions once they are no longer working for you, rather than having to worry about whether they gave their key back or somehow made a copy of it. Finally, it takes away the headache of having to replace lost keys. 

When it comes to electronic locks, there are a wide array of options. However, one of the most important things you need to look at before choosing an electronic lock is whether you should choose a fail-safe lock or a fail-secure lock. What are these? Both names begin with “fail” because the names are telling us what the lock does when the hardware fails, such as when the power goes out. The locks will either be in a “safe” or “secure” mode. 

Generally speaking, the reason for one being called “safe” and one being called “secure” is due to the state of the secure side, or key side, of the door. To avoid any confusion, let’s take a much more in-depth look at fail-safe vs. fail-secure locks. 

Fail-Safe Locks 

These locks are referred to as “safe” because they’re safe more so for the people, rather than the space. 

They are actually unlocked 

This may seem like a confusing statement, but let us explain. The default state for fail-safe locks is actually unlocked. In order for you to keep it locked during your normal business operations (or whenever you would like it to be locked), power will need to be applied. This means that if there is an interruption, fail, or outage in the power, the door will automatically unlock, letting people out of the building. As you can imagine, if there is a power outage and an evacuation is needed, this would be a good choice, as you wouldn’t have to worry about getting stuck in the building. 

What are fail-safe locks mostly used for? 

Because of its above-mentioned unlocked default features, fail-safe locks are mostly used for main entry points of a building. This would include doors leading to the lobby or doors opening to an office. 

Power consumption is higher 

Since fail-safe locks are automatically unlocked, in order for them to be locked, they require a constant source of power. This means that these locks use a higher amount of power than fail-secure locks. This can result in higher expenses. 

What is a common type of fail-safe lock? 

The most popular use of a fail-safe lock is in maglocks. These locks, by design, require power in order to operate. Maglocks also tend to work well with glass doors, which some offices may have. Additionally, electric strikes can be configured to be fail-safe, as well as electromechanical locks. 

Fail-Secure Locks 

These locks are referred to as “secure” rather than “safe” because the default state of the lock is to be locked, or secured. It has a bigger emphasis on protecting the building or the space, rather than the people. 

They are actually locked 

Whereas fail-safe locks become unlocked if there is a power outage, fail-secure locks remain locked. This may beg the question as to what happens in the midst of the emergency—obviously, you don’t want to be trapped inside a building and unable to evacuate. For this reason, most fail-secure locks are used in combination with a mechanical override option. This can be as simple as having a regular key that also works to lock or unlock the door. 

What are fail-secure locks mostly used for? 

Since fail-secure locks remain locked, these types of locks tend to be the most common choice when it comes to high-security situations or areas. They are mostly used for sensitive areas of a building, such as an IT room. Additionally, they are used for fire-related doors or doors leading to stairwells. This is because, in the event of a fire, the doors should remain closed. This will help protect other areas of the building from the flames and will help keep the fire from spreading. 

Power consumption is lower 

Since fail-secure locks default to being locked, they do not need power in order to remain locked. Because of this, you will be using less power on these doors. This, in turn, will decrease costs, as they are less expensive to operate. 

What is a common type of fail-secure locks? 

Electric strikes are one of the most popular types of fail-secure locks. However, as mentioned above, these can be configured to be fail-safe locks as well. This also applies to electromechanical locks. Consequently many people choose one of these two types of electric locks so they have the option of making them fail safe or fail secure. 

In the battle of fail-safe vs. fail-secure locks, there is no definitive answer as to which one is better. Both are great and serve their purposes well. It all depends on your building and what your specific needs are. In the grand scheme of things, fail-secure locks do tend to be the most popular type of lock out of the two. However, you should not make your decision solely based on that fact. Think long and hard about the building you are trying to secure and what its needs are. As well as the needs of the folks in the building. 

At Harry’s Locksmith we’re happy to chat more comprehensively with you about these specific needs and help you make your decision. Please give us a call any time so we can help you choose which works best for you—fail safe vs. fail secure.