A rolling shutter is only as strong as the lock at its bottom edge. The steel slats can take a beating, the guide channels are bolted into the wall, and yet a large number of shop break-ins start with the same quiet move, a cut or forced padlock at ground level, usually at night, usually in under a minute.
If you own or manage a shop, the shutter lock is the cheapest part of your security and arguably the most important. Here is what to look for.
Why shutter locks fail
Shutter locks live a hard life. They sit close to the ground, so they collect dust, rainwater and road grime. They are opened and closed at least twice a day, often in a hurry. And they are in plain view, so anyone walking past can study them.
The common failures follow from that. Shackles get cut because they are exposed and long. Cheap bodies rust from the inside and the mechanism jams. Keys wear down because the lock is stiff, and the owner eventually forces it. Choosing the right lock solves most of these problems before they begin.
Disc locks, a strong fit for shutters
A disc lock has a round body with a short, curved shackle that is mostly hidden inside the body when locked. That shape is the point. A bolt cutter needs a length of exposed shackle to bite on, and a disc lock offers very little. The rounded body also gives a hammer or crowbar nothing flat to strike.
For a rolling shutter with a standard locking bracket, a heavy duty disc lock is one of the most sensible choices available. Check that the shackle fits your bracket before buying, since the curved shackle needs room to pass through.
Heavy duty padlocks for wide shutters
Wide shop fronts often use two locks, one at each end, and some brackets are designed for a straight shackle. In that case a heavy duty padlock with a short or shrouded shackle works well. Look for a stainless steel body and a hardened shackle, and choose the shortest shackle that fits the bracket. Every extra centimetre of exposed steel is an invitation.
If you lock two points, consider locks keyed alike, so your staff carry one key instead of two. It sounds minor until someone loses the second key at closing time.
Weather and the ground-level problem
Water is the slow enemy of a shutter lock. A lock that sits in a puddle through the monsoon will corrode unless it is made for it. Stainless steel bodies and jointless construction resist moisture far better than plated mild steel with seams. A drop of light oil in the keyhole every few months, and a quick wipe after heavy rain, will add years to any lock.
Some shop owners fit a small cover or hood over the lock bracket. It keeps rain off and also hides the lock from casual view, which helps on both counts.
Daily habits that matter as much as the lock
Lock the shutter fully down so the bracket holes line up without force. Never leave the key in the lock while pulling the shutter. Replace a lock the moment the key turns stiffly, because a stiff lock is either worn or contaminated and will fail at the worst time. And keep the spare key somewhere other than the shop.
One lock or two
A narrow shutter on a small kiosk can manage with a single good lock at the centre bracket. Anything wider, roughly the width of a standard shop front or more, benefits from two locks, one near each end. The reason is simple. With only one central lock, a determined person can sometimes lift a corner of the shutter enough to slide goods out or reach inside, without touching the lock at all.
Two locks also give you redundancy. If one key is lost or one lock jams on a busy morning, the shop is not stuck shut or left open. Many shop owners choose two locks that open with the same key, which keeps the morning routine quick while doubling the protection.
For very wide shutters, or for showrooms with valuable stock, some owners add a third lock or a floor-mounted locking bracket in the middle. It is a small extra cost compared with the value sitting behind the shutter, and it makes forcing the shutter far more time-consuming. Time is the thing most burglars are short of.
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Talk to the Lockset team
Lockset makes disc locks, heavy duty stainless steel padlocks and jointless locks suited to shop shutters, warehouses and commercial doors. To find the right lock for your shutter or to request commercial pricing for multiple outlets, call the Lockset team on 8439949652 or email sales@lockset.in.