Security Upgrades in Edmonton

Most break-ins are not skilled work. Someone tries a door, finds a gap or a weak point, applies a pry bar, and is inside in under a minute. The doors that don't get opened are usually the ones where there was nothing to get a bar into.

That's what security hardware does. It removes the purchase point. Ace Locksmith Services supplies and installs forced-entry protection for commercial and residential properties across Edmonton — apartment lobbies, retail storefronts, office entrances, warehouses, and private homes.

Double doors look impressive — but without the right hardware, they're one of the easiest entry points for a forced break-in. Astragals and interlockers are the solution, and they're one of the most overlooked security upgrades for commercial and residential properties.

Ace Locksmith Services supplies and installs astragals and interlockers for all types of double door applications — from apartment building lobbies to retail storefronts, office entrances, and private homes.

The deterrent works

This is the part people underestimate. Someone assessing a door makes a judgment in a few seconds: is there a gap, does the frame look solid, is the latch exposed. A door with a heavy astragal or an interlocker reads as a door that isn't going to open quietly, and most attempts end there — at the looking stage, before anything is touched.

That matters for a property manager because the cheapest break-in is the one that doesn't happen. There's no damaged frame to repair, no incident report, no tenant who no longer feels safe in the building.

Double doors are the weak point

A pair of doors meeting in the middle has a seam running the full height of the opening. That seam is the easiest target on most buildings. A bar goes into the gap, the two leaves spread apart, and the latch slips past the strike without anything breaking.

Astragals

An astragal is a vertical strip of aluminum or steel mounted to the edge of a door, closing the gap where two leaves meet. With the gap covered there's nowhere to insert a bar, and the seam stops being a target. It also stops the light and air leakage you get through an uncovered gap, which is worth something in an Edmonton winter.

There are two types:

• T-astragals mount to one leaf and overlap the other when the doors close

• Split astragals mount to both leaves and meet in the middle

Which one suits your doors depends on how they're hung and how they're used. We'll tell you on site.

Single doors: the frame is usually the failure

On a single door, forced entry rarely defeats the lock. It defeats the frame. A kick splits the jamb around the strike and the deadbolt comes through with the wood still attached to it. The lock did its job and the building still got opened.

Reinforcing the strike side is inexpensive relative to what it prevents — a heavier strike plate anchored with long screws that reach the structural framing behind the jamb, rather than the short screws most doors ship with.

An exposed latch on an out swinging door can be reached with a pry bar or a shim, and a latch guard covers it.

When to look at your doors:

• You can see daylight or feel a draft between a pair of closed doors

• The gap between your double doors can be reached from outside the building

• Your doors are in retail, a pharmacy, or anywhere holding stock

• You've had a break-in, or an attempt, anywhere on the property

• Your insurance provider has flagged the doors as a risk

• The building is older and the frames have never been touched

For context, a forced entry through a double door usually means a damaged frame, damaged hardware, and a door that has to be secured before the building can be left. The hardware that prevents it costs less than the repair.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between an astragal and an interlocker? An astragal covers the gap between two doors so a bar can't get in. An interlocker physically joins the two leaves together when they close, so they can't be spread apart. The interlocker is the stronger of the two.

Can these be added to doors we already have? In most cases, yes. We assess the doors, the frames, and how the doors are used, and recommend a product and mounting method that suits them.

Will it change how the doors open and close? Installed correctly, no. Poorly fitted hardware causes binding, so the fit matters more than the product. We check operation before we leave.

Do we need this if we already have good locks? A good lock resists picking and drilling. Forced entry doesn't bother with either — it works on the gap between doors or the frame beside the lock. They're separate problems with separate solutions.

Are astragals required by code? On some commercial applications, yes. We can advise on what's typical for your building type, and recommend confirming with your authority having jurisdiction on anything code-related.

Is this something we can do gradually? Yes, and most buildings should. Start with the exterior doors that face away from the street or a camera. Those get attacked first.

Call Ace Locksmith at (780) 999-0456 or contact us online about securing your doors.