Traditional locks have been used for centuries and many peoples and homeowners keep using traditional locks on their locks. With the development of the locking industry, electric rim locks for doors are becoming more and more popular in the world as people are gradually trending to fulfill their home automation or smart home system. When considering choosing electric rim locks for doors or a traditional lock, what are the factors that affect your decision? The cost, the appearance, the functions, or the security? Many people will take the cost as an important factor, so you may ask what is the cost difference between electric rim locks for doors and traditional locks?    

Evidently, the material and the brand are two factors that come into our mind that makes the cost difference, but the demand and the purpose of the locks are also key factors to compare the cost. Thus, to start the cost comparison between electric rim locks for kinds of doors and traditional locks, we need to know how electric rim locks for doors and traditional locks work. What are their differences? Why do these differences affect these two locks’ costs?

How do electric rim locks for doors work

Electric rim locks for doors are a kind of rim lock, but it has the function of “electric” working, we could say that electric rim locks are an improvement of traditional locks. From the appearances of electric rim locks for doors and traditional rim locks, they look alike, especially since the electric rim locks have physical keys for entry and exit, which is the same as traditional rim locks. Besides, the locking mechanism of electric rim locks for doors is similar to traditional locks, both are operated by mechanical parts to lock and unlock. But the key difference between electric rim locks and traditional locks is that electric rim locks have coils inside the lock body, which allows you to connect electric rim locks to power supplies. Moreover, they also can be connected to other electric devices like doorbells, video door phones, intercoms, and access control keypads in your home security systems.   

How does traditional lock work

Traditional locks usually mean mechanical locks, for example, rim locks, knob locks, deadbolt locks, lever handle locks., etc. These locks are often used a physical key to open the lock, when the key inserted into the keyhole, it will line up with the pins that are inside of the cylinders, turn the key then it unlocks the mechanical locks. Besides the key, some traditional locks either have a knob or a handle, so that manual opening without a key is available. Compared with electric rim locks, it is very obvious that traditional locks are nothing related to electricity, and cannot be further used in any home security systems.

Main Differences between electric rim locks vs. traditional locks

From the above mentions, we conclude below the main differences between electric rim locks for doors vs. traditional locks.

1. Electric rim locks for doors need electricity or a power supply on the condition of being used in access control systems or home security systems, while traditional locks don’t request any electricity or power supply, all are operated manually.

2. Electric rim locks for doors can be locked and unlocked remotely due to their integration with electric devices. Still, traditional locks must be locked and unlocked by a physical key, which is not as convenient as electric rim locks for doors.

3. Electric rim locks for doors are compatible with electric devices, for example, integrate with video door phones, intercoms, doorbells, access control keypads, and exit buttons, which provide more security to your home and properties, while traditional locks cannot.

Cost Comparison: electric rim locks for doors vs. traditional locks

Now we are clear that the functions and purposes of electric rim locks for many doors and traditional locks are far different. The below cost comparison is easier to understand.

(1)Initial cost: The electric rim locks for doors cost is normally higher than traditional locks, because it has extra coils which increase their raw material cost, besides, the cost of production is also higher as it has more production process and requests professional test on the “electrical” parts to ensure the locks work well. What’s more, the electric rim lock provides more possibility to integrate with other smart home devices to improve your home security, which makes it values much more than traditional locks.

(2)Cost of installation: The installation of traditional locks is usually easy, just screw or weld the lock to the door correctly and then finish the installation, most people can DIY at their home. While electric rim locks for doors are different because they will be integrated with other electric devices and the power supply, you need to use the correct cables according to the distance of installation and be familiar with the wiring connections, so to ensure all these devices are well connected to work. If you are not familiar with these, you are requested to call for a professional locksmith to install them, thus the installation cost will be higher than traditional locks.

(3)Long-term cost: Since the locking and unlocking of traditional locks are done by physical keys, the keys are important. If your family members lose keys frequently, or you change the locks for new tenants occasionally, you will change to a new lock to ensure no one will violate your property. Although the initial cost of a lock may be small, the overall cost of keeping changing locks makes a great deal. For electric rim locks, the physical key is not the only way to lock and unlock, if the lock is connected to a keypad, you can use a password on the keypad to open the lock, just forbid the keyhole to use, then no need to change a new lock.

(4)Cost and security: Every kind of lock has a low price and a high price, even traditional locks, it has Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3, and the security range is Grade 1 >Grade 2>Grade 3, which definitely are different in price. The electric rim locks for doors have the same situation, the prices vary a lot according to different configurations. Though the cost of traditional locks and electric rim locks for doors are much different, it doesn’t mean that high-cost lock is more secure. If your budget is enough, you can choose electric rim locks for doors, by connecting with the door phone and intercom, you visually know who is asking for access to your home, and somehow it provides more security for you. But if your budget is only enough for traditional locks, you can choose Grade 1 rather than Grade 3, Grade 1 traditional locks are more secure mechanically.   

According to the cost comparison of electric rim locks for doors and traditional locks, you may have an idea about the demand and the purpose of the lock you want. No matter electric rim locks for modern doors or traditional locks, it is more important to choose a suitable lock to meet your request. Toplock is a professional electric rim locks manufacturer, the locks are widely exported to South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, mainly used in the locking industry and access control industry, if you have interesting to start with electric rim locks, please contact Toplock for more details.