What is a Controlled Access Apartment Building?

Both existing and new residents are looking for apartment building access control systems in the multi-unit buildings in which they live or want to live. Security is a top concern of urban residents. If you’re a building owner who cannot afford to hire a security person to let in residents and their guests but keep out people who have no business in the building, you may consider looking at apartment building door entry systems as a cost-effective way to keep your residents safe.

What is a controlled-access apartment building? Simply put, it is a residential building that requires the use of a code or key fob to gain entrance. In other words, you must know the code or swipe the key fob in order for the door to open and allow you admittance. Or someone already inside must physically open the door.

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How Do Apartment Building Access Control Systems Work?

Usually, there is a small entryway in which the visitor or resident can contact the person they are visiting or if they are a resident, can locate their electronic key fob before swiping it to gain entrance.

All entrances to the building are kept locked. Garage doors are secured with an electronic entry. Rear doors may only be accessible with a physical key, although some have electronic key fob readers.  Back doors also have entryways and keypads on which to contact residents for admittance, as well as a key fob reader.

Controlled access basically means that no one gets in without credentials. Even if the building also employs a concierge to sit at a front reception desk, many buildings do not allow them to “buzz” in an unknown person. Controlled access means that nobody gets in unless they are a resident or have permission from a resident.

Some apartment building entry systems work using the cell phone of the resident. The visitor scrolls through the directory on the admittance keypad and finds the name and/or apartment number of the person they are visiting. In some systems, they use a touch screen to activate the call and in others, the visitor presses a “call” button.

When the resident answers, they press a pre-determined number on their cell phone that disengages the electronic lock on the entrance door. They can also choose to talk to the person standing in the entryway via intercom.

Some models even have a camera so the resident can see who exactly is requesting to be let into the building. Whatever the case, the visitor must be identified by the resident before being granted access to the building.

Benefits of Installing an Access Control System for Apartment Buildings

The benefits of having an access control system for an apartment building are both tangible and intangible.

The tangible benefits are obvious; unwanted visitors or people who have no business in the building will never get in. Residents will not have to go to the expense of installing their own security systems in their individual apartments.

Unfortunately, we live in a world filled with people who have nefarious and impure motives. This type of security system will keep them out of the building. You can expect little to no vandalism or other property crimes.

The intangible benefits are also obvious; your residents will feel safe. Even in neighborhoods with little to no crime, people still lock their doors. Why? Not because they actually believe that someone will enter their house without their knowledge. People just want to feel safe. They want to rest easy watching their favorite television shows. They want to know that their children are safe from harm and will still be tucked into their beds come morning.

An apartment building with access control systems will provide all of this for your residents. It will attract more prospects and keep the residents who already live there from moving to a “safer” building that does offer them this electronic security. They seek peace of mind and the sense of safety that goes along with controlled access.

Contact Silent Guardian Security for Access Control Solutions

If you’re an apartment building owner or manager, please feel free to contact Silent Guardian Security for a no-obligation appointment to talk about your access control needs. We can provide solutions for every budget and nearly every entryway configuration.