What is a master key and how can I get one?

A mater key's usefulness resides in its ability to open multiple locks without the need to carry a huge set of keys, which can be very practical for building superintendents or for anybody who needs to have access to several different secured rooms to perform their work.

In appearance, a master key is no different from an ordinary key. The specificity is actually in the lock. A conventional latch, like the one found on your home’s door, is associated with a unique key. It’s unlocked by activating a simple mechanism when the correct key is inserted.

• However, a lock associated with a master key has two distinct mechanisms inside: one that unlocks with the unique key and another that opens with the master key.
• This keeps your neighbour from being able to open the door to your apartment, while the landlord can access both your apartment and your neighbour’s by using a single key.

Any building owner can contact a locksmith for a master key. However, you should know that since it’s the lock that’s different, and not the key, installing a master key system is likely to involve changing all the locks in the building. Moreover, a master key can facilitate the work of many people, such as:

• Security guards
• Maintenance workers
• People in charge of public lockers in shopping centres or bus terminals
• Apartment building owners
• Attendants in seniors’ homes

If you own an office building, you may want certain people to have access to every room in the building, while you limit access for everybody else. In that case you can use locks with triple or even quadruple mechanisms. This allows some master keys to open several doors, but not necessarily every door, depending on your needs.

• This can be very practical when you have rooms that contain sensitive information that only a few people are allowed to access. It is therefore possible to have several master keys distributed according to the access levels of the users.

Owning a master key may be more useful than you thought. A locksmith can help you learn more about the costs and benefits of implementing such a system.