Commercial door hardware fails gradually, then all at once — usually at 6am on a Monday, before anyone's around to deal with it. Property managers who catch these five signs early save themselves an emergency call later.
1. The door doesn't latch on the first try
If staff have started saying "you have to pull it hard" or "give it a second push," the strike plate has likely drifted out of alignment — common as buildings settle or after heavy seasonal use. Left alone, the deadbolt eventually stops seating at all, which means the door isn't actually locking even when someone turns the key.
2. The closer is slamming or not closing at all
A door closer that slams is losing its hydraulic damping; one that swings open and stays open has failed completely. Beyond the noise and liability of a slamming fire door, a closer that doesn't fully close a door defeats any access control on it.
3. Keys are getting harder to turn
A cylinder that needs jiggling or extra force is wearing out internally — often from years of the same master key being used dozens of times a day. This is also the point where a broken key stuck in the cylinder becomes a real risk, not a hypothetical one.
4. You've had staff turnover and haven't rekeyed
Every former employee who didn't return a key is a standing access risk. For offices and retail spaces, a rekey after any departure — especially one that wasn't on good terms — is cheap insurance compared to the alternative.
5. Exit hardware doesn't push open smoothly
Panic bars and exit devices are life-safety hardware, not just a lock. If a push bar sticks, doesn't fully retract the latch, or requires more force than it should, that's a code and liability issue, not just an inconvenience.
What to do about it
None of these require an emergency call if caught early — they're standard maintenance items. A locksmith who works with property managers regularly can usually bundle a walkthrough of several units or floors into one visit, which is a lot cheaper than five separate emergency calls spread across a year.