Smart Lock: A smart lock is a door lock which can be operated from your phone via an app. You can lock and unlock the door with a single button press, whether you’re at home, at work, or on vacation. You’ll never have to worry about leaving the door open again, and you’ll be able to allow in a family member and roommate who has forgotten their key no matter where you are, thanks to these devices.
Smart Lock: Speech assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant can usually control these locks with voice requests. The Wyze Lock ($108), Yale Assure Lock ($230), and Schlage Connect ($169) are three popular, high-quality smart locks.
What Are Smart Locks And How Do They Work?
Smart Lock: Smart locks can be used to replace or supplement your existing deadbolt lock. They’re simple to set up. The August WIFI Intelligent Lock ($250), which attaches to your present deadbolt, is ideal for anyone who isn’t proficient with tools. The add-on smart lock takes around 10 minutes to install, while the smart locks which replace your deadbolt take about 20 to 30 minutes.
Smart Lock: To make the process easier, every smart lock usually comes with step-by-step installation instructions and instructive videos in its app. A screwdriver is usually all that is required for installation. If your door does not have a deadbolt lock, you may have to pay someone to drill hole in it to fit your new lock.
Smart Lock: You link the smart locks to the app utilizing Bluetooth and your home’s WIFI once it’s been installed. After that, you may use your phone to lock and unlock the door, as well as operate any other smart lock functions using the app. Smart locks can make leaving & entering your home much more convenient, but there are some things to consider before installing one on your own door.
Use High-Quality Batteries.
Smart Lock: Smart locks are powered by batteries. Those batteries power a variety of devices, including wireless processors, LED lights, and, most crucially, the door-locking and unlocking motor. The motors in your smart locks use a large amount of electricity from the batteries to extend and retract the deadbolt when you activate it. As a result, the condition of the battery you use can influence how often you need to replace them. One smart lock user claims that Energizer Industrial batteries last longer than other manufacturers, and that he gets more electricity out of them. It’s possible that you’ll have to experiment with different batteries to determine which one works best for your smart locks. Of course, if you don’t lock and unlock your door frequently, battery quality isn’t as critical, and many customers have claimed success with even the cheapest batteries.
Check To See If Your Door Closes Properly
Smart Lock: Many doors, particularly in older homes, are slightly misaligned and hence do not close correctly. To put it another way, if you have to push on your door to lock it, you’ll need to fix that before putting in a smart lock. If you want to lock and unlock your door remotely, the deadbolt needs to be able to stretch and retract easily without getting snagged on anything. Otherwise, the smart locks will become stuck and stop working. A misaligned door can be caused by a variety of issues, so either pay a professional to fix it or call that handy buddy of yours to help you figure it out.
Thumbturn Plates On Smart Locks Are Enormous.
Smart Lock: The thumbturn on a standard lock doesn’t take up much more room than it wants to, making it unobtrusive & low-key overall. The inside thumbturn mechanism of a smart lock, on the other hand, is enormous in comparison to a standard lock, thanks to all of the electronics packed into it. Most of the time, this isn’t a problem, but if your door has any form of trim or decoration that comes closer to the lock, a smart lock might not fit properly, & at all. As a result, make sure there’s enough space surrounding your door locks, particularly above them, for a smart lock to fit without difficulty.
Purchase The Same Lock That Your Home Now Has.
Smart Lock: Kwikset & Schlage two of the most popular lock brands) employ different styles of pins within the lock cylinder, that means that if you want to utilise the same key on all of your locks, they must all be created by the same company: Kwikset or Schlage. If you want to utilise the same keys for all of your locks, make sure the smart lock you buy is the same brand as other locks in your house. You’ll be carrying two keys if you don’t. (Alternatively, if you’re changing all of your locks, you may choose any brand you want; you’ll simply need a new key.)
You Can Keep Your Traditional Deadbolt If You Want To.
Smart Lock: If you desire the comfort of a smart lock but want to preserve your current deadbolt, you can purchase a smart lock “conversion kit” that converts your old deadbolt into a smart lock. Interior mechanisms that are fitted over your current thumbturn, such as the August smart lock and Kwikset’s Convert smart lock, give it magical smart features without entirely changing the lock.
Smart Lock: There could be a variety of reasons for this, including the desire to maintain your current home keys or the desire to keep the outside of your door clean & devoid of fancy keypads & LED lights. Because of these factors, conversion kits are quite common.
First, Check With Your Landlord
Smart Lock: Changing your lock is against your rental contract, & perhaps the law, if you’re renting your space. As a result, it’s a good idea to inquire with your landlord about whether or not you can put a smart lock. If you’re renting from a personal, individual landlord, they’re usually a little more lenient, but they may still want to learn your keycode and have a duplicate of the new key to the locks itself, as most landlords need to maintain their right of entrance.