Soaking in the sunshine and beautiful warm weather in South Florida is the dream. Don’t let something like a break-in or forgetting to lock the door ruin your day when you can have smart door locks. Technology has made life a thousand times more convenient and with consistent break-ins in South Florida, they can ease your mind from anywhere.
Smart locks have become so popular and they are an easy change-up from the old key and knob locks we have today. Imagine just punching in a few combinations or even letting your son in from school from your phone. It’s that simple when you have a trusted provider install them.
What Are Smart Door Locks?
Smart door locks are door locks except they can be opened with a passcode or right from your phone rather than a key entry. They can come in a variety of styles and functions where they are simple as just the passcode or more complex and work with security cameras. They also don’t just have to be a passcode. For those who like old-fashioned keys, some offer both a key turn and the passcode if it malfunctions or you want to double lock your home.
Smart door locks provide convenience and safety to you and everyone in your family. They come in a wide variety of prices and security measures which is why it also is a great solution for all, not just particular houses or businesses.
How Do Smart Door Locks Work?
Smart door locks are luckily not complicated. Some more than others but for the most part smart door locks just require the person trying to enter the home to have the passcode so they can enter it on the keypad;
After the person enters the correct combination to get into the home the door will automatically unlock and open the door. But smart door locks can work beyond that as well. You can control different sets of passwords from your phone for different people at different times of the week. This can allow workers or neighbors into your home when you aren’t there.
They can also be paired up with other security devices in the home like a camera. So if someone tries to enter the code, the surveillance camera at that location will turn on and notify you. Handy right?
Benefits of Smart Door Locks
Alluding to some of the benefits above, let’s dive into them. There are so many positives that it can be hard to even think of some of the drawbacks when it comes to smart door locks. Convenience. Budget. Security. These are just to name a few!
Convenience
Being able to unlock and lock the house from your phone via Bluetooth is the ultimate convenience. If you need to let someone in at the last minute or you forgot to lock the door, don’t worry. It just requires one touch of a button from your phone.
If you are too busy to remember on the spot that’s okay too. For instance, if your kids get home from school every day at 3:00 PM but you don’t trust them with keys, you can set the doors to unlock at 3:00 PM every day or just certain days of the week if they play sports or do any other afternoon activity.
Money
It may be an initial investment but after that, you could be saving yourself some money as well. Changing the locks on the doors or making keys aren’t always cheap. This cuts that out of the equation. The installment and the actual piece of equipment can take on a vast range of prices. That’s something that you can talk about with your trusted team at Circle Security Solutions.
Security
The best feature of these smart door locks is security. If you set easy passwords naturally you are setting yourself up for trouble. But having said that you can always change the passcodes and better yet you can pair them up with a whole security system in your home.
When paired with alarms and surveillance cameras you guarantee the ultimate safety to your home and decrease break-ins from as much as 300%.
Having a traditional key can be disruptive and efficient but understandably they also are reliable. That’s why you can pair both the key and the smart door lock system together. You would leave the key knob unlocked for short trips and when you are expecting someone. But you can double lock the system when you are going away and know that no one will be coming over.
Types of Smart Door Locks
There are so many different styles of smart door locks to choose from. Some can require you to just enter a pin while others use biometric features to establish if it is the right person who is trying to enter. Some run on Bluetooth while others work on the home WIFI.
Each style offers something different. Here are the main categories that you as a homeowner can choose from.
- Keypad and Combination
- Z-Wave Smart Door Locks
- Key Fob or Biometric
Keypad and Combination Smart Locks
While most of these locks will contain a keypad or what is referred to as a combination pad they can be set up in two different ways. They can run off the home WIFI or runoff of Bluetooth connection and data. The overall category of combination and keypad locks are smart door locks that are attached to the bolt of your door.
When someone enters the right combination of numbers or letters, the door unlocks. Sometimes the lock will be placed on the side of the door and can open to offer a key to enter a traditional lock door. This is a little less common these days because of the two ways you can control the deadbolt.
Z-Wave Smart Door Locks Connected to Home Security
Instead of relying on Bluetooth or WIFI to connect to your phone, Z-Wave smart door locks connect to your phone through the smart hub compatible system. These locks send what is referred to as a Z-wave signal to your router allowing you to lock your house from anywhere at any time by your smart device.
You also can set unique codes just like other smart locks for people coming and going when you are not there. More importantly with safety, you’ll be alerted when the door is locked or unlocked that way you can keep tabs on things from work or when you are away.
This keyless option is one of the safest and most reliable on the market.
Key Fob or Biometric Smart Locks
The other type of smart home locks you can install are biometric and fob locks. Fob locks are when you have a little circle plastic device that can be matched up with the door for entry. These are less secure than both passcode and traditional locks because if you lose them anyone can use the fob to enter.
These locks are typically used for apartments to enter the main gateway or the pool area. Biometric smart locks on the other hand are something we are more familiar with today thanks to Apple. This is face recognition, fingerprint control access, and more.
This is more common with businesses that need security as it can get quite expensive to have something like this for a home. Having said that, it’s not unheard of.
Best Smart Door Locks
There are so many options to choose from when it comes to selecting your smart door lock. Here are some of the biggest retailers and leaders in the game offering high-quality products that can be easily installed by a trained and professional security company like Circle Security Solutions.
Schlage Encode
This reliable z-wave compatible smart door lock can allow for up to 30 unique codes at a time making it one of the easiest accessible door locks on the market. The easy install is as simple as a screw-in and with a fingerprint-resistant touch screen, putting in a pin number will be just as easy.
- Easy Install
- Hands-free voice assistant
- Notifications when someone enters or leaves
- Z-Wave compatible
Yale Assure Lock with Z-Wave
This 100 percent tamper-proof option is a keyless z-wave with a beautiful backlit touch screen for easy entry. Something great about this Z-wave compatible lock is the 9V batteries to prevent lockout when your batteries die. If you need to check how they are doing you can always ask Alexa.
- Easy Install with standard doors
- Alexa capabilities
- Auto relock
- 9v battery to assist with lockout
August Smart Lock Pro
The August Smart Lock Pro comes in a sleek design and connects right to your hub and Alexa for everything you need. With a 24/7 activity feed you will always know who is coming n and out of your home with this z-wave lock. This is an easy attachment to your current setup making it one of the easiest installs on the market.
- Easy Installation and Integration
- Locks when behind you and unlocks when approaching
- Amazon Alexa compatibility
- Works with biometric security add-ons
Smart Door Locks FAQs
There are still some things to be sorted out with smart home locks. The details and most frequently asked questions are important to understand. Anything that may have been missed or needs further clarification can always be done with an experienced representative from a professional service company like Circle Security Solutions.
How Do Smart Door Locks Work With Power Outages?
Smart home locks that are connected through the WIFI will ultimately have to function on battery because without the power they won’t work. Bluetooth on the other hand will continue running regardless of power which is why it is often a winner to most.
However, many companies are aware of this and include backup batteries that can last for long periods until the power gets up and running.
Do Smart Door Locks Get Discounts with Insurance Companies?
Each insurance company offers different policies, discounts, and rates when it comes to home security. Normally, if you are upgrading the security of your home an insurance company will offer things such as lowering your premium or helping with the installation costs.
The catch here is that smart home door locks are very common and may require you to purchase a home security package in order for insurance to consider it to be necessary. This is something that your security provider and an insurance company can work together on.
How Do I Know Which Lock is Right For Me?
While you can go over this with a professional that has been servicing home for many years you can also go through a checklist of priorities and needs for yourself.
- Do I have smart home devices like Apple, Amazon, or Google, that I want this device to be able to work with?
- What is my budget and what security measures do I need to fit in with that budget?
- Am I fine with using something a little more tech or does the lock need to be very standard and straightforward? I.E. How integrated do I want it to be with my iPhone or Smart Devices?
Circle Security Solutions Product Showcase
Circle Security Solutions partners with Alarm.com to offer you the best quality products for the best rates. More importantly, we work with clients to ensure easy installation and provide assistance after as well. Getting started with what we have to offer with technology and security can be scary but with the right professionals, we make it easy to make sure your needs are met!
Please be sure to check out our current offers and our product showcase to get started.
Conclusion
Smart home door locks are a win for everyone. You can choose what level of security you need from basic locking the door to activating surveillance cameras. Smart home locks are the way of the future and can be daunting for anyone who likes a traditional key lock. That’s why many on the market still offer you the combination of a keypad and key turn entry if you want.
When you call us at Circle Security Solution we will find you your perfect match. With abilities to pair with Google, Alexa, and HomeKit, selecting a smart home lock that integrates perfectly in your home is no issue!
