What You Should Know Before Installing Electric Door Locks
Many people may find searching for their house keys highly frustrating, especially if they’re rushing to get into their homes. Electric door locks are a great option if you’re tired of physical keys. You can unlock electric door locks using an app, a keypad, or even just by standing near the door.
However, even though these locks are convenient, you should be mindful of a few things before installing one on your door. In this article, we’ll discuss some important factors you must consider when installing an electric door lock.
Things to Consider When Installing an Electric Door Lock
Keyless electric locks have gained a lot of popularity recently as a more secure alternative to conventional door locks. If you choose the smart option, you can grant access to people even if you’re not at home, and you can lock your door remotely (hey, we all forget to lock our doors at times).
However, upgrading your locks is not as easy as some smart lock companies might make it seem. The feature sets differ quite a bit, and the setup of an electric lock can be complicated. Additionally, the majority of these systems run over $200 or more. Therefore, before heading out to buy and install an electric lock, pay attention to the factors mentioned below:
Inspect your Deadbolt Properly
One feature that all smart locks have is the ability to rotate the deadbolt automatically. Therefore, you must ensure your door is ready for such a mechanism. First, try to lock and unlock the door. If you have to exert pressure on the door for the bolt to turn smoothly, it will be a problem because you will not be there to do this when your smart lock turns the bolt automatically. This means the door might not open as smoothly as it should.
Another potential issue is if the bolt does not extend entirely into the door jamb. This is a problem because your electric lock will always attempt to extend the bolt fully. You risk damaging your door over time or possibly burning out the motor if the door jamb isn’t deep enough. Before installing an electric lock, you will need to have your door prepped so the jamb is deep enough to fit the entire bolt.
Both issues can be resolved with hard work, the appropriate equipment, and hiring a professional to carry out the task for you. A misaligned door may only require some screws in the hinge to set it in place.
Make sure you cover all these points before buying an electric door lock. Failure to do so might lead to further monetary losses down the line.
Check the Quality of the Batteries
Most smart locks rely on batteries for their power. This ensures that you won’t get locked out of your house if the power ever goes out. The wireless processors, LED lights, and, most significantly, the motor that locks and opens your door depends on batteries. In addition, the motor in your electric lock uses a lot of power when it is turned on to extend or withdraw the deadbolt. Therefore, the number of times you may need to replace your batteries can vary depending on their quality and durability.
Numerous smart locks users prefer Energizer Industrial batteries for their electric locks. However, to determine which battery is best suited for your smart lock, you might need to do your research and experiment with various batteries.
Evaluate the Features
Electric locks come in various styles, and they all have unique features, so it’s crucial to know what you need before buying one. The first thing to check is whether your smart lock has a separate deadbolt. Most of them have a separate deadbolt, but some are only motorized additions that will latch onto your current deadbolt. These are a bit simpler to install. More importantly, you should confirm that the electronic lock will function with the door’s existing deadbolt. The ideal solution to this is to take a look at the smart lock’s web application.
Next, you should analyze how the smart lock you choose allows you to enter your home. Some systems allow you to unlock the door automatically as you get close enough to it, while others allow keyless entry by entering a code. Before installing a lock, select one that suits your needs, comfort, and ease of use.
Do You Need to Grant Access to Multiple Users?
Before installing an electric lock, it’s also a good idea to see how it handles several users. For instance, the Kwikset Kevo electric lock pairs with your phone and is rather simple, but if you have a large family, each person will have to install the app, which adds up to be quite pricey.
A coded lock, such as the Yale Real Living Deadbolt, might be a suitable option if more than a few people live in the household. You can give each person a separate code to track who enters and leaves the house.
Final Thoughts
Smart locks are worth considering for home security. You shouldn’t have any trouble choosing the ideal one for your front door if you do your research before getting one. After installation, you can make the most of all their features and benefit from the best level of security possible.
