Are you someone who frequently loses the key and ends up standing in front of the door waiting for someone to fix it? Do you require multiple keys so that all your family can get access to the door? Are you fed up with hiding the key to let your friend get inside when you are not around? Well, there is an endless list of such scenarios. If you are someone who related to these questions and nodded your head, then the answer is simple– get yourself a smart door lock.
Wondering what a smart door lock is? To put it simply, it is a lock that doesn’t require a regular metal key. Instead of using a key, such doors lock and unlock electrically with a numeric code or touch screen that works in combination with a mobile application.
Over a period of time, technology has discovered its way to make our lives simpler and much more accessible while keeping us safe and secure. And smart locks are no exception. They have gained immense popularity in recent years and are why people abandon traditional safety and security systems. They are modern, convenient, and a smart move to up your safety game. However, they aren’t for everyone– neither are they a solution for all security challenges. While it is a popular trend, it doesn’t mean that it will be better.
Like every other technology, smart locks also have their fair share of pros and cons. While they come with a lot of benefits, there are downsides too, and in this article, we are going to discuss both. Weighing the pros and cons will help you decide whether to buy a smart door lock.
Advantages Of A Smart Door Lock
Gone are those days when you needed to worry about the keys or keep a spare one for backup. Today, all you need is a smart lock. Here are some of the perks of installing such locks in your home.
1. Convenient To Use
This is one of the most obvious benefits of smart locks. They are easy to operate with no key requirement. It will save you from fumbling around in your pockets for the keys and protect you from worrying about losing or misplacing them.
2. Easy To Sync With Smart Home
The ease of syncing adds to the benefits of installing a smart lock. If you have cameras, thermostats, lighting, and other home security solutions installed at your home, you can integrate them with your smart lock and take your security to a whole new level.
3. Offers Peace Of Mind
The motive behind installing a smart door lock is to keep yourself out of the stress of burglaries and thefts. It will track who’s coming in and going out and give you full access to the door even when you are not around. This will grant you the peace of mind you are looking for.
4. Offers High Security
From a security standpoint, smart locks are an incredible choice. Unlike traditional locks, they allow the owner to see if someone tries to intrude into your property. They also limit the ways of breaking into the home, and the alarm goes off if there’s a potential break-in.
5. Provides Remote Access
It is rightly said – “Keys are yesterday’s tech; your smart home needs a smart lock.” Such locks allow the owner to go keyless and still access from anywhere. After installing a smart lock, you can operate the door via a smartphone app. This means no more hiding the keys or getting their copies made.
6. Easy To Keep A Check On All The Activities
This is one of the significant benefits of installing smart locks in your home. Such locks capture all the activities and records if someone tries to unlock your front door. This will help you keep a check on all the activities and makes it easy to find the culprit in case of any theft.
7. Aesthetically Pleasing
When it comes to home, people want everything to look aesthetically pleasing, right from the interior to the decor and equipment used. When it comes to smart door locks, they look stylish and professional. Their sleek design looks perfect from the outside. Also, they come in different designs and colors so that you can find the one that fits your style.
Disadvantages Of A Smart Door Lock
If you are planning to install a smart lock, it should turn out to be a great decision– not a nightmare. This is why you should also take into consideration the disadvantages associated with smart door locks.
1. Potential For Hacking
The vulnerability to hackers is one of the biggest weaknesses of smart locks. Since they depend on the internet, they become prone to cyber-attacks. Also, the intruders can guess the pin or the access code and can unlock the door even when they are not authorized.
2. Chances Of Power & WiFi Outages
Since some of these locks are dependent on the power supply for their functionality, they can go off in case of an outage which might lock you outside or inside your home until the supply comes back.
3. Risks Of Forgetting The Password
While going keyless will save you from worrying about the key, it will add to the stress of remembering the password or code. Being a human, there are chances of forgetting the password, especially if it is too complicated. This will restrict you from entering your home unless you remember it.
4. Comes With High Cost
While the security of your loved ones and valuables matter the most, the cost is one of the factors that you can’t neglect. Unlike a standard lock-and-key box, a smart door lock is way more expensive. It requires regular maintenance, which eventually adds up to its cost.
5. Risk Of Losing Your Phone
While the integration of smart locks with a mobile app makes it easy to use the system, it also increases the risk of being accessed in case of losing your phone. Since your phone is a key to the door, if someone gets access to your phone, they can operate your door from anywhere, anytime. They will get a free pass not just to your personal information but also to your home in seconds.
Tips To Use Smart Locks Safely
Considering the associated pros and cons, if you want to enhance your home security with a smart door lock, here are some tips that will help you use it the right way. These tips will ensure that you enjoy the advantages while eliminating or minimizing the disadvantages.
- Use a smart lock along with the standard lock. This is one of the most convenient approaches that will help you deal with situations like lock failure, mobile theft, or more.
- In order to prevent your lock from getting hacked, you can keep your smart lock front door mobile app updated. By doing so, you will get access to all the latest security features.
- Some smart locks allow individuals to set the timing for locking and unlocking the door. While this might be easy and convenient to open the door, this comes with greater risk.
- Don’t share your smart lock e-key with everyone. It is an access code to your home and is meant to be secured between you and your family.
- Spend some time exploring the app. The smart door lock app has many features that you might not be aware of. So, look out and use them to enhance home security.
Smart Door Lock: Final Verdict
A keyless door lock, a.k.a smart door lock, is an excellent device for keeping the home safe. Considering all the aspects, we can conclude that despite its flaws, this technology will become more prominent in the future as it becomes a standard in all homes. But before you get yourself one, make sure you understand what works the best for you rather than getting what others are using.
Pin this article, weigh your advantages and disadvantages, and make the right decision for your smart door lock.
