Smart Lock Installation: before you call

Half the evenings someone asks whether the back door got locked, and nobody is sure. A lock that relocks on its own, shows its state in an app and reports when it was last opened would settle the question.

Worth answering before the call

Which other doors should share the same key or the same system? How many people need their own way in, and does that list change often? What lock is on the door now: a separate deadbolt, a knob, a lever or a mortise lock?

What is the difference between a keypad lock, a Bluetooth lock and a Wi-Fi lock?

A keypad lock is operated at the door by code and needs no phone at all. A Bluetooth lock adds phone control when you are within a few metres, which covers most daily use and keeps the lock off the internet. A Wi-Fi lock, either built in or through a small bridge, lets you check and change the lock from anywhere and sends alerts, at the cost of more battery use and a dependence on the home network. Many models combine two of these.

What happens when the batteries die?

The lock warns you well before that point, with a light or tone at the keypad and, on connected models, a message to your phone. If the warnings are missed, a keyed model's mechanical override still opens the door, while a key-free model instead has two small contacts on the outside where a nine-volt battery gives it enough power to accept a code. The locksmith shows you each route your model offers and where the spare batteries and the key should live.