Have a hard time looking for your keys to open the door when you are just in front of the house? You will want to consider getting a digital lock, but how do we find the right digital lock to secure our premises? You may not have any idea how to choose the right digital lock. You can open these smart home devices from anywhere through an app on your phone or even open them you’re in near your front door.
It may not be necessary that digital locks will make your home safer, but you may control it more efficiently. You won’t need to search for your keys anymore. Instead, you can easily unlock your door from anywhere or even give the external keys to your friends and family who comes over to your home often.
There are keyless options, Bluetooth options, and digital locks that use your fingerprint to unlock the door, and you may be clueless about which type is the right digital lock for your house. So if you are thinking of getting a digital lock and you are confused, let’s take a look at these exclusive tips on choosing the right digital lock for your house.
How To Choose The Right Digital Lock?
Identifying Your Door + Lock
First of all, before you choose the right digital lock for your door, you will have to identify the type of your door and lock. Locks and doors are not universally the same. You will need to choose the right digital lock to fit your door, not find a lock you like, and expect it to work unless you get a new door for your house.
You will normally find the common lock is mortise lock, deadbolt lock, and rim latch lock. A mortise lock is a one-piece door lock that includes the handle and the lock. It requires a rectangular pocket to be cut into the door to fit the lock into it.
A deadbolt lock is a single piece of lock that’s separate from the handle. There are no springs to operate it so the lock can only open with a key manually. While a rim latch lock is one of the oldest types of lock. It is a surface-mounted box that contains a deadbolt type of lock and a latch.
Find A Compatible Digital Lock Types
Most of the digital locks available in the market are similar to the segment above. There are mortise types, deadbolt types, and rim latch types. When choosing the right digital lock for your house, it is best to follow whatever kind of door lock you are currently having for your door. For example, if your current lock is a mortise lock, you should choose the digital mortise lock.
You may consider using other locks, such as adding a deadbolt on top of the mortise lock, but you will be dealing with two types of locks: the original mortise lock and the new smart deadbolt. But sometimes, choosing a different lock may depend on the space permits. There may be a hole if you install another type of lock.
When choosing the right digital lock, you will want to check with the door lock retailer to see if the digital lock fits the door. You may want to give the measurement to the retailer.
Choosing The Features For The Digital Lock
There are different features of the digital lock. It is important how you want to interact with your door.
Biometric Fingerprint Identification
Fingerprint identification is the easiest way to unlock your door. Suppose you can’t remember a PIN or having a hard time looking for a key or card. Fingerprint identification will be a good choice as long as you have your finger.
Many people prefer fingerprint identification because it is fast and secure. But if you have sweaty fingers, this may be a problem as it is hard to identify your fingerprints. But you don’t have to worry as we have other methods for you to choose from.
RFID or NFC keycards
A keycard function is more friendly to children and the elderly and easy to use. They don’t have to rely on fingerprints and memories. The most important thing is NFC cards cannot be duplicated.
Although it is not a keyless option compared to keys, they are small, easy to bring along, and of course, they won’t scratch your phone as keys do. You definitely want to consider using keycards as one of the options when you are looking for the right digital lock.
PIN codes
Another option when you are looking for the right digital lock. PIN codes allow you to go keyless, but there are a few problems. It is less secure as someone can memorize your PIN if they manage to see it. PIN codes usually take longer to open than a normal physical key. Some people may even forget their PIN codes and cannot get in.
Many brands require you to enter the Pins with a multi-step process. You may have to swipe the lock and enter random digits before entering your pin. Sometimes it may be frustrating when you have some urgent things to attend to as it requires some time to enter the PIN code.
Wi-Fi
If you consider Wi-Fi as one of the right digital locks, it is good that you can control the lock from anywhere with an internet connection. Before that, you need to ensure that you have made all the necessary connections with the accessory devices. You can lock and unlock your door remotely or access codes from anywhere. You can even view your activity log for the digital lock.
But prepare to stock up the batteries required for this type of digital lock. Built-in Wi-Fi will likely drain your batteries quicker.
Conclusion
Digital lock has improved our quality of life and allows us to go keyless. You don’t have to worry about losing your key and changing the whole lock. It isn’t easy to find the right digital lock with the choices in the market. Understand your needs and find one that suits you.
