Residential Door Locks

[Bobonli]

It's time to replace my 60+ year old front door. Hollow, drafty, it's a wreck. I want to step into the 20th century and go key-less, either with a combo lock or RFID/Bluetooth model. My only experience is through some Air BnB rentals and the range of quality has been crappy to magnificent, so I'd appreciate some feedback from salon members who've gone key-less.

There's 4 members in the household. 2 adults 2 kids. Solution has to be allow password/combo changes in case a kid's friend looks over the shoulder, or we need to let a neighbor have access to care for our pet while on vacation. Preferably something that can't be hacked by a tech savvy burglar.

Thanks in advance.

[Too Tall]

I have had the first gen of Schlage keyless deadbolt since forever and do not regret a thing. They are as solid as anything and only need a battery ever few yrs.

Looking at the new itteration(s) is opening my eyes and will be on board this winter for the WiFi version.

https://www.schlage.com/en/home/smart-locks.html

[thollandpe]

My best decision with our new doors was to go with 3-point latching mechanisms. Not for security, which is what the very sharp-toothed and hyper-alert canine is handling, but for air sealing.

I don’t care what your door is made from, those corners are going to relax over time. The three-point mechanism draws that whole door edge against the weather seal, tight as a duck’s ass.

[spopepro]

I have used, and like the Yale assure locks. When it’s time (soon... waiting for materials to come back down to earth) it’s what I’ll put on our entry way. The locks have different options for wireless protocol, or can be run without one. I think that’s great, as I can manage it over my homebrew zigbee network and manage the security a little better. I don’t want my lock to have an IP address, and *never* want it connecting directly to the internet. I’d avoid services that “help” you manage the entry personally.

[davids]

I'm curious to know what the attraction of a keyless lock might be.

It strikes me as a solution looking for a problem but I am ready to be edumacated!

[Peter Polack]

I'm curious to know what the attraction of a keyless lock might be.

It strikes me as a solution looking for a problem but I am ready to be edumacated!

Because, as the Dead Kennedys said, "Give me convenience or give me death!"

Gotta maintain our status in surburbia, dontcha know...

[bigbill]

I go in and out through the garage, but I plan on putting a bluetooth type lock on the side door into the garage so I can do a prox thing to get back in after a ride.

[Dmoeny]

We got an August lock about a month ago, and it’s working well. I’d put it in the recommend column, especially if you want to retain your current hardware, or have preferences for the physical deadbolt.

[SlowPokePete]

You guys lock the doors?

SPP

[spopepro]

I'm curious to know what the attraction of a keyless lock might be.

It strikes me as a solution looking for a problem but I am ready to be edumacated!

The advantage is not needing to grab keys when heading out for a run or ride, setting an auto-lock time out (or, if you're comfortable with the security exchange by enabling WAN functions you can use your phone) means never having to worry about "did I remember to lock the door?" ever again, having time-of-day limited and expiring codes for things like cleaners and pet sitters, having increased resistance to physical picking techniques (but really, the only one here that should be of concern is "bumping"... everything more advanced is just for fun, and beyond this folks will just break something instead of picking it).

If you have a controlled entryway, and you're deep in home automation, you can do things like have a code that will only open the outer door, but not the inner for deliveries, and set your code to unlock both doors automatically (and turn on the lights, put the heat up, or whatever other connected actions you want). But that's getting a little off the deep end.

[Mabouya]

You guys lock the doors?

What's a door?

[Bobonli]

The advantage is not needing to grab keys when heading out for a run or ride, setting an auto-lock time out (or, if you're comfortable with the security exchange by enabling WAN functions you can use your phone) means never having to worry about "did I remember to lock the door?" ever again, having time-of-day limited and expiring codes for things like cleaners and pet sitters, having increased resistance to physical picking techniques (but really, the only one here that should be of concern is "bumping"... everything more advanced is just for fun, and beyond this folks will just break something instead of picking it).

If you have a controlled entryway, and you're deep in home automation, you can do things like have a code that will only open the outer door, but not the inner for deliveries, and set your code to unlock both doors automatically (and turn on the lights, put the heat up, or whatever other connected actions you want). But that's getting a little off the deep end.

All this. I like locked doors. I live with 3 people who like to leave without locking doors or forget their keys. Two of the three also operate their door key like they are taking off lug nuts by spinning the key 360 degrees in the cylinder.

[Bobonli]

Reviving this old thread because other home renovation things got done first. New front door selected**. Time for the lock. I want keyless, ability to open with phone/watch/keypad. It's about convenience. And I can manage codes, as mentioned above, if I ever need to grant access to someone else. This is the front door.

Is there any practical reason to Also have a key on that e-lock? From an aesthetic standpoint, I think it adds clutter to an otherwise sleek looking device.

One family member said "what if I forget my phone or forget the access code" which is implausible and there are other doors to the house (that she can't get into without the key that she already doesn't carry!!).



** Holy Smokes solid wood doors are expensive. Fiberglass only slightly less expensive!

[j44ke]

Re: solid wood doors. Price has gotten so having a local craftsperson build a custom door is not too much more.

Key lock would be handy in case the e-lock goes belly-up and a replacement isn't immediately available.

[Too Tall]

Many of the new(er) smart locks have a key...to put under that obviously fake rock.

My Schledge first gen. jobs do not have a key. Livin' on the edge, that's me.

[Bobonli]

Many of the new(er) smart locks have a key...to put under that obviously fake rock.

My Schledge first gen. jobs do not have a key. Livin' on the edge, that's me.

Do you miss/regret not having the key?

[sk_tle]

As somebody's said years ago. Don't use a lock that depends on a service or is connected to the internet.

If you need to do management, it needs to be done from the hone network. If you need to access tour home network remotely, access it through wireguard or similar internal vpn solution (that also do not depend on an external service).

[Too Tall]

Do you miss/regret not having the key?

What's a key? No. In the many years since installation we have never been locked out or regretted the change. Honestly, if for some weird reason all four of the keyless locks failed while we were locked in a Turkish prison I'd not feel bad about breaking a window.

[Bobonli]

What's a key? No. In the many years since installation we have never been locked out or regretted the change. Honestly, if for some weird reason all four of the keyless locks failed while we were locked in a Turkish prison I'd not feel bad about breaking a window.

Without giving away any top secret personal security secrets, did you take any steps to mitigate the concerns that Thomas raised about network security....all these things run on Bluetooth and then connect to your WiFi....all of which can be vulnerable.

The locks I'm looking at run on BT, then a bridge device to the home's WiFi.

[Too Tall]

Without giving away any top secret personal security secrets, did you take any steps to mitigate the concerns that Thomas raised about network security....all these things run on Bluetooth and then connect to your WiFi....all of which can be vulnerable.

The locks I'm looking at run on BT, then a bridge device to the home's WiFi.

WiFi conntected was an option at the time and choose not to for those reasons. All of these locks are capable of storing multiple combinations so it's pretty low risk to give one to trade or friends and it's quite easy to remove those codes by entering your master code than wiping them out.